REaL Fire Training, LLC
STAFF
All of our instructors come from diverse backgrounds, but we all have the same passion. To share our experiences of successes and failures to improve your fire ground efficiency through proficiency while providing you the tools to become a Game Changer.
Richard Graulich
President, Co-Owner
Rich is the Co-founder and President of REaL Fire Training and has over 26 years in the fire service. He started off in the Orange, New Jersey area and with a small stent in James City County Fire in VA. Currently Rich is a Captain with Norfolk Fire Rescue assigned to an Engine Company. During his past 19 years in Norfolk he has spent all of his time on Engine and Ladder Companies.
He has served three rotations to his Department’s Training Division, two of which he served as the Departmental and Regional Fire Academy Coordinator and one as the Departmental Training Division Coordinator. He is also an Adjunct Instructor for VDFP (Virginia Department of Fire Programs), since 2001, teaching many of the state’s operational and leadership courses.
Rich has a BA in Economics and served as an officer in the Navy. During his time in the Navy he served as an Electronic Countermeasures Officer assigned to an air wing.
Jarrod Sergi
Instructor
Jarrod is a Captain and 13 year veteran of Norfolk Fire Rescue. He has served in one of the city’s busiest Engine Companies and has also served a tour in the Training Division as a Fire Academy Coordinator. He currently is assigned to Engine Company 1 in the city’s 1st Battalion. Jarrod has been a part of, and assisted in the development of several department wide training programs that included both Engine and Ladder company operations. As an instructor with REaL Training his main emphasis is on Engine Company Operations, High Rise Firefighting and Standpipe Operations.
Jarrod also serves as an adjunct State Instructor for both the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the National Fire Academy focusing on MAYDAY and Strategy/Tactics. Prior to working for the City of Norfolk, Jarrod served 6 years in the United States Navy as a Damage Controlman (shipboard firefighter) and a Search and Rescue Swimmer. Here he learned the importance of mission first, accountability and the importance of developing brilliance in the basics. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science, has completed the National Fire Academy EFO Program, is a contributor to Fire Engineering Magazine, and is a Fire Engineering blogger. Jarrod’s Blog
Jeremy Williams
Co-Owner, Vice President
Jeremy Williams has over 17 years in the fire service and for the past 13 years he has worked for the City of Norfolk where he currently serves as a Captain assigned to the training division. He has served the majority of his career assigned to one of the cities Heavy Rescue Companies, but has also been assigned to the busiest ladder and engine companies with in the city. He serves as an adjunct instructor for the Regional and Departmental Fire Academies. Jeremy is a member of the Regional Technical Rescue Team and also serves as a Rescue Specialist on FEMA’s Virginia Task Force 2 US&R Team.
Prior to working for Norfolk Jeremy worked as a Shipboard Fire Systems Technician and Inspector. He also served in the US Navy as the Ship’s Fire Marshall onboard the USS McFaul (DDG-74). Jeremy holds Degrees in Fire Science, Fire and Emergency Management, and is completing Master's course work in Public Administration.
Jeremy spent over 20 years in the sports arena and was lucky enough to play collegiate level football at West Virginia State College. Along with this he spent over 10 years coaching football at a high school and collegiate level.
Chip Johnson
Instructor
Chip Johnson is a firefighter with Chesterfield Fire & EMS. He is currently assigned to Truck 3 in the Bensley area of Chesterfield County. Chip started his fire service career as a volunteer with in the same agency at Station 11. Chip was hired in 2000 as a career fire fighter. Chip has been assigned to both engine and truck companies within the organization and is an active member of the Central Virginia Technical Rescue Team.
Chip is also a member of Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department Company 4. He is currently assigned to the training group with Powhatan Co. 4 in developing and providing real world training with small amounts of available money and facilities.
Chip is a second generation firefighter following in his father’s footsteps who retired from Henrico Division of Fire after almost 30 years of service.
Billy Murray
Instructor
Billy Murray is a Captain with the Virginia Beach Fire Department currently assigned to an Engine Company in the 3rd Battalion. He has been in the Fire Service for 21 years with the last 10 years in Virginia Beach.
He has previously held an instructor position with the Virginia Beach Fire Academy as an instructor teaching new fire recruits and helping to develop the department incident command simulation courses. He is an Adjunct Instructor with the Department of Fire Programs specializing in teaching MAYDAY and RIT Operations. He is a member of FEMA US&R Task Force II and is assigned to the Plans Sector.
Billy is currently finishing his Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Administration and is enrolled in the NFA’s Managing Officer Program.
Andrew Zysk
Instructor
Andrew is a 16 year member of the fire service starting as a volunteer with Protective Company #1 of the Fairmount (NY) Fire Department. In 2011, he became a career fireman with the Newport News Fire Department where he has spent his career in the busy downtown battalion. Currently assigned to Station # 2 in the city's east end, Andrew is also a member of the NNFD technical rescue team.
