Hello, my name is Rick Best and I am excited to join Christopher Hafley and Ron Terriaco in representing the State of Ohio as an Everyone Goes Home® Advocate.

I am a career fire fighter for the city of Westerville Division of Fire. I also serve as a Fire Training Officer II for the Ohio Fire Academy a division of the State Fire Marshal's Office and I am a 13 year veteran of the fire service. I started out as a volunteer and worked my way into a full time position with the City of Westerville.

Within the past few years, I have taken a personal stance on fire fighter health and safety. Since that time, I have also taken courses to better educate myself. I took some emergency driver operator train the trainer programs with the intentions of trying to reduce the injuries and fatalities of fire fighters. I have also taken health and safety officer courses to be more informed on fire fighter health and wellness. My safety stance took off when I completed the Courage to Be Safe (SM) train-the-trainer and since then, I have felt that if I do not use all of my resources to better inform others of these initiatives I may be part of the culture that needs to change.

I am currently working with several departments to get the program delivered to their fire fighters. I have worked with Columbus State Community college to get the courage to be safe program incorporated into their Fire Fighter I & II curriculum.