Doug deBest has been involved in the fire service for 27 years, with the majority of his time spent in volunteer roles within volunteer or combination departments. He has served in many different compacities within the fire service, from volunteer and career roles on municipal departments, part-time with a private fire department, and even as an industrial fire brigade member. Doug has served on the Baroda (MI) Fire Department for the past 15 years, rising from the role of firefighter to the rank of fire chief. Currently, he serves as the training officer for the St. Joseph Township (MI) Fire Department. Doug has a bachelor's degree in fire science and a master's degree in public administration. He holds several certifications from the Michigan Office of Fire Fighter Training, including Fire Fighter II, Fire Officer III, and Instructor II. He holds the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.