About Mick Mayers

Michael “Mick” Mayers is a Battalion Chief with the Hilton Head Island (SC) Fire and Rescue Department and Deputy Director of the South Carolina Emergency Response Task Force’s Urban Search and Rescue Program (SC-TF1), where he is responsible for strategic planning and liaison activities to governmental and non-governmental organizations. Chief Mayers began his emergency services career in Bridgeport, PA in 1980.

Mayers is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and holds a degree in Fire Science Technology from Savannah Technical Institute.  He also maintains professional certifications as a fire officer and instructor as well as IFSAC Hazardous Materials Technician and National Registry Paramedic certifications.

Mick is one of the founders and past Board Vice-Chairman of the State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance, a consortium of US&R teams from over 40 states, which has been an advocate for the rescue industry since 2005. He also serves as a committee member and Chairman of NFPA 1006, Professional Qualifications for Technical Rescuers and is a member of the NFPA Professional Qualifications TCC.  He is an adjunct instructor for the South Carolina Fire Academy and is a past-adjunct faculty member of The Technical College of the Lowcountry.

Among many commendations, Mick received his department’s Meritorious Conduct Medal in 1984. In 2005, Chief Mayers was recognized by the South Carolina State Senate for his work in development of the South Carolina US&R program and also honored that year by the South Carolina Department of Fire and Life Safety for leading SC-TF1 into service in St. Tammany and St. Bernard Parishes (Louisiana) after Hurricane Katrina, where he was the task force’s Incident Support Team Commander.

Chief Mayers was the coordinator of Hilton Head Island’s Special Operations Group since 1990 and was the Fire and EMS Operations Commander during visits to Hilton Head Island by several Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the United States, as well as detail commander of many major sports and special events held on the Island over the last 15 years. Under his supervision, the Hilton Head Island team also was brought in as one of four assets authorized under the South Carolina US&R program as a regional US&R response team.

Mick is currently an author and blogger on technical rescue and emergency service leadership. He has his own blog site at FirehouseZen.com and continues to educate and motivate response professionals. His articles and blogs have been featured at FireEMSBlogs.com,  FirefighterNation.com, FireRescue1.com, Firehouse.com, WithTheCommand.com, and SConFire.com. He has spoken at several different venues, including the annual State Urban Search and Rescue Alliance conferences, as well as the 2008 National Hurricane Conference.

Mayers has also serves several local non-profit organizations as a board member and is the co-founder and Vice-President of Caroline & Friends, a non-profit established with his wife that serves as an advocate for persons with Down syndrome and their families. Together, he and his wife also own KPM Flooring, a retailer specializing in sophisticated and transformative floor coverings.

Chief Mayers is a native of Montgomery County, PA and lives on Hilton Head Island with his wife, Kathleen, and daughters Emma, Caroline, and Honora.  He is a fourth generation firefighter; his father is a retired Fire Chief and Fire Marshal and his brother is a career fire officer in Anne Arundel County, MD.

Chief Mayers is available for speaking engagements or other consultation as his schedule permits; for more information, e-mail him at truck6alpha@aol.com