Ron Zawlocki is a 49-year fire and rescue service veteran who currently serves as a rescue team manager with Michigan’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (MI-TF1). Zawlocki has shored more than 1,000 live trenches and has pioneered the destructive testing of trench rescue shoring systems to validate factors of safety. He has taught fire and rescue courses throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East for more than three decades and has developed several technical rescue training programs. Ron coauthored the book Trench Rescue: Principles and Practice for NFPA standards 1006 and 1670 and authored course textbooks and articles published in national fire and rescue service magazines.