The Author
Robert A. Burke, born in Nebraska, earned an A.A. in fire protection technology
from Catonsville Community College and a B.S. in fire science from the University
of Maryland. He has also completed graduate work at the University of Baltimore in
public administration.
Mr. Burke has over twenty-eight years’ experience in emergency services as a
career and volunteer firefighter and has served as an assistant fire chief for the Ver-
digris Fire Protection District in Claremore, Oklahoma; deputy state fire marshal in
the state of Nebraska; a private fire protection and hazardous materials consultant;
an exercise and training officer for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness
Program (CSEPP) for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency; and is
currently the fire marshal for the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Mr. Burke
serves on the NFPA 45 Standard for Laboratories Using Chemicals Committee as
the enforcement representative. He has served on several volunteer fire companies
including West Dundee, Illinois; Carpentersville, Illinois; Sierra Volunteer Fire
Company in Roswell, New Mexico; Ord, Nebraska; and Earleigh Heights Volunteer
Fire Company in Severna Park, Maryland, which is a part of the Anne Arundel
County fire department. He is an adjunct instructor at the National Fire Academy in
Emmitsburg, Maryland, and the Community College of Baltimore County, Catons-
ville Campus.
Mr. Burke is also a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine, with a bi-monthly
column titled “Hazmat Studies” and he has also had numerous articles published in
Firehouse, Fire Chief, and Fire Engineering magazines. He also writes bimonthly
columns for the Firehouse.com website titled “The Street Chemist” and “Hazmat
Team Spotlight.” Mr. Burke has developed several CD-ROM–based training pro-
grams, including the Emergency Response Guide Book, Hazardous Materials and
Terrorism Awareness for Dispatchers and 911 Operators, Hazardous Materials and
Terrorism Awareness for Law Enforcement, Chemistry of Hazardous Materials
Course, and Chemistry of Hazardous Materials Refresher . He has also published
two books titled Hazardous Materials Chemistry for Emergency Responders and
Counter-Terrorism for Emergency Responders . Both books are in their second edi-
tions. He can be reached on the Internet at
[email protected]