Keystone FIremanship conference 2023

Deputy Chief Floyd Wise began his fire service career as a volunteer with York Township Fire

Department Station 19, York County, Pennsylvania 1992, attending all the formal basic training that most

would attend. While working on completing a degree at Penn State University, he began to consider

pursuing career positions within the fire service, leading him to the testing process with the City of

Harrisburg in the spring of 2000. Chief Wise served in varying capacities in the truck companies of the

fire department, honing foundation skills while mentoring and developing in an aggressive, small urban-

based department that is still going to fires and widely promotes “firemanship.”

In 2010 he initiated the next chapter and challenge of his career, beginning the path of a fire officer

through competitive promotion as a lieutenant and captain, and today having served the last twelve years

as the Battalion Chief for the “Charlie Battalion” of the department, and now the Deputy Chief of

Training for the City of Harrisburg.

In 2018 Chief Wise completed a four-year undergraduate degree in Fire Administration and is

preparing to graduate with his master’s in public administration. Education may not put a fire out, but it

does help in understanding managing processes or business continuity which is what resources and

strategies and effective community service.

He believes that leadership quality, by example in the firehouse and on the fire ground, can be learned

and mentored through education, open discussion, and daily commitment to perform better than the day

before. In addition, he is motivated to provide honest and realistic viewpoints in fire officer development,

truck company operations, rescue company operations, and fire ground incident management. Further, he

believes his goal is to face students with street-smart tactics to overcome common obstacles we face daily

in service to our communities. He firmly believes in a planned, systems approach to tactics and strategies

used in our world. Further, Chief Wise believed that developed fire officers at the company level and

middle leaders are the perfect blend of knowledge and experience who can flex between administrative

and servant leadership while still possessing a strong desire to push lines at fires and force doors when

given every opportunity to serve.

He serves as a certified fire instructor for two community college systems in the State of Pennsylvania

and an Adjunct instructor with the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy educating throughout the state on

various topics, including officer development, incident management, and special operations. Also, he is

an adjunct with Combat Ready LLC, focusing on programs that build competent incident commanders’

skill and development processes.

He also works for industrial clients privately in both fire brigade development as well as rescue

operations in confined spaces and technical rope access. He also is a FEMA instructor for collapse and

rescue operations with a genuine appreciation of the art of technical rescue.

On a more personal level, he and his wife Carolyn are still celebrating the eight-year with their

children (a set of twins for the family). This fills out the already full plate for Floyd and Carolyn trying to

balance work, family, fun, life, etc. Chief Wise also believes that to be most productive in life; you must

find a balance of work (passion), family, friends, fitness, recreation, and personal development, and leave

a few minutes in the day to take a breath and take stock of where you are.