Doug Hexel has been in emergency services since 2004 and currently serves as a firefighter-paramedic for the City of Schenectady (NY), a rescue-medical specialist for New York Urban/Technical Search and Rescue Task Force 2 (NY-TF2), paramedic instructor at the State University of New York at Cobleskill and shift commander at the Albany County Sheriff’s Office EMS Division, where he is also a lead instructor.  He is a New York State Certified Instructor Coordinator (CIC) and holds technician-level certification in rope, confined space, trench, swiftwater and collapse rescue.  His professional passion is educating paramedics and paramedic students in all realms of EMS and technical rescue, as well as removing the stigma of “fire medics” among providers.