Patrick L. Wirkus

Patrick L. Wirkus, EFO, CFO, MIFireE, is a battalion chief with the Elizabeth, NJ, Fire Department and founder of Division Command Training, LLC. He has more than two decades of fire service experience, with a focus on fireground operations, incident command, officer development, and division-level supervision. Wirkus holds a master’s degree in Fire Executive Leadership and Emergency Services Management from Columbia Southern University and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program. He holds the Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers. A published fire service author and instructor, Wirkus focuses his research and professional work on strengthening officer development, improving fireground command and supervision, and preparing current and future fire officers to lead effectively in increasingly complex operational environments.