Chief Rhodes is a 39-year fire service veteran retired from the Atlanta, Georgia Fire Department. He currently works for Clarion Events as the Vice President of Education for Clarion Fire Rescue Brands, Editor in Chief for Fire Engineering magazine and the educational director for the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC). He is a Chief Elder Emeritus for the Georgia Smoke Diver Program, served on the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) Executive Advisory Board, was the Hands-on-Training Coordinator for the FDIC conference, and author for Fire Engineering Magazine, and Fire Apparatus and Equipment Magazine, authored the Hump Day SOS column for Fire Rescue, served as an adjunct instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy, and is an Advisory Board Member Emeritus for Underwriters Laboratory Firefighter Safety Research Institute and current Board Member of the Firefighter Air Coalition. He served as an Incident Commander for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency – Type III All Hazards Incident Management Team was a Task Force Leader for the Georgia Urban Search and Rescue Team.

In "Nuts and Bolts", Chief David Rhodes distills the essential foundational skills, values, and behaviors that underpin competent, professional fire service performance. Drawing on decades of experience, he examines the core building blocks of a firefighter’s work — competence, honor, integrity, mental toughness, passion, and service — showing how each one plays a direct role in everyday decision-making, crew coordination, safety, and effectiveness. Participants will leave with a sharper understanding of how to embed these fundamentals into both individual practice and organizational culture so that even under stress or adversity, “the basics” carry the mission forward with consistency and confidence.