Tom Lia

Experience

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  Program Coordinator Fire Science Moraine Valley Community College

  Jan 1988 - Dec 1991

  Fire Science Program Coordinator

  Working as Program Coordinator in two different periods 1988-91, and again at 2000-05: allowed for syllabus and curriculum improvements, course objectives correlation with the state fire marshal standards, and assisting students with academic evaluations. The main objective at the time was an emphasis on assisting firefighters who never completed their Associates Degree by helping them get through science and math classes by working with special motivated instructors who used non-traditional training methods. This allowed numerous Firefighters and other students to complete their degrees and in turn move forward in their careers. We also had a major effort to reach all 23 fire departments/districts within the college coverage area with personal visits and information exchanges on college offerings and working with them for input into program changes and upgrades. Show less

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  Fire Marshal Orland Fire Protection District

  Jan 1989 - Jan 1999

  Fire Marshal

  I was very proud of the work that we did for the benefit of the citizens of Orland Park, Orland Hills and Cook County. We made a special effort to work closely with the fire suppression division in response their concerns so that they know as much about the new buildings as the FPB staff. How to work with all of the various built in fire protection during a fire situation was the main intent. The work with all of the new construction growth helped bring a great awareness of the buildings fire safety features right into operational capability. I felt very confident that when leaving work every night after mitigating all of the problems in fire protection systems working with the dispatch director, keeping our hundreds of buildings with alarms in top readiness for the protection of the citizens. The UL fire alarm certification program was an essential tool in bringing old alarms into compliance, and new systems put in from the start up to code. The end result was a great reduction in false alarms, thus keeping the emergency response vehicles off of the street ready for EMS and other fire emergencies. Working to pass a Statewide school fire sprinkler statute in 1992 was one item to be very proud of as hundreds of new schools across the state were built from the start with fire sprinkler protection. Our decisions to hold our ground and not back down in the State Supreme Court Case: Orland VS IntraState Piping was precedent setting for us and other fire districts in the State pertaining to the capability to adopt and enforce fire sprinkler codes in the county areas. Show less

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  NIFSAB : NI Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

  Jan 1999 - Aug 2019

  Executive Director

  The mission of the advisory board is to provide education and information to the general public, fire/building ,and elected officials on the fire sprinkler concept in codes and life safety. This is accomplished by conducting training classes at the basic/advanced FF level, and the industry level for contractors and other fire safety advocates.In addition we provide live fire sprinkler burn demonstrations, utilizing fire sprinkler demo trailers and side by side units. We work closely with a multitude of fire safety associations to complete this task. Show less

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  Alsip Fire Department

  Sept 2019 - now

  Fire Prevention Officer