Ed Hartin, MS, EFO, FIFireE, CFO is a lifelong student of the fire service, starting as a career firefighter in 1974 and retiring as fire chief with East County Fire and Rescue in 2025. Ed continues his engagement with the fire service community as the owner of Command Competence, CFBT-US, LLC. He has established CFBT-US, LLC in 2006 to provide fire behavior training and related consulting services on an international basis. In 2025, CFBT-US, LLC was rebranded as Command Competence. While retaining improving fire service understanding and ability to apply practical fire dynamics concepts, Command Competence brings the same commitment to improving fire officers command skills and fireground decision-making. Command Competence, CFBT-US, LLC has delivered training in over a dozen countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia.
Ed’s qualifications and accomplishments include:
- MS in Postsecondary, Adult, and Continuing Education, Portland State University
- BS in Fire Service Administration
- AS in Fire Protection Technology
- Fellow Grade in the Institution of Fire Engineers (past president of the USA Branch)
- Chief Fire Officer Designation from the Center for Professional Credentialling
- Co-Author of 3D Firefighting: Training, Techniques, and Tactics
- Emeritus Member of the Underwriters Laboratories Fire Safety Research Institute (UL FSRI) Advisory Board
- Founding Member of the International Fire Instructors Workshop (IFIW)
- Blue Card Instructor
- Member of the Naturalistic Decision-Making Association
- Expert Member of the Sanming (China) Modern Practical Fire Training Center (2025-2027)