Ronny J. Coleman is a 50-plus year veteran of the fire service. He is the former Fire Marshal of the State of California from 1992 to 1999, and the past president of the Fire & Emergency Television Network. He served as the Fire Chief in Fullerton, CA, and San Clemente, CA. He is a certified Fire Chief and a Master Instructor in the California Fire Service Training and Education System. For his retirement in 1999, the California Fire Chiefs Association created an annual "Fire Chief of the Year Award" named in his honor. A Companion Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers, he has an associate's degree in fire science, a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in vocational education.