David Hall

Fire Chief
David has worked in public safety since 1986. Hall started as a Deputy Sheriff and then moved into Fire and EMS. Through much of the 1990’s Hall worked on an ambulance in Manchester NH. In 1993 Hall joined the Greenfield NH Fire Department where he has been Fire Chief since 2014. Chief Hall has taught Fire and EMS classes since 1995. His specialties include: Mass Casualty Incidents and ICS, Vehicle Extrication, Ice and Water Rescue, EMS Scene Management, Cardiac Rhythm Interpretation, Search and Rescue, Fireground Management and Tactics, Officer and Leadership Development, Recruitment and Retention in the Volunteer Fire Service. In 2011 Hall was awarded the New Hampshire EMS Educator of the Year by Governor John Lynch.

In 2018, NH Fire Standards and Training & Emergency Medical Services awarded Hall the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award – 30+ years of service.

Donnie Cole

Rescue Chief
Donnie has been in the fire service since 2001. Cole is the Rescue Chief for the Lyndeborough NH and has been a full time firefighter for the Hollis NH Fire Department since 2008. Cole is an AEMT and a Staff Fire Instructor for the NH Fire Academy. Chief Cole holds many certificates in fire and EMS and offers trainings in: fireground tactics, ventilation, Search and Rescue, RIT and runs live fire trainings in Acquired Structures and NHFA Burn Trailer.

Rod Towne

Retired Deputy Chief
Rod is a forty-four year veteran of the fire service. Towne’s career was spread across several NH Fire Departments including Concord, Hudson, Nashua and most recently New Boston. Over the years he has held the position of Fire Fighter, Lieutenant, Training officer, Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief. Towne has an associate degree in Fire Protection and is a National Fire Academy Level IV instructor for Incident Command. He is certified by the state of NH as a Fire Fighter Level III, Instructor IV, Apparatus Driver Operator, and Hazardous Materials Operations level. He is also a nationally registered EMT. Mr. Towne is a past member of the National Fire Protection Association and has served on the board of directors of The NH Fire Instructors Association. Mr. Towne specializes in technical, confined space and rope rescue and has presented these programs in many locations across the country.

Lou Heikkila

AEMT
Lou was driving down a country road in 1984 when a motorcycle crashed in front of her and the driver was seriously hurt. Lou stopped to help… but did not know what to do. A year later Lou was an EMT working for Souhegan Valley Ambulance in New Ipswich NH; where she would serve for the next thirty years. Today Lou is an AEMT and runs with neighboring Jaffrey Memorial Ambulance. Lou teaches everything EMS and is one of the school’s principal instructors for the initial programs.

Alex Lange

Rescue Captain
Alex began his EMS career in 1969. Lange flew on helicopters as a Combat Medic in Vietnam for sixteen months. After Vietnam, Alex walked away from EMS and pursed a long civilian career in corporate America. But he wasn’t done. In 2010, Lange returned joining the Nelson NH Fire Department where he quickly rose to the rank of Rescue Captain. In 2015 Lange relocated to Greenfield NH, joined the Fire Department and was almost immediately appointed Rescue Captain again. Captain Lange is responsible for the Rescue side of Greenfield Fire. Lange teaches a wide variety of EMS topics.

Brenda Hennesey

Captain/AEMT
Brenda started in EMS in 1998. Captain Hennessy has been with the Antrim Fire Department ever since. Hennessy is one of the Academy’s hands-on specialists and teaches EMS skills and is known for her easy going laid back style that puts her students at ease. In 2006 Captain Hennessy was awarded the Monadnock Community Hospital EMS Provider of the Year.

Kristine Hall

Retired Captain
Kristine is the Office Manager and one of the instructors for the Academy. Captain Hall spent fifteen years as a Firefighter/EMT-I with the Greenfield NH Fire Department. In addition to her years of fire and EMS service, Ms. Hall brings her extensive Human Services background to the school, particularly her professional work experience with the elderly population. Hall has comprehensive knowledge of laws and regulations associated with elder neglect and abuse as well as access to elder support services and agencies.

