CUMBERLAND, March 2025 – The National Fire Heritage Center (NFHC) is pleased to announce the induction of four distinguished fire protection trailblazers to the Hall of Legends, Legacies, and Leaders (HLL). This prestigious honor celebrates individuals who have made significant national or international contributions and have distinguished themselves in the fire service or fire protection disciplines.
Each year, a panel of experts evaluates a competitive field of nominees, seeking to honor those whose exceptional work has had an enduring influence on the field.
Now in its 15th year, the Hall of Legends, Legacies, and Leaders welcomes its class of 2024, adding these four trailblazers to a distinguished roster of 128 honorees.
Chief Terry Ford
Chief Terry G. Ford (retired) is recognized for his significant contributions and more than 40 years of distinguished service. Chief Ford has influenced a number of projects that have considerably enhanced the American Fire Service. National impact actions and standards organizations include Member, Board of Directors, Center for Public Safety Excellence. And Commissioner, Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). He has served on the Board of Advisors, Oklahoma State University, Emergency Responder Administration, and has developed several articles, including most recently, “Mentoring in the Fire and Emergency Services”; Center for Public Safety Excellence.
Chief Larry Miller
Chief Deputy Larry Miller (retired) is the longest-serving chief deputy in the 100-year history of the Los Angeles Fire Department. As the second in command, he held the post from January 1994 to October 2002 and was responsible for all daily emergency responses. His entry into the profession began with his USMC Corp medic responsibilities in Vietnam. After being discharged from the Marine Corps in 1970, he joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department and became one of the nation’s first firefighter Paramedics. He rose through the ranks to the position of second in command of the department and managed the response to many major natural and man-caused disasters. The chief was instrumental in the development of the U.S. Fire Administration All-Hazard Incident Management program, which today has improved operations for thousands of firefighters and emergency responders across the nation. Since retiring, Miller has instructed and mentored hundreds of first responders nationwide, especially in the All-Hazard Incident Management Team arena. Additionally, he had taken his experiences in Vietnam as a Navy corpsman attached to a Marine Rifle Company to research and write a book called “They Call Me Doc.” This book provides readers with some of those war experiences which provided the knowledge for the development of the paramedic program in California.
Jack Sullivan
Jack Sullivan is nationally recognized for his work on the subject of “Highway Incident Safety for Emergency Responders” and as the Director of Training for the Emergency Responder Safety Institute and has written numerous articles about highway incident safety for several fire service publications including Fire Engineering, Firehouse.com and the Volunteer Firefighter.
Jack has served as a Technical Member of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) and teaches Traffic Incident Management & Responder Safety Workshops for multi-agency emergency responder groups for the Emergency Responder Safety Institute across the country. Jack also served as the Principal Member of the Technical Committee for NFPA 1091 – Standard for Traffic Control Incident Management Professional Qualifications and as a member of the TRB Regional Transportation Systems Management and Operations (RTSMO) Committee, Regional Traffic Incident Management Subcommittee. Jack is a Master Instructor for the Federal Highway Traffic Incident Management Train-the-Trainer.
Jack is a member of the Safety, Health, and Survival Section of the International Assoc. of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA). In January of 2018 Jack was selected to receive the 2018 Fire Dept. Safety Officers Assoc. (FDSOA) Dave Dodson Lifetime Service Award and in April of 2019 Jack was recognized with an “Excellence in Instruction” Award from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI).
Chief Fred Windisch
F. C. (Fred) Windisch, EFO CFO, began his volunteer fire service career in 1972 and is the career Fire Chief of the Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department. He served as the CEO/Fire Marshal of the Harris County Fire and Emergency Services Department (2000-2002), the third most populous county in the nation. Fred was Chair of the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section, served on the IAFC Board of Directors, and is currently the VCOS Secretary-Treasurer. Fred retired from Shell Chemical Company as a Senior Safety Specialist working with health, safety, and environmental issues where he also served as Fire Chief of the facility’s fire brigade and managed its fire, EMS, Hazmat, and Rescue teams. Chief Windisch has authored many articles and presentations that focus on fire service leadership. He co-authored A Leadership Guide for Combination Fire Departments, published by Jones and Bartlett. Fred has been very involved in helping to write the following VCOS reports: Blue Ribbon – A Call For Action – Preserving and Improving The Future of The Volunteer Fire Service White Ribbon – Managing the Business of a Volunteer Fire Department Red Ribbon – Transitioning a Volunteer Staffed Department Yellow Ribbon – Behavioral Health and Wellness Fire-Rescue Organizational Guidance Lavender Ribbon – Best Practices For Preventing Fire Fighter Cancer.
The National Fire Heritage Center
“We are honored to welcome this group of distinguisher leaders” into the Hall of Legends, legacies and Leaders,” remarked Don Bathurst, the chair of the HLL committee. “Their remarkable contributions continue to shape the fire protection for generations to come.”
The National Fire Heritage Center (NFHC) is a nonprofit fire service and protection history organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the fire service. Through its various initiatives, including archival preservation, educational programs, and exhibitions, the NFHC ensures that the courageous men and women who have served in the fire service and related disciplines are remembered.
