Richard S. O’Brien holds a BS in Fire Service Management from Granite State College/University System of New Hampshire; an AS in Fire Science from NHCTC Laconia; and a Certificate in Paramedicine from NHTI Concord. He is the Fire Chief in Goffstown, NH, where he is responsible for a 75-member combination department providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, haz-mat response, rescue services, fire prevention/investigation, and disaster management. Prior to his appointment in Goffstown, he served as Fire Chief in Rye, NH; served in the Derry, NH, Fire Department where he rose to the position of Battalion Chief; and was the EMS Coordinator for Elliott Hospital in Manchester, NH. Chief O’Brien has been recognized for utilizing progressive strategic planning and development approaches incorporating recognized national benchmarks in emergency (and non-emergency) services to enhance organizational effectiveness. He is especially skilled in proposal preparation and presentation and has been exceptionally successful in securing grants from various state and federal sources. His professional involvements and memberships include the International Association of Fire Chiefs; New England Association of Fire Chiefs; the National Fire Protection Association Committee on Forest and Rural Fire Protection (NFPA 1141, 1142, 1143, 1144, 1145, & 1150); the National Fire Protection Association; the International Code Council; and the National Registry of EMTs – Paramedic. Chief O’Brien joined MRI as a subject advisor in 2009 and will occasionally work on a project team.