Andrew is a second generation firefighter following in his father's footsteps as a member of the Fairmount (NY) Fire Department. His father, Robert, is a past chief and an active member with over 40 years of service.
As an instructor for REaL Fire Training, Andrew focuses on Engine Company Operations and Forcible Entry.
Brandon Dommel
Instructor
Brandon has almost 30 years of fire service experience that ranges from volunteer, combination, and career agencies as well as working in environments that range from rural to urban. He began his fire service career in 1986 in Southern Manheim Township Volunteer Fire Company located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1986. He began as a junior fire fighter and progressed through the years to become an Assistant Chief of the Company. Throughout the 90’s Brandon also served as a member of Bladensburg Company 9 in Prince George’s County, MD.
In 1996 he began his career in Norfolk, VA where he has spent the majority of his time as a fire fighter and Captain riding Engine 2 on the busy Downtown streets of the city until being promoted to Battalion Chief if 2013. He has been assigned to the Fire Training Division on 2 occasions overseeing 5 Fire Academies, also serving as the Assistant Training Officer for the department during his tenure in the Training Division. He remains an instructor for the Departmental and Regional Fire Academies. Brandon also serves as an adjunct State Instructor for both the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and National Fire Academy with a focus on Strategy/Tactics as well as RIT and Mayday programs throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Mike Rock
Instructor
Rock started in the fire service in 1999 in Chesapeake FD, after graduating from ODU, cum laude, with a B.S. in Physical Education and minor in Management. In 2002 Rock was hired by Virginia Beach Fire Department in 2002, where he currently works.
Rock has spent his career VBFD's busier engine and ladder companies. Rock is now a Captain assigned to Ladder 16..
Rock also serves as a FEMA Rescue Specialist with VATF-2 and is an field training instructor (FTI) for the VBFD. Along with this he is a adjucnt instructor for the VBFD Fire Acdemy and is a member of the VBFD Operational Planning Team since its inception.
Erik Simons
Instructor
Erik is a Master Firefighter with Va Beach Fire Department. Currently he is assigned to one of the cities busiest ladder companies, Ladder 16.
Erik began his fire service career over 12 years ago as a volunteer and has worked for Va Beach for the past 8 years. During this time he has served on the busiest engine and ladder companies. Erik is a departmental Field Training Instructor (FTI) and part of the departmental ladder academy cadre. Erik also serves as a Techincal Search Specialist on FEMA’s Virginia Task Force 2 US&R Team.
Tim Austin
Instructor
Tim Austin is an 11 year veteran of the FDNY and us currently assigned to ladder company 29 where he has been for 6 years. His previous assignment was engine 83 for 5 years both companies are located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. Prior to the FDNY Tim was a firefighter in suburbs of Madison Wisconsin with the town of Madison as a volunteer and the Fitchburg Fire Department as a paid on call firefighter for 4 years. Tim started his fire service career in the U.S. Navy as a Damage Controlman assigned to the USS Iwo Jima LHD7.
Tim is a 3rd generation firefighter following in his grandfathers and fathers footsteps. His grandfather was a career firefighter with the Madison Fire Dept for 37 years, and his father was a volunteer with the town of Madison fire department
John Reid
Instructor
John is 10 year member of Norfolk Fire Rescue. Currently a Lieutenant for a Ladder Company. He has been assigned to Engine Companies, Ladder Companies and was assigned to the Heavy Rescue for 3 years before being promoted. He is frequently an instructor for department recruit academies, and department training.
John has a passion about learning. He is currently finishing his degree at Old Dominion University with a degree in Occupational Training.
John has an extensive background in athletics prior to his time in NFR where he developed the ability to teach and create skill programs for learners. John also serves as a Logistic Specialist on FEMA’s Virginia Task Force 2 US&R Team.
Chris Zach
Instructor
Chris followed his family tradition started his fire service career 18 years ago in the small borough of Sayreville, NJ as a volunteer. In 2004 he was hired by Monroe Township, NJ and was then hired in 2005 by Va Beach Fire.
He has been assigned to the busiest engine and ladder companies with Va Beach Fire and is currently assigned to one of the cities Heavy Rescues. He is a member of the departmental technical rescue team, the regional technical rescue team, and a Rescue Specialist on FEMA's US&R Team VA-TF2.
Drew Savage
Instructor
Drew Savage began his career in the fire service as a volunteer in 1983. Drew is currently a 13-year veteran of Norfolk Fire Rescue and serves as a Captain. His current position followed several years in the department’s Training Division where he coordinated and led several recruit training academies and departmental training exercises.
Drew has recently served as a Field Training Instructor for Norfolk Fire Rescue with an emphasis on Elevator Rescue Operations and 2 ½ Hoseline Fundamentals. He has also served as a founding Instructor for Real Fire Training’s Street Smart Engine Operations with an emphasis on 2 ½ Hose Operations.