U.S. Navy Veteran Jarrod Sergi is a captain with the Norfolk Fire Rescue department in Virginia. He earned his bachelor’s degree with CSU in 2013 and has been working hard to improve the firefighting field ever since.
Sergi is the author of “No Non-Sense Leaders,” a book for fire company officers who wish to improve the interpersonal teams of their firehouses as well as their own approaches to leadership. He also established the online course “Trial by Fire,” which he uses to train fire officers to lead by example and create positive changes within their departments.
“I believe strongly in the need for good leadership up and down our ranks, but especially at the company level,” Sergi says on the “Trial by Fire” website. “One day we will all leave this profession and have to look back on a career spent in service to others. Are you going to leave a legacy? Are you going to leave your fire department better than you found it?”
Sergi is a state instructor for the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the National Fire Academy. He completed the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program with CSU and regularly contributes to “Fire Engineering” magazine.
He chose CSU to complete his degree program because of recommendations from fellow fire fighters, as well as the cost and flexibility.
“The nice thing about attending CSU was to be able to learn many different areas in the fire science program and immediately see the benefits when out in an operational environment in my department,” he said.
Sergi applies his 18 years of fire service experience, as well as military training and leadership skills, to train and educate fellow fire service leaders.
“I want nothing more than to see a fire service full of committed professionals focused on reaching for excellence,” he said on his website. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing those I have helped along the way succeed. I make mistakes, I fail and I am not immune to complacency. I do, however, work hard to make myself better today than I was yesterday.”
To learn more about CSU’s fire science degree programs, ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Fire.
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
