John J. Lewis joined the volunteer fire service as a junior in 1978 in his hometown of Maywood, NJ. He began his career as a firefighter/EMT in 1985 in Cliffside Park and retired as a lieutenant with a ladder company with the City of Passaic, NJ, Fire Department. Lewis was the lead instructor for all Officer Development and Blue Card Hazard Zone training programs at the Bergen County, NJ, Fire Academy. He is an adjunct instructor at Kean University in Union, NJ, and a member of the New Jersey State Firefighter Health and Safety Committee, and the NJ Statewide Utility Safety Team. Lewis holds New Jersey State Certifications as fire inspector/fire official, Level 2 fire instructor, and fire investigator.