Fire-Dex Blog

Derek Currao is an instructor in fire service training for Mission CIT (Critical Immersive Training) and has been a firefighter in Bridgeport, Connecticut for the past twelve years. 

For the firefighting instructors of Insight Fire Training, the teaching isn’t just a job. As founder and lead instructor Andy Starnes says, the work is a calling. 

At the core of Fire-Dex’s mission is the promise to “Serve Those Who Serve.” Sometimes, that means serving the next generation of first responders. 

VentEnterSearch, a training group out of Florida, has carved out a reputation for delivering high-impact, hands-on instruction centered around truck company operations. But as co-founder Eric Wheaton explains, their training is useful for every firefighter.

In a world where flashy techniques and viral training videos often steal the spotlight, Derek Currao and the team at MissionCIT are on a mission to bring firefighter training back to its roots. Their philosophy is simple but powerful: focus on reality, emphasize the basics, and train firefighters

When most firefighters think of training, they think of the basics. Throwing ladders, opening doors, prepping hose lines. Those activities are all related to the primary job of firefighting: getting to people in danger and attempting to save property. 

When it comes to firefighter training, realism isn’t just about smoke machines and fire props—it’s about preparing the mind as much as the body.