The Dads
Erik
For over 10 years, Erik was a firefighter/EMT for a large suburban volunteer fire department. Serving in various capacities throughout his career, he was an attendant-in-charge for an ambulance, unofficial NCO for the ranks, and official vice-principal for when things got out of hand. He remembers when you could pick up a patient and complete the paperwork, in triplicate, before you rolled up to the ER.
Erik recently completed a Master's degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from Georgetown University and spends his days working on transportation safety issues.
A Montana native, he's happy to talk about picking huckleberries with Grizzly Bears, how the East Coast doesn't know what a mountain is, and space weather (because why wouldn't you want to talk space weather). He now lives outside Washington, D.C. with his wife, two daughters and one furball.
Joe
For the last 12 years, Joe has been an emergency preparedness planner for the Federal government, focusing on occupant emergency planning and exercises. From 2002 to 2015, he served as a firefighter/EMT in three departments, including stints as a EMS Captain, Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief.
Originally from Northeast Ohio, and now living (way) outside Washington, D.C. He believes his commute would be easier if it involved ziplines, the LaGuardia Shuttle, and/or a hovercraft trip on the Potomac River. Instead, he sits in traffic a lot. Joe is married and has a son and daughter.
Rob
Rob comes to the Disaster Dads with 20 years of emergency response and preparedness experience. A former volunteer firefighter/EMT with the other Dads, Rob rose to the rank of Assistant Fire Chief and spent a majority of his fire service career driving an ambulance for Erik, Dan and Joe.
Prior to the fire service Rob was a volunteer with the American Red Cross Disaster Services where he worked as a disaster services responder and instructor. His largest role with Disaster Services was on September 11, 2001, where he worked as a liaison between the local Red Cross chapter and local government.
Rob also started working as a Youth Mentor when the Youth Coordinator caught his eye. They later married and are one of many marriages to come out of the Red Cross.
Rob is a full time Federal employee with 18 years of service in no way related to disasters. He and his wife have a son and daughter who will be the source of many stories for the show. He is an avid runner, amateur writer and beer snob.
Frank
Frank is truly a Disaster Dad. It finds him everywhere he goes. He can tell many stories of getting into it waist deep with 6 and 3 year old boys, but that's not why we are here. As a PR professional, he works work for a nationally-ranked school system where one of his duties is to coordinate crisis communications and as needed, he staffs his local Emergency Operations Center as a member of Emergency Support Function 15.
Like his fellow Disaster Dads, he spent 13 years as a volunteer firefighter/EMT. Most of that time was spent chauffeuring Erik, Dan and Joe around in a colorful ambulance. Of the three, Erik hated it the most when he used the air horn and thought it was used it too much.
Dan
As a former firefighter and EMT with 15 years of experience. Dan's service was focused primarily on emergency medicine. As a certified "attendant in charge" of an ambulance crew, Dan was responsible for all medical care decisions for patients and for the safety of his crew. As a married father of two girls, he enjoys having less decision-making responsibility.
Currently a lobbyist and consultant on international trade issues, Dan helps companies strategically deal with the complex world economy. He has previously worked in government and as a journalist. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, amateur photography, and martinis, sometimes simultaneously and not necessarily in that order.
Robin
Another former firefighter and EMT, Robin has spent 15 years in public safety with the last 10 in health care emergency management.
When not riding out hurricanes and staffing Super Bowls, Robin competes and coaches triathlon and other weird endurance stuff. The only ex-pat of the group, Robin resides near Houston, TX, with his wife and two kids.
He is truly sorry for advising Erik to go into emergency management.