E. Ross Ramey, MD

Medical Director
Dr. Ramey was the Medical Director for the Emergency Department at Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough NH. More recently Dr Ramey has been one of the Hospitalists at MCH. Dr. Ramey has long served as the Academy’s Medical Director.

Denis Filipetti

IT Consultant
Denis is the Academy’s IT consultant. Although now retired from EMS, the former EMT-I has run with Wilton and Tri-Town Ambulance in the past. Widely recognized as a computer wizard, Filipetti has lent his thirty-five plus years of electronic expertise to the development of the Academy’s programs. Filipetti is a true “behind the scenes player” who has made significant contributions to the school’s development. Those who have had the pleasure of his company in the EMS environment, will attest to his wit and humor and concern for his patients.

Bruce Dodge

Graphic Designer
Bruce is one of the Academy’s two moulage specialists. Bruce expanded on his considerable talent as a Graphic Designer and artist by learning the art of moulage or theatrical makeup to simulate traumatic injuries. Unlike his wife Linda with whom he typically works on these projects, Bruce was never personally involved in the fire service. Like Linda, Bruce is available to apply moulage to victims at a drill, or to share his knowledge by teaching others this skill.

Gina Catalano

Rescue Captain
Gina started in the fire service in 1994. Captain Catalano has been with the New Boston Fire Department ever since. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and is a NH EMS Instructor/Coordinator. Captain Catalano is a Level 1 Firefighter and a Nationally Registered Paramedic. Catalano primarily teaches EMS, with a focus on ALS topics. Catalano’s reputation for being an exceptional Paramedic was further enhanced in 2015 when she received a prestigious EMS Officer Lifetime Achievement Award.

Linda Dodge

Retired Rescue Captain
Linda is one of the Academy’s two moulage specialists. Captain Dodge spent thirty years as an EMT and EMT-I on the Greenfield Fire Department retiring in 2015. Along the way she learned the art of applying theatrical makeup or moulage to simulate traumatic injuries. She typically works with her husband Bruce either applying moulage for a drill or teaching others this skill.

Jeff “Ten Fires” Rychwa

Retired Lieutenant
Jeff comes from a background of over thirty years of practicing martial arts and primitive survival skills.  Jeff is former Air Force, Desert Shield/Desert Storm and worked Fire Protection and Rescue at Torrejon Air Force Base in Spain.  He is Level 1 Firefighter with extensive study in Ropes and Knots relevant to rescue, extrication and extraction as well as for practical survival applications.  Rychwa currently works for Milford and Wilton Ambulance Services as an EMT, and is a former officer of the Greenfield Fire Department.

Moto Maguire

Retired Deputy Chief
Moto started his fire service career in 1967 when he was in the Navy. Moto joined Peterborough NH Fire Rescue in 1972 and retired at the rank of Deputy Chief in 2001. After that Maguire participated in a limited fashion with Greenfield Fire primarily responding to fires. But in 2014, the former Deputy returned to more active service with Greenfield where he remains today. In addition to his many, many years in the fire service and a wealth of general knowledge; Maguire really shines in the water supply arena. Need guidance with establishing water supply, hooking up a nurse tanker or running an efficient tanker shuttle… Moto is the man for the job.

The Academy of First Response has closed after 28 years. Founder David Hall has retired. We wish our many, many former students the best in their future endeavors.

The Academy is made up of seasoned EMS and Fire Service professionals who have been teaching for many years. Our students not only benefit from our instructor’s teaching ability but also from their many years of field experience. We believe, and put into practice, that Fire and EMS can only be properly taught by experienced Fire and EMS professionals. There is more information regarding the school on the About Us and Faculty pages. Please feel free to visit all areas of this site, including the Yearbook page to see examples of what we do.