James Hempstead is a battalion chief with the Richland, WA, Fire & Emergency Services Department. He is a National Fire Academy instructor and a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference planning committee. Hempstead also sits on the program advisory committee for HEARTSafe Communities and the Advanced Cardiac Resuscitation Consortium. He is a member of Washington State Community Risk Reduction Coalition and a past city council member. Hempstead holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration and healthcare management and is working toward attaining a Master of Science in management and leadership while he pursues the Center for Public Safety Excellence Chief Fire Officer and Chief Emergency Medical Service Officer designations.