Congratulations, Leadership Institute 2024!

March 31, 2025

The Leadership Institute 2024 class graduated from the program during the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association’s annual Legislative Day. This group of dedicated fire service leaders spent the last year learning about the ins and outs of the South Carolina fire service and the vast differences between departments. The time and effort these individuals have put into the program is commendable.

Graduates in alphabetical order:

• Britt Blackmon, Flat Creek Volunteer Fire
• Ralph Eric Burwell, Horry County Fire Rescue
• Cory Chinn, Clear Spring Fire Rescue
• Sean Collins, Myrtle Beach Fire Department
• April Conyers, Clarendon County Fire Rescue
• Peter Dontje, City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department
• John Galganski, North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue
• Austin Keith, Clemson University Fire & EMS
• Richard Long, South Spartanburg Fire District
• Micah Rains, Greenville City Fire Department
• Daniel Smith, North Augusta Public Safety
• Joshua Yale, Greenville City Fire Department

Leadership Institute is a 12-month leadership development and educational program set in an executive-level environment with an emphasis on open communication and project-based skills.

The program is offered to individuals to improve and develop fire service leadership at the state level through networking and education pertaining to the many facets of the fire service profession. Participants in this program should have prior experience or knowledge of their department administration and operations, experience with presentations to councils or commissions, an ability to schedule work to allow participation in all Leadership Institute functions and meetings, a desire to advance their personal skills into an executive leadership realm, and the willingness to speak in front of groups and peers.

Applications for Leadership Institute 2026 open in June 2025.