Leadership

Jeff Johnson is a fire service professional with 32 years of dedicated service, including 6 years as a volunteer and 26 years in a career capacity. Currently, he serves as a Lieutenant with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue which is in Northern Viriginia.  Jeff remains one of the senior members on the water rescue team and often mentors the newer folks seeking to hold leadership roles within the program. Jeff has responded to multiple local events in Virginia as it pertains to weather related events since 2009.  Jeff holds instructor certifications in swiftwater, boat operations and ice rescue. He has also actively engaged with IAWRP since 2016 and has held many roles, ranging from participant to squad leader, skills station facilitator, safety, to most recent the South Bend Indiana conference “hot session” coordinator. Jeff is set to retire from the fire department October 1st but looks forward to devoting more of his time to teaching/mentoring emergency responders from across the country with dealing with all types of water emergency incidents.

He lives in Purcellville, Virginia with his wife and 2 boys. Jeff was elected to the board in 2025.

Tommy Hicks is an Engineering Technology graduate from the Oklahoma State University Fire Protection and Safety program and has been engaged in the public safety sector since 1982. As a prior Fire Chief, he is acutely aware of the sensitive balance between political and governmental interactions, engaging and collaborating with Federal, State and Local executives regularly. Prior operational and administrative positions within both career and volunteer Fire/EMS organizations have rendered a leader in bringing individuals and entities together to meet their operational goals. His extensive experience in the oversight of all public safety and emergency management departmental operations and vast background have generated exceptional business acumen, as well as the capability to foster relationships across multiple jurisdictions to achieve common goals. He has proven success in achieving defined goals with limited fiscal resources while providing creative solutions through the integration of local government and community involvement.

Since his retirement from Public Safety he has managed business development, programs and consulting services for non-profit organizations with a staffing as large as 80 individuals responsible for multiple national and international fire service programs and initiatives funded through federal grants, cooperative agreements and contracts, as well as through the private sector.

Chris currently serves as a Battalion Chief with South Bend Fire Department in Indiana and was instrumental in starting the Indiana Helicopter Rescue Program (IN-HART). Chris has worked in various staff and leadership roles with the Indiana River Rescue School and is a founding member of IAWRP.

Chris has lead swiftwater rescue and helicopter rescue teams deploying to various disaster and flood responses in Indiana as well across the Southeast United States.

Alex Szuchnicki began his fire service career with a desire to volunteer and serve his community. That early commitment grew into a full‑time career with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, where he has now dedicated more than 22 years of service. For over 26 years, Alex has become known not only for his experience but also for his steady presence and willingness to step into roles that strengthen the department.

His passion for technical rescue led him to earn instructor certifications in swiftwater rescue, boat operations, ice rescue and various other technical rescue disciplines. In 2016, Alex became involved with the International Association of Water Rescue Professionals, where he has taken on a wide range of responsibilities — from squad leader to skills‑station facilitator to supporting safety operations and assisting with “hot session” coordination. His work reflects a genuine commitment to improving training and readiness for water‑related emergencies.

Charlie Abney is a Battalion Chief with Dallas Fire-Rescue and an experienced leader in technical rescue and emergency response operations. With more than 17 years in the fire service, he has specialized extensively in water rescue and flood response, serving as a Water Group Supervisor and a Lead Water Rescue Instructor with Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1), one of the nation’s premier urban search and rescue teams.

Throughout his career, Charlie has played a key role in developing and delivering swiftwater and boat operations training, helping prepare responders to operate safely and effectively in high-risk flood and moving-water environments. His operational experience includes over 50 flood disaster deployments, interagency coordination, and incident management within complex ICS structures. He was also nationally recognized for his contributions to water rescue operations, receiving the 2024 National Firefighter Hero Award from the First Responders Children’s Foundation in Times Square, NY, for his leadership during Hurricane Beryl.

As a member of IAWRP’s Board of Directors, Charlie brings a practitioner’s perspective focused on responder safety, operational readiness, and evidence-based training standards. His interests include advancing water rescue capabilities, improving interagency collaboration, and promoting consistent best practices that enhance both responder effectiveness and public safety.

Chris has more than 25 years of experience in Fire and Rescue services spanning both career and volunteer organizations. He currently serves as an Assistant Chief of Planning and Accountability with the Greensboro Fire Department, where he is involved with numerous software solutions, including Records Management and Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems. Additionally, he serves as a Task Force Leader for the department’s Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) and Swiftwater Rescue Teams.

Chris has multiple disaster deployments, including the Puerto Rico Earthquakes, Hurricanes Florence, Dorian, and Isaias, as well as Tropical Storms Fred, Helene, and Debbie. During these operations, he has served in key leadership roles such as Task Force Leader, Planning Section Chief, Operations Section Chief, and Search and Rescue Incident Support Team Leader.

He has been instrumental in advancing technology and operational efficiency within the fire service—spearheading implementation of new data systems, integrating GIS and drone technologies, and leading statewide initiatives such as North Carolina’s Search and Rescue Common Operating Picture (SARCOP). Over the past six years, Chris has collaborated with North Carolina Emergency Management and the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) to develop GIS tools now used statewide for search and rescue operations.

Chris holds a Master of Science in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University and is credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer (CFO) through the Commission on Professional Credentialing.

Brian currently serves as the Deputy Operations Chief for North Carolina Emergency Management. In this role, he is responsible for the coordination and management of six independent but collaborative branches: Emergency Services, Human Services, Communications, and the three regional offices in the western, central, and eastern regions of the State. Brian has previously served as the Emergency Services Branch Manager and State Search and Rescue Coordinator.

During his time with NC Emergency Management, Brian has responded to numerous federal and state declared disasters in North Carolina and has responded to multiple other states and territories through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact for search and rescue, incident management, and disaster medical missions. He has also served for over 18 years in the fire service in various staff and leadership roles.

Brian is a Certified Executive Emergency Manager in the State of North Carolina and holds various US&R, Swiftwater, and other technical rescue certifications. Brian is also the 1st Vice President of the State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance as well as past Chairman of the State Search and Rescue Coordinators Council. Brian holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Campbell University and a Master’s Degree in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University. Brian was appointed by the IAWRP board in 2025.

Arron Canfield began his fire service career with Loudoun County Fire & Rescue in 2019. Following his initial assignments on engine and truck companies, he discovered a strong passion for technical rescue and dedicated himself to developing expertise across multiple rescue disciplines. Since 2021, he has been assigned to a rescue company, where he has completed extensive technical training and gained valuable operational experience in specialized rescue environments.

Over the years, Arron has developed a particular passion for water rescue. After attending the International Association of Water Rescue Professionals (IAWRP) Conference in 2025, he was inspired by the organization's commitment to advancing water rescue training, education, and operational excellence and knew he wanted to become an active member of the IAWRP community.

In addition to his operational responsibilities, Arron is passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of firefighters. He regularly assists at the training academy, where he instructs recruit classes and helps incumbent firefighters refine and master critical firefighting and technical rescue skills. He is committed to fostering a culture of professionalism, continuous learning, and operational excellence both on the training ground and in the field.