Rick Lasky, a 25-year veteran of the fire service, is chief of the Lewisville (TX) Fire Department. Rick began his career as a firefighter in the suburbs on the southwest side of Chicago and while in Illinois received the 1996 International Society of Fire Service Instructors "Innovator of the Year" award for his part in developing the "Saving Our Own" program. He is the co-lead instructor for the H.O.T. Firefighter Survival program at FDIC and FDIC East and is an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering Magazine and serves on the FDIC, FDIC West and East advisory boards.