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Cheryl Hardwick was a 15 year firefighter in the Province of Quebec, ending her career in the fire service as a Incident Safety Officer. Since 2014, she is a Professor in the Pre-Service Fire Program, and has served as a Professor in the Bachelor of Public Safety (Honours) program. She has a Masters of Science in Emergency Services Management, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. She is an Alumnus of the Emergency Management graduate certificate program at Algonquin College. Her certifications include NFPA 1001 (I and II), NFPA 472 (Operations), NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor (I and II), NFPA 1521 Incident Safety Officer, Pump Operator (ENPQ), Auto Extrication (ENPQ), Basic Emergency Management (OFMEM), and IMS 100.

Cheryl was awarded the Changemaker Award for faculty in 2023, for her commitment to student success and engagement at the College.

Adam O’Rourke has served his community for 14-years as a Volunteer Fire fighter with Station 62 in the City of Ottawa. He joined Algonquin College in January of 2023 as one of the lead fitness instructors in the Pre-fire Service Program. Adam has a B.A. in Kinesiology from York University, a certificate in Holistic Nutrition and has worked in both Canada and the U.S. as a Personal Trainer and Fitness Manager for over 10 years. He is a Lieutenant, Medical instructor and Peer Fitness Trainer with Ottawa Fire Services, is certified in NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor I & Incident Management System 100 and 200 and is a fully trained Water Rescue Technician. Adam is an accomplished Ironman Triathlete who enjoys all endurance sports, the outdoors and spending time with his wife and two boys.

Nic started his fire career in 2012 as a Volunteer Firefighter with Rural Ottawa. He spent 3 summers working in Timmins as a Fire Ranger for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, travelling across the country fighting forest fires. In 2021 he was hired as a Full-time Firefighter with the City of Ottawa and is currently at Station 51.

Nic began his teaching in 2014 as a Medical First Responder Instructor, he has since been certified to instructor Red Cross First Responder and Emergency Medical Responder.

He is certified in NFPA 1001 1&2, 1072, 1002, 1041, 1021, ITLS, IMS 100 and 200, SP 100 and SP 200.

Steve Brabazon has been an instructor with Algonquin College in the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program since 2012. Steve was a full time Firefighter with the Ottawa Fire Department for 36 years as Acting Chief of Safety, Safety Officer, Lieutenant, and Firefighter.

Steve specializes in Firefighter Survival and Self-Rescue, having spent 10 years on a heavy rescue, along with time in Hazmat.
Steve is very involved with Peer Support and Mental Health for Firefighters. He also spent 6 yrs. as a member of the Race Medical Team at the Mosport race track and the Toronto Indy as a Firefighter.

Steve enjoys working with the students to help them develop their skills and their confidents to one day hopefully becoming a Firefighter.

Adam began firefighting in 2004 as a volunteer with the Sackville, NB volunteer fire department. He then attended pre fire service training at the Atlantic Police Academy in Summerside, PE in 2007. Adam then began a full time career with the National Defence Fire Service in Petawawa, ON in 2008 where he continues his career to this day as the Platoon Chief of Green Platoon. Adam has a keen interest in training and education in the Fire Service which he fosters both with his work at Algonquin College, where he’s been since 2018, and as the head of the NDFS Petawawa Rope Rescue Program. Adam holds several professional qualifications including, NFPA 1001 Firefighter level 1 and 2, NFPA 472 Hazardous Materials Technician, NFPA 1042 Fire Instructor 1, NFPA 1021 Fire Officer 1 and 2, NFPA 1521 Incident Safety Officer, NFPA 1002 Pump Operator and ARFF Driver Operator, NFPA 1003 Airport Rescue Firefighter, and NFPA 1006 Rope Rescue Technician.

Mike has been a full-time Firefighter with the City of Ottawa since 2004 and has recently been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He has been involved in Special Operations throughout his whole career, specializing in trench rescue, collapse rescue, and rope rescue. He has spent some time as an Acting Incident Safety Officer and currently holds a spot as a member on the Ottawa Urban Search and Rescue team, as well the Ottawa Police Public Order Unit. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences and most recently, a certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from Algonquin College. He also has certificates in Firefighter 1 and 2, Fire Services Instructor, and Incident Safety Officer.
Mike has been teaching for the Algonquin College Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program since 2016, and often travels throughout Canada instructing courses in Rope and Confined Space Rescue.

Ryan Holland is a full-time Firefighter with the Brockville Fire Department, where he was hired in 2021. He began his career in the fire service as a paid-on-call firefighter with Rideau Lakes Fire & Rescue in 2017, working as a suppression firefighter as well as a prevention/public education officer, and the training officer for the department.

Ryan has been trained and certified in several disciplines including public education, prevention, and suppression, as well as incident safety, technical rescue, emergency medical response, incident management, and emergency management.
Along with his role instructing at Algonquin College, he is an adjunct instructor with the Ontario Fire College, and delivers training at multiple other fire departments including Trauma Resiliency and Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder programs.

Elaine Galicia-Connelly has worked with Red Cross as an instructor since 2012. She is a retired physician and experienced clinical researcher internationally trained in pediatrics and neurology, with specialty training in epilepsy and complementary medicine. She is a seasoned instructor in basic and advanced life support (ACLS, PALS, BLS, ITLS, EMR).

Elaine is currently involved with humanitarian organizations doing medical missions in low resource settings and grassroots medicine and the Canadian Red Cross as a Public Health Specialist, while currently completing a graduate degree in Catholic bioethics. She is passionate about continued lifetime learning and using one’s gifts to make a difference.

Elaine enjoys gardening and watercolor to keep sane, juggles housework and DIY repairs; and is mom to a goofy German shepherd.