As we prepare to launch the inaugural edition of the Fire Heritage Review in the late summer, one of the most important steps in establishing the journal has been building a rigorous, credible, and transparent peer‑review process. For any scholarly publication, peer review is the foundation that ensures accuracy, strengthens research quality, and upholds the integrity of the field.
A peer‑review panel provides essential guidance to both editors and authors. Panel members evaluate submitted manuscripts for historical accuracy, methodological soundness, relevance to the fire heritage community, and overall contribution to the field. Their feedback helps authors refine their work, supports new and emerging voices in fire service scholarship, and ensures that each published article meets the journal’s standards of scholarship. In this way, the panel plays a central role in shaping the scholarly direction of the Fire Heritage Review.
With the journal’s first issue now in development, we are pleased to introduce the distinguished Peer Review Panel whose expertise is helping the Nationaal Fire Heritage Center establish a credible, high-quality scholarly journal.
Meet the Panel
Dr. Robert C. Andrews, Jr., P.E. FIFireE, LPMSFPE, EFO
Dr. Robert C. Andrews has devoted his career to the fire protection profession as an engineer, fire chief, deputy fire marshal, educator, and internationally recognized speaker. A licensed Professional Engineer in Texas for over 41 years, he is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers and a Life Member of SFPE, NFPA, and IAFC. Dr. Andrews currently serves as a commissioned Deputy Fire Marshal with the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office, where he advises the Command Staff and holds full Texas peace officer authority.
In 2022, he was inducted into the National Fire Heritage Center’s Hall of Legends, Legacies & Leaders for his national contributions to the fire and emergency services. In 2025, Dr. Andrews was elected a Board Member of the Yvorra Leadership Foundation, where he is leading the effort to support and raise funds for the Chief Alan Brunacini Special Projects Program. He holds degrees from the University of Maryland, Grand Canyon University, and Temple University, and completed the Advanced Leadership Program at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School. A graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and recipient of its Outstanding Research Award, he continues to teach in the program and serves as an adjunct professor in the University of Maryland’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering. He has presented internationally on emergency response, industrial firefighting, and railroad fire safety.
Prof. Kenneth E. Isman, P.E., FSFPE
Kenneth E. Isman is a Clinical Professor Emeritus in the University of Maryland’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering and a nationally recognized authority on fire sprinkler systems. From 1987 to 2014, he served with the National Fire Sprinkler Association, rising to Vice President of Engineering. A Licensed Professional Engineer in Connecticut and a Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Professor Isman has represented the fire sprinkler industry on more than a dozen National Fire Protection Association technical committees and currently chairs the NFPA Committee on Residential Sprinkler Systems. He also served on the NFPA Standards Council from 2000 to 2006.
A prolific author and lecturer, Professor Isman has written and edited key industry publications, including Layout, Detail and Calculation of Fire Sprinkler Systems, the Fire Pump Handbook, and Pumps for Fire Protection Systems. He contributed regularly to NFSA’s SQ Magazine and served as editor of Sprinkler TechNotes.
Dr. Scott D. Kerwood, CFO, EFO, CEMSO
Scott D. Kerwood is the Fire Chief of Hutto Fire Rescue in Texas and a lifelong student of the fire service. He has taught master’s and doctoral courses in homeland security, fire, and emergency management operations and currently serves as an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. Scott holds degrees from Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma, and Walden University, and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.
He is credentialed through the Center for Public Safety Excellence as a chief fire officer, chief emergency medical services officer, and fire marshal, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers and past president of its USA Branch. Scott serves on the International Association of Fire Chiefs Board of Directors as the Safety, Health and Survival Section International Director and participates on multiple NFPA technical committees related to responder health, safety, and wellness. He is also a member of the International Fire Service Training Association Executive Board. Beginning his fire service career in 1978, Scott served in numerous roles across multiple departments and taught for several organizations nationwide.
Chief Chris Serb
Chief Serb joined the Chicago Fire Department in 1999 and currently serves as a Deputy District Chief, supervising a 45‑square‑mile area with 23 fire stations and 210 platoon‑duty members. Prior to joining CFD, he spent four years as a writer and editor at both consumer and trade magazines. During his fire service career, he has continued working as a freelance writer, focusing on business, sports, and history; he has published hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles and three books.
He holds an associate degree in Fire Science from Harold Washington College, a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross, and both a Master of Science in journalism and an MBA from Northwestern University.
Hon. Asst. Chief Gary Urbanowicz
Gary Urbanowicz is a recognized and accomplished historian of the New York Fire Department. In 2001, Gary’s work was recognized with his appointment to the Department as an honorary Battalion Chief. He has been promoted several times, now holding the rank of Assistant Chief. From 2017 to 2022, Gary served as the Executive Director of the New York City Fire Museum.
He is the author of Badges of the Bravest and co‑author of The Last Alarm, and has contributed to numerous publications about FDNY history, including Pass it On; The Second Alarm, The Dreyfous Collection, and the Department’s training publication WNYF. He has made presentations nationally as well as internationally. For the past eleven years, he has presented a lecture on the history and traditions of the FDNY to every new class of probationary firefighters.
After the tragedy of September 11th, Gary was assigned to the team of writers who prepared eulogies for the 343 members lost on that day. His work continues to support the preservation and interpretation of FDNY’s rich historical legacy.
Looking Ahead
We are grateful for the panel’s guidance as we prepare the first issue of the Fire Heritage Review. Their expertise and commitment have helped establish a strong scholarly foundation for the journal’s inaugural year. We look forward to sharing more updates as we approach the journal’s late‑summer release.
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