Officers
Antonio Gutierrez
Chairman (Section 4)
Tony Gutierrez has been employed with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Fire Department for twelve years. He has spent the last four years as a Captain and has now been promoted to Fire Chief. Tony has 22 years in the fire service where he has been a structural and aircraft rescue fire fighter. He is a certified AAAE/ ARFFWG Airport Master Firefighter, a State of Michigan certified Professional Emergency Manager and also a National Incident Management System Incident Command System 300/400 Instructor. Tony is a State of Michigan Fire Instructor II where he has been instructing in the fire service since 2005. For the last 20 years, he has been a hazmat technician on a County Hazardous Materials Response Team and has been the Hazmat Chief for the past two years. Tony is also a Hazmat Instructor and serves as the Hazmat Technician Program Coordinator for Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Training Center. He is also a current FAA Private Pilot and is currently working on his AAAE Certified Member designation. Tony is a graduate of Columbia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Management and an associate degree from Baker College in EMS Management. He lives in West Michigan with his wife and two children. Tony is looking forward to working with the Board of Directors and serving the members of Section 4.
Tony Gutierrez
Fire Chief
Gerald R. Ford International Airport Fire Department
5500 44th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
616-233-6077 (office)
231-578-2870 (cell)
Brian Snodgrass
1st Vice Chair (Section 7)
Brian has been in public service with the City of Phoenix for 25 years; starting his career with the Phoenix Police Department in 1993 and then transferring to the Phoenix Fire Department in 2000. In Brian’s time with the City of Phoenix he has served as a Tactical Training Officer, Field Training Officer, Fire Arms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Driving Instructor, Arson Training Officer and ALS Engine Captain. Captain Snodgrass joined the ARFF program with Phoenix Fire in 2009 and has served as the ARFF Training Coordinator and Captain since 2013. Brian maintains dual certification as a member of Phoenix Fire and the Phoenix Police Department. Captain Snodgrass also serves as the Terrorism Liaison Officer for Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
In Captain Snodgrass’s time as the ARFF Training Coordinator he has excelled at building a successful and knowledgeable ARFF training program. Brian’s involvement with the airport is remarkable and his knowledge and experience is sought after by airport administration on matters concerning not just fire but security of the airport, major event preparation and, drill planning/preparation and more.
Captain Snodgrass has co-presented at multiple ARFF Working Group Conferences on Airport Terrorism and the Changing Responsibilities of ARFF Personnel. In 2018 Brian was nominated and honored with the Brian Pugh Outstanding ARFF Training Officer of the Year Award by the ARFF Working Group for his dedication and contribution to ARFF Training.
Captain Snodgrass will bring a unique perspective as a Director for the ARFF Working Group with his experience as both a firefighter and police officer and his unique focus of airport terrorism. Brian has a true passion for the ARFF industry. His leadership and management skills will be an asset to the ARFF Working Group and Section 7. Brian has proven to be a true advocate for the ARFF industry and will be an excellent representative for airports and airport firefighters.
Brian Snodgrass
Captain/ARFF Training Officer/TLO
3547 E Sky Harbor Blvd
Phoenix Az. 85034
602-534-4262 Desk
602-228-9303 Cell
Section7@arffwg.org
Chris Menge
2nd Vice Chair (Section 1)
I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to the group.
I was born and raised in Hagaman a small town in upstate New York. I began my ARFF career in the Airforce in 2001 graduating from Goodfellow AFB. My military career gave me the opportunity to receive amazing training and have some fantastic mentors. One thing instilled during my military time was the importance of training and education. I pursued both over time reaching National Certification in Fire Officer 4 and Fire Instructor 3, as well as earning my master’s degree in Emergency Management from the University of New Haven. After the military, I was onto the Albany International Airport, where I currently serve as a Captain in the training division.
Today, I also participate in many other things. I work as a New York State Fire Instructor teaching outreach fire training at the academy and throughout the state. I teach some courses at the Fulton Montgomery Community College as well with 139 Fire delivering ARFF training across the country. I do spend most of the time working as a part owner of Calderwood Training Solutions. We develop custom training programs across the emergency services spectrum as well as offer safety training and exercise design.
In my down time, I’m a big sports fan, the Yankees take most of my time in spring and summer, and the Redskins own the fall. I love watching my daughters play softball, basketball and volleyball coached by my wife.
Though I have had some great mentors no one had been more important to my life then my wife Nicole. She has always pushed me to achieve my goals, and supported me thru them all, from taking care of our 2 daughters Emma (8) and Avery (6) so I can attend training, or reading papers at midnight to ensure I have the correct punctuation and spellings.
I hope to be able to bring good communication and build partnerships in section 1. I hope my experience and networking will be able to help solve some of the issues we are challenged with as well as increase the profile of the ARFF community in the emergency service arena. Thank you for electing me to the position and I hope to serve the group well.
Albany Airport Fire Dept.
518-242-2332
menge218@yahoo.com
Kevin Rink
Treasurer (Section 3)
Battalion Chief Rink has been a firefighter for 25 years serving various roles as an airport firefighter since 2012 with the Charlotte Fire Department at Charlotte Doug Int’l Airport. Chief Rink currently serves as the ARFF Coordinator overseeing all training and compliance matters., the apparatus fleet and airport fire station maintenance issues. Chief Rink has a Bachelor of Science/Business Administration degree from Western Carolina University. Chief Rink is a Certified Member thru AAAE Airport Master Firefighter and ARFF Instructor. Since coming to the ARFF stations, Chief Rink has been involved in every aspect of ARFF life, from foam testing to accident response to FAA inspections and attended numrous working group conferences and training opportunities. He wants to continue this learning process and help the ARFF community.
Kevin Rink Charlotte Fire Dept. 704-359-8861
RJ Jones
Secretary (Section 12)
RJ Jones has served the fire apparatus industry for more than 25 years, working in several escalating roles of responsibility. Since March 2009, he has been an active principal member of the NFPA Technical Committee on Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting AIR-AAA. RJ worked to develop, market, and sell ARFF vehicles and structural fire apparatus to the US military and commercial airports throughout the world. He helped to advance the acceptance of input-based testing systems for a more environmentally friendly method of testing ARFF vehicles.
He has been an exhibitor, sponsor, and corporate sustaining member to the ARFF Working Group since 2004. He served on many site visit committees and most recently worked with the Board of Directors Marketing Committee for the implementation of our current symposium app.
RJ is currently the OEM Excellence Director for IDEX Fire & Safety, located in Ocala, Florida, He is blessed to be married to his wife Kim and the proud father of son Tyler, and daughter Landrey.
Ronald “RJ” Jones
OEM Excellence Director
IDEX Fire& Safety
PH: 352-229-4685