Randall Larson is a Senior Dispatcher for the San Jose (CA) Fire Department and the director of its Incident Dispatch Team since its inception in 1992.  He has more than 22 years experience in emergency communications for both police and fire, most of it spent comfortably on the midnight shift.  Randall is a certified Incident Communications Manager and an acting Communications Unit Leader for Santa Clara County, and a Technical Information Specialist with California’s Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 3, and served with the Olympic Public Safety Command at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Randall is the Secretary for the California Fire Chiefs Association, Communications Section (Northern Division), and is one of the state’s leading Incident Dispatch instructors.  Randall is Plans Section Chief and a Senior Instructor for First Contact 9-1-1.  Randall has been the editor of 9-1-1 Magazine, planning and developing the magazine’s content and imagery, since 1995.  He also writes frequently in the fields of music, popular literature, and cinema.  Randall lives in San Jose with a quiet, 8-legged furry friend named Fluffy.

Dave Larton is the Coastal Region Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) Officer for the Communications and Technology Development Branch of Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, State of California.  Dave has more than 25 years of emergency services experience, including 13 as a Dispatcher/Trainer for the Gilroy (CA) 9-1-1 Communications Center.  A nine-year veteran of the Department’s Hostage Negotiation Team, Dave served as a Tactical Dispatcher, a certified Basic and Advanced Hostage Negotiator, and Technical Specialist.  He is a certified S-258 Communications Incident Technician (COM-T) as well as an Incident Communications Center Manager (INCM).  As a Communications Specialist with California’s Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 3, Dave responded to the World Trade Center in September of 2001.  Dave also served with the Olympic Public Safety Command at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Dave is the Associate Editor of 9-1-1 Magazine.  Dave and his wife Perrin live in Morgan Hill (CA).

Don Stabler retired after 36 years in emergency communications as a Senior Dispatcher for the Contra Costa County Fire Department.  Don has served on the California Fire Chiefs Association, Communications Section (Northern Division), for over ten years.  A Resource Coordinator for the California Office of Emergency Services, Fire & Rescue Branch, Don is also a Master Instructor through the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and has been the Communications Unit Leader on CDF Incident Management Team 2 for half a dozen years.  He has taught ICS for more than fifteen years and is the senior instructor for California Incident Dispatcher course through CFCA Communications.  He is a member of California’s FIRESCOPE Communications Task Force.  Don and wife, San Jose Fire Dispatcher Lisa Stabler, make their home in Manteca (CA).