Executive Board

David Lautt

Curtis Freeman

NDFA President


Dickinson Fire Department

Curtis Freeman has been in the Fire Service for 21+ years, all of which have been with the City of Dickinson Fire Department. Over those years, Curtis has served in a variety of roles and currently serves in the position of Assistant Chief. He holds Pro Board certifications in Fire Fighter II and Instructor I. Additionally, Curtis is a Nationally Registered EMT and an AHA BLS Instructor.

Curtis has actively been involved with the North Dakota Firefighter’s Association since 2012. He is an NDFA Test Proctor/Evaluator and actively instructs various topics at State Fire School and trainings around the state. He is a past member of the Certification Advisory Committee and a past Southwest Region Trustee. He facilitates the Everyone Goes Home - Courage to Be Safe Program and serves as the ND CAST on the ND Local Assistance State Team for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Curtis and his wife, Reshell, live on a small hobby farm south of Dickinson with their three children. He is employed by KLJ as a Survey Project Manager. Along with managing projects, he does some drafting, GIS work, and is one of the company’s drone pilots. He is an active member of the community serving at the Evangelical Bible Church, is on the board for the New England Ambulance District Board, is a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Amateur Radio Club, and volunteers with the local ambulance services.

In his spare time Curtis enjoys hanging out with his family, hunting, shooting, and riding bike.

Jim Moe

Allen Berg

NDFA 1st Vice-President


Abercrombie Fire Protection District

Allen Berg has been a member of the Abercrombie Fire Protection District for 17 years, with nine of those years filling the shoes of the training officer for the department. He has been a certified EMR for the past 14 years. While on the department, Allen has attended numerous state fire schools, conventions, regional trainings, local trainings, and multi-agency trainings. He is certified in FFI, Auto Extrication, HazMat Operations, EVOC, Grain Bin Extrication, and NIMS/ISO.

While living in Abercrombie, Allen has been an active member in his community. A member of the city council for 11 years, he volunteers to help with the pavilion/museum park with numerous events and fundraisers, helps with Aber Day’s Annual Celebration, and helps with the fire department’s annual rodeo fundraiser. He is also an active member of the St. Thomas Catholic Church.

Allen is married to Anna Jo and they have twin girls, River and Dakota. They enjoy hunting, fishing, and camping in their spare time.

Jim Moe

Lee Gessner

NDFA 2nd Vice President


Devils Lake Rural Fire Department

Lee has been a member of the Devils Lake Rural Fire Department since 2006. He has held the position of Captain from 2007-2010, Deputy Chief from 2010-2011, Chief from 2011-2017, and is currently the department’s Training Officer. Lee has been on the Board of Directors since 2006 and is currently serving as President.

Lee holds the certifications FFI, FFII, and Auto Extrication. He has been married to Bonnie since 1993 and owns Gessner Iron Works in Devils Lake, ND.

Allan Klein

Allan Klein

NDFA Secretary/Treasurer


Al joined the McClusky Fire Department in 1976 and found the fire and EMS service passion he still has today. He convinced a fellow firefighter to attend an EMT class and they became McClusky’s first EMTs. Seeing the need in rural communities, he became an instructor hosting and teaching several EMT classes in years to follow. Al was certified to teach CPR, Red Cross Advanced First Aid, and he was an EMT instructor.

On the fire side, Al was an unofficial training director, served as Secretary of the department for 14 years, and Fire Chief for four years. In 1983 he was elected as 2nd Vice President of the NDFA and progressed through the chairs serving as President in 1985. During those three years, the discussion and decision was made to develop a North Dakota Firefighter I training program. Al was appointed to serve on the editing committee during the development of the program and became certified as a FF I and FF II instructor/tester. Eventuality, NDFA adopted the Essentials Program for their training standard and Al became certified to teach/test for that program as well.

In 1997 Al was elected secretary of the NDFA. In 2004, the Secretary and Treasurer roles were combined. Al ran for the new position, was elected, and is still serving in that capacity. For the past 15 years, he has been representing North Dakota firefighters on the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).

In 1996, a job transfer brought Al to Mandan where he joined the Mandan Rural Fire Department. He quickly moved up in the ranks to Assistant Chief. In 2005, he was hired as Bismarck Rural Fire Department’s first full-time Chief. In addition to the volunteers, the department had two full-time employees that provided 8-hour daytime coverage. During Al’s 10-year tenure, the department grew to nine full time firefighters providing 24-hour coverage.

Although Al retired from being Bismarck Rural Fire Department’s chief in 2016 to spend more time with his wife Shirley, their five children and 15 grandkids, he remains very active with his positions in the NDFA and NVFC.

Nate Condit

Nate Condit

NDFA NW Trustee


Kenmare Fire Department

Nate Condit has been a member of the Kenmare Fire Department since 2005. He served the KFD as an officer from 2007 to 2017, holding positions as truck captain, assistant chief, and chief. He received his Firefighter 1 in 2016. He was a member of the Kenmare Ambulance from 2008-2018.

He received his Firefighter 1 in 2016. He has been a member of the Kenmare Ambulance since 2008, an EMT since 2011.

Nate has worked with John Deere as the parts man for 29 years. 17 of those years were for Gooseneck Implement in Kenmare, ND.

Nate is married to Christie and has two daughters: Elsa and Emma.

