About Your Rapid Intervention Crew

Online firefighter exam prep from experienced fire chiefs

Learn How We Can Help You Get Promoted Or Get Hired

  • Need help landing your dream job as a firefighter?
  • Tired of being passed up for promotion?

Fire Assessment Center Prep provides actionable assessment center and oral board training designed to help you further your career. Scroll below to learn about our team and how we can help you become a better officer along the way.

Meet Chief Freddie Fernandez and our fire service testing company

Chief Freddie Fernandez

Chief Freddie spent 32 years with Miami Fire Rescue. He held every civil service rank, spending his last five years as the Deputy Fire Chief. Chief Freddie’s extensive teaching experience includes training firefighters, police officers and corrections officers. He holds A.S. degrees from Miami Dade College in EMS and Fire Science.

Since 1999, Chief Freddie has specialized in test preparation courses for entry and promotional level public-safety candidates. He’s facilitated, prepared and assessed hundreds of examinations, conducting seminars and private training sessions for all ranks. Students have been promoted 3 times because of his training.

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Chief David Johns

Chief Johns began his career in Palm Beach County Florida in April of 1990. Chief Johns has served in many capacities including firefighter, driver, paramedic, Lieutenant, Company Officer on both a pumper and ladder, EMS Captain, and as a District Chief worked in the busiest Battalion in the county since 2005.

David received his BA from Barry University in 1988, he is a certified Instructor III, Live Fire Instructor, Inspector, and Safety Officer. Chief Johns has prepped entry level, lieutenant, captain, and chief officers for promotional examinations with amazing results. David has been an instructor for Palm Beach State College as well as other private companies in the area. Also serving as a Field Training Instructor and instructor for Officer Candidate School for the county working with newly promoted Chiefs in Incident Command, accountability, remediation, and proctoring. Chief Johns has been a speaker at FDIC, Fire House World, and published in Fire House Magazine.

Chief Ron Beesley and online fire test prep

Chief Ron Beesley

Deputy Chief Ron Beesley (ret) served Palm Beach County Fire Rescue for over 30 years, including over 10 years as IAFF Local president. Ron held the positions of Firefighter, Company Officer, Battalion Chief, Administrative Chief, Training Chief and retired as Deputy Chief of Operations in charge of over 1,500 firefighters out of over 50 fire stations.

Chief Beesley has extensive experience at the training level, and front-line knowledge in command and control of countless emergencies from residential fires to large commercial and high-rise fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, MCI’s and much more.

Chief Beesley brings all this real-life practical experience as well as extensive skill in assessment center training, evaluating, interviewing and officer development.

Chief Jeff Fitzgerald and online fire test prep

Chief Jeff Fitzgerald

Chief Jeff Fitzgerald proudly served with the City of Miami Department of Fire Rescue for over 25 years as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Engine Company Driver Engineer, Dive Rescue Team member, Company Officer of EMS-Rescue, Engine, and Ladder Companies, EMS Battalion Captain and Chief Fire Officer.

As Firefighter, Lieutenant, and Captain he was assigned to some of the busiest companies in Miami. As EMS Battalion Captain he was responsible for oversight, training, quality assurance and command of large EMS incidents during each shift, which included 15 fire stations, 24 ALS Rescues, and approximately 275 alarms responded to daily.

Once promoted to District Chief he was responsible for a single District with 5 stations 18 companies and 54 personnel. He moved up to fill the role of Battalion Chief, responsible for all 3 Districts, and operations on the entire shift, approximately 20% of the time. This included management of over 154 line personnel and daily staffing of all positions.

Some of the other areas of involvement during Chief Fitzgerald’s tenure at the Miami Fire Department are: one of the original members, since 1991 of the FEMA USAR Team FLTF2, including deployments to Hurricane Katrina and Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. Extensive Union involvement including 20 year Executive Board Member, 3 years as 1st VP, 10 years as Secretary/Treasurer, active negotiation of 5 Collective Bargaining agreements, and involvement at the State and International levels. He has also sat on many boards and committees including Pension Board Trustee for 5 years, a founding member of the Miami Firefighters Health Benefit Trust and he currently sits on the advisory board of the Defined Benefit Retirement Protection Fund.

Chief Fitzgerald holds Associate’s Degrees in both Fire Science and Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Organizational Leadership.

He scored number 4, on his Lieutenant’s exam, out of 125 applicants, and number 1 on more than 1 tactical and in-basket assessment center scenario for his Captain’s and Chief’s exams.

Meet Chief Matt Gaffney, part of our firefighter exam prep team

Matt Gaffney

Chief Matt Gaffney served for 30 years with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. He began his career as a firefighter/paramedic, rising through the ranks to become a lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and district chief. As a DC he led 3 shifts, 6 battalion chiefs, 6 EMS captains, 13 stations and over 300 personnel. In that capacity, he regularly interacted with city managers and council members and spoke at city commission meetings.

Chief Gaffney assisted Palm Beach County Human Resources as a Subject Matter Expert in the development and delivery of multiple promotional tests for the ranks of captain and battalion chief. He has served as a rater in numerous promotional exams.

Chief Gaffney holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration and an AS in Emergency Medical Services. He is a Florida Instructor III, Fire Safety Inspector, and has held a Live Fire Training Instructor certification.

As a lifelong union member, Chief Gaffney served as district vice president for both the battalion chief and district chief ranks, representing members in grievance hearings as well as serving as a member of the Negotiations Committee during collective bargaining sessions.

In retirement, he continues to serve as a trustee for the Palm Beach County Firefighter Benefits Fund, a self-funded health insurance plan with over $35 million in assets, responsible for the well-being of over 5000 active and retired members and their dependents.

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Charles "Eddie" Vanhoy

Charles (Eddie) Vanhoy is a career firefighter with over 27 years of experience. He has been a member of both paid and volunteer fire departments and is currently a Battalion Chief for Charlotte Fire Department (CFD).

During his CFD career, he has been a member of the airport division, USAR Deployment team, Swift Water Team, Critical Incident Management Team, Peer Support Team, and Incident Management Team. He has been on several deployments dating back to 1998 for wildfires assisting the US Forestry Service and several hurricanes.

Chief Vanhoy graduated with honors with a master’s degree in emergency management at American Military University, a bachelor’s degree in Fire Service Management from the University of North Carolina at Fayetteville, and an associate degree in Fire Science from Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC.

Chief Vanhoy teaches at several colleges in degree programs and IFSAC /Pro-Board certifications. Chief Vanhoy is a level III instructor qualified to teach numerous certifications, including Airport Firefighter, Fire Fighter I & II, Haz-Mat, ICS courses, Technical Rescue, and others. Chief Vanhoy was invited to speak at the ARFF Working group Chiefs Conference in Orlando in 2018.

Chief Vanhoy holds numerous state and federal certifications that are accredited by IFSAC,  Pro-Board, and the National Fire Academy. Chief Vanhoy is credentialed with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group as Planning Section Chief, Division/Group Supervisor, and Resource Unit Leader.

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