Donald Colarusso began his fire service career on April 7, 1987, and dedicated 35 years to the profession. Throughout his career, he served in a variety of leadership roles, including six years as Fire Chief, before transitioning to the Office of Emergency Management as Deputy Coordinator overseeing Special Operations. He currently serves as Chief / Team Leader of the Neptune Township (NJ) Technical Rescue Team.
Don is a New Jersey State Level II Fire Instructor and former staff instructor at the Ocean County Fire Academy. In recognition of his commitment to firefighter education, he was named Northern Class Instructor of the Year in 2012.
Don is a manufacturer-authorized instructor for all major NFPA-certified firefighter escape systems and serves is also a Petzl Technical Partner. Since 2006, he has assisted manufacturers with testing and evaluation of escape system products during development and provides guidance to fire departments on escape system selection, integration, training, and program implementation.
Throughout his career, Don has worked with some of the nation's largest and most respected fire departments, including Philadelphia, Baltimore City, Newark, Rochester, and Boston, delivering specialized training and technical expertise in firefighter survival, rescue operations, and emergency response.