David Schneibel

David Schneibel

NDFA NE Trustee


Rugby Fire Department

David has been a member of the Rugby Volunteer Fire Department since 2004. In that time, he has held many positions including the department’s training officer, secretary/treasurer, and chief.

David is certified in FFII, Instructor I, and Auto Extrication through the NDFA and is currently serving his 3rd term on the board as the NE Trustee.

David resides in Rugby with his wife Nicole and five boys: DJ, Cole, Brody, Austin, and Zackary.

Paul

Jerry Hollingsworth

NDFA SE Trustee


Oaks Fire Protection District

Jerry Hollingsworth has been a member of the Oakes Fire Protection District since April 2000. He served as a firefighter for the first nine years, assistant chief for one year, and currently serves as chief. During this time, he has worked through many challenges and opportunities to not only improve himself but also his department.

Jerry is Firefighter 1 certified along with auto extrication, heavy rescue, confined space, grain bin, and many other classes. He is certified in ISC, NIMS, and TIMS. He also assists the local ambulance on occasion.

Jerry has been employed at Doosan Bobcat in Gwinner since 1992 and presently holds the position of full-time safety Liaison for his local union. At work, he is a trainer for first aid, CPR, AED, and Blood borne pathogen. He also trains LOTO, confined space entry, fall protection, and is the lead for their first shift emergency response team.

Jerry is married to Dusty. They have three sons and two grandkids with one on the way. The two oldest sons have joined him in the fire service as volunteers for the Oakes Fire Protection District. The youngest plans on going to school to be a paramedic when he graduates in 2023.

During his free time, Jerry enjoys watching dirt track racing and spending time with his friends and family.

Executive Board

Todd O'Donnell

NDFA SW Trustee


Dickinson Fire Department

Todd started in the fire service in May 2004 with the City of Dickonson Fire Department as a volunteer. In July of 2011 he was hired full time with the Dickinson Fire Dept and promoted to Fire Inspector in August 2012.

Todd currently holds the rank of Captain and is certified in FFI, FFII, Auto Extrication, Fire Instructor I and Pro Board Hazmat Tech from the CDP in Anniston, AL. Todd also recently completed the requirements to be a State Certification Tester for FFI, FFII, and Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations.

Todd resides in Dickinson with his wife, Amy, and two boys, Patrick and Connor.

Dale Trosen

Jim Moe

NDFA Immediate Past President


Recently retired from the position of fire chief at Devils Lake Fire Department, Jim was appointed in 2004. 45-year member of the dept and Life Member NDFA. Served as President of the ND Fire Chiefs Association 2006-2008. Advocate for CTBS and Instructor of the Incident Saftey class at the State Fire School. Retired from the ND National Guard serving for 29 years and one year active in 2003. Retired with the rank of 1st SGT.

Serving and have served on many boards within our community. Co-Chair of our annual fund raiser. Married to my wife Sheryl for 24 years. Children: Stepson Kelly Graber and his wife Autum; grandkids: Aiden, Zachary. Daughters Kimberly Ough and husband Greg, grandkids Abygail, Caleb,and Lola. Karla and Husband Rob grandkids Archer, Terrance, and Zeke.

I have always been involved in the community. I served many years on the City Council and Mayor for the City of Larimore.

Hobbies include golfing, classic cars, camping and motorcycling.

Curtis Freeman

Robert Knuth

NDFA Training Director


Minot Rural Fire Department

Rob Knuth has been in the Fire Service since 2000. He is currently an Assistant Chief with the Minot Rural Fire Department.

Rob spent 21 years in the United State Air Force. While on active duty he received his Bachelors degree from the University of Southern Illinois in Work Force Education and Training. He is currently the Training Director for the North Dakota Firefighter's Association. He is a Certified FFII, 2013 Standard, State Certification Tester, State Auto Extrication Instructor, and Fire Instructor I.

Julie Geltel

Julie Geltel

NDFA Office Assistant


Employed with the NDFA for the past 21 years, Julie Geltel keeps the NDFA Office together by managing the NDFA office. She enjoys working with all the fire agencies and getting to know everyone within them.

Julie is married to her husband Steve and they have two children: Nicole and Austin.

Julie Geltel

Christopher Demello Rice

NDFA Training Coordinator


Bismarck Rural Fire Department

Christopher Demello Rice started as the Training Coordinator for the NDFA in June of 2018. He enjoys working with departments and agencies around the state to help provide training, props and equipment, and certification testing. On the instructor side, Chris teaches Grain Bin Extrication/Rescue and the Class A Burn class.

Chris was born and raised in Kenai, Alaska before he moved to Moorhead, MN for college in 2002 on a wrestling scholarship. From there, Chris moved to Fargo, then to Grand Forks, to Bismarck, and finally to Menoken where he now resides. Chris met my wife, Rachel, in Bismarck and they have four children: Kale – 10, Tenley and Easton – both 6, Reese – 2, and Kuiu (the family dog) – 8.

When life allows, Chris responds to calls as a POC firefighter for the Bismarck Rural FD. Aside from that, the rest of his time goes to his family with coaching, projects around the house, and traveling (with and without kids).

 
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1502 Grumman Ln. Suite 2
Bismarck, ND 58504
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E-mail: jgeltel@nd.gov
Phone: (701) 222-2799
Fax: (701) 222-2899
 

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