Description
OVERVIEW
The combined efforts of thousands of people, often unrecognized, were behind the success of the Apollo program, the United States human spaceflight program which succeeded in preparing and landing the first humans on the Moon from 1968 to 1972.
“History of the Apollo and Skylab Astronaut Rescue Team” chronicles the development, equipping and training of a specialized rescue team, stationed in the shadow of the Saturn V rocket, ready to respond to rescue Apollo astronauts in the event of an emergency. Never before published rare photographs and details of the rescue procedures explain how astronauts would be rescued from the command module in the event of an emergency. Every person who served on the Astronaut Rescue Teams during the Apollo and Skylab Program are identified in this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The author is a Fire and Emergency Services Consultant and retired Fire Chief with 67+ years fire risk management and fire and emergency services management experience, 40 years at the Chief Officer Level. He served as Chief Fire Marshall & Director, U.S. Navy Fire & Emergency Services, Washington, DC 1985-2004 and Fire Chief, Metropolitan Washington Airports 1980-1985.
One of three surviving members of the original Astronaut Rescue Team at the Kennedy Space Center fire department, where he served on four Apollo and three Skylab missions. As President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs he commissioned the National Mutual Aid System Task Force following Hurricane Katrina, September, 2005, resulting in the development of the National Mutual Aid System. Developed and coordinated the publication of “National Mutual Aid System for the Fire Service: A Strategic Plan”, September 2006.
He served as President/CEO National Fire Heritage Center (Heritage Hall of America’s Fire Services and Fire Protection Disciplines, Inc.) and is a Fellow with The Institution of Fire Engineers, where he served as Vice President of the USA Branch.
He authored several books and has been a contributing author to the books “Firefighters”, and “Pass It On”, “Fire Administration”, “First to the Flames”, “American LaFrance Photo Archive Volume 2” “HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: Managing the Incident” and has been published in several national international fire service publications.
He was inducted in the National Fire Heritage Center’s Hall of Legends, Legacies and Leaders in 2021. Recipient of the Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and inducted in the Department of Defense Fire Service Hall of Fame in 2013. He was inductee number one in the Navy Fire & Emergency Services Hall of Fame in 2004.
