David Mellen is a 20-year student of the fire service, currently serving as career firefighter/paramedic with the Edwardsville, KS, Fire Department as well a captain with the Reno Township, KS, Volunteer Fire Department. Mellen is a lab instructor for the Johnson County Community College Fire Science program and has sat on several review committees for fire service training publications. He is also a instructor at Firehouse Expo, FDIC, and several other state and local fire schools in addition to being the owner of Valor Fire Training.