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About STS

Built by a first responder with 40 years of field experience and a mission to bring reality-based training to departments across the country.

Founder & CEO

Todd Smith

Todd Smith began his emergency response career in 1985 at age 19 as a volunteer firefighter with the Atlantic Beach Fire Department in Florida. After completing the Fire Academy in Jacksonville and EMT training at St. Petersburg Junior College, he was hired as a Firefighter/EMT in 1988 and completed his Paramedic program in 1990.

He joined Jacksonville Fire and Rescue in June 1991, and in October 1992 was assigned to the Hazardous Materials Team — where he would spend the next 22 years. He retired in August 2014 and founded STS Safety Training Systems to bring the expertise he built over decades to departments across the country.

Todd believes he has been gifted with the ability to explain complex subjects in a practical, understandable way. His goal: students leave training with the knowledge and confidence to make the right decisions when it matters most.

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Todd Smith teaching hazmat class
Career Timeline

40 Years in
Emergency Response

1985
Began career as volunteer firefighter, Atlantic Beach Fire Department, FL
1987
Completed Fire Academy in Jacksonville and EMT training at St. Petersburg Junior College
1988
Hired as Firefighter/EMT, Atlantic Beach Fire Department. Began teaching CPR and First Aid
1990
Completed Paramedic program at Florida Community College at Jacksonville
1991
Joined Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
1992
Assigned to the Hazardous Materials Team at Jacksonville Fire and Rescue
2014
Retired with 26 years of service — pension time spanning ABFD and JFRD. Founded STS Safety Training Systems Inc.
Propane training evolution Hazmat detection device use
Mission & Philosophy

Training That
Stays With You

STS Safety Training Systems was created to provide students with real-world, hands-on training led by highly qualified instructors with decades of field experience and practical knowledge.

The company is committed to identifying and mentoring the next generation of instructors who can carry the work even further — honoring the knowledge passed down by those who came before and preserving that legacy for future emergency responders.

"We Don't Teach Simulations"

Real propane. Real flammable liquids. Real scenarios. STS training prepares your crew for what actually happens on scene — not a simulation of it.

The Next Generation

Through mentorship and field experience, STS is actively developing the next generation of hazmat instructors — ensuring this knowledge is never lost.

Nationwide Delivery

STS comes to your facility, on your schedule, anywhere in the country. No travel required from your crew. We coordinate around rotations and show up ready.

The Team

The People
Behind STS

Every course, every piece of equipment, and every training evolution carries the expertise of a team built from decades of real-world emergency response experience.

Founder & CEO

Todd Smith

Portrait Coming

22+ years on the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Hazardous Materials Team. Founder of STS, lead instructor, and the driving force behind every course, product, and training evolution the company delivers.

Director of Training & Course Development

Eric Struble

Portrait Coming

Hazmat technician, fire officer, and curriculum designer. Eric developed the FoamIQ Quick Response Calculator and is responsible for ensuring every STS course meets or exceeds NFPA 472, OSHA 1910.120, and applicable state and federal standards. He leads instructor development and keeps STS training field-relevant and mission-focused.

Director of Fabrication

Kevin Blackburn

Portrait Coming

Heads the STS fabrication shop. Kevin oversees the design and production of all STS training and response equipment — from the BlackBurner propane flare to multi-port flares, foam eductors, and the NB-PRK and Bulk-PRK response kits. He combines practical engineering with real-world operational knowledge to build gear responders can count on.

Honorary Member

Ron Gore

Captain — Founding Member, America’s First Organized HazMat Team

Ron Gore is a living legend in the hazardous materials response community. As a Captain with the City of Jacksonville (FL) Fire Department, Ron was a founding member and leader of what is widely recognized as America’s first organized hazmat team — a pioneering unit that set the standard for hazmat response protocols across the United States. His decades of operational experience responding to chemical, biological, and industrial emergencies helped shape the policies, procedures, and training frameworks that modern hazmat teams rely on today. His association with STS brings an unmatched depth of institutional knowledge and historical perspective to course development, mentorship, and the broader mission of preparing the next generation of hazmat professionals.

Ready to Train

Schedule Your
Department's Training

STS delivers nationwide. Tell us where you are, what you need, and we'll build a training plan around your crew.

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