Robert Throckmorton Jr. is retired from the Columbus Division of Fire after 28 years. He was the Lieutenant on Ladder 2 at Station 2. Robert is the founder of the Central Ohio Fire Museum and has served as Director as well as President of the Board in his many years.

Bill Hall is a Columbus Division of Fire (Retired) Firefighter/Paramedic for 39 years and Columbus Division of Fire Historian for over 25 years. He is also the Past President and Executive Director of the museum.

Starting in 1981 with a small group of volunteers Bill helped designed a fire museum and fire education center to preserve Engine House No. 16 and to teach fire safety to school children and the public. Now, 40 years later, the Fire Museum is open and accomplishing its original mission of preserving the Engine House and teaching fire safety. Bill is proud to still be active on the Board of Directors after 40 years.

George J. Hudak is the Board President of the Central Ohio Fire Museum and has been involved with the museum since 1982. George retired from the City of Whitehall, Division of Fire as a Battalion Captain after 26 ½ years of service. He was also in charge of Public Fire Safety Education. George, as well as his wife, Susan were involved with the Fire Department side of the City of Whitehall Safety Town Program from 1982 until his retirement. George received numerous awards including The Mayor’s Proclamation for Whitehall Fire Department’s Children’s Safety House, he was named Firefighter of the Year two times, and after George’s retirement he continued as a Fire Service Instructor and developed a High-Rise High Hazard Building Fire Safety Program which he taught through Columbus State Community College.

Larry Flowers’ fire service career began with the Kirkersville Volunteer Fire Service in 1970. He was a Full-time Firefighter for Sharon Township, Fire Chief at Madison Township for 22 years and a Member of the Ohio Legislature for 8 years including as the Majority Floor Leader of the Ohio House. He completed his distinguished fire service career as the State of Ohio Fire Marshal from 2011-2017.

In retirement, he and his wife Patty volunteer at the museum regularly and are an integral part of the museum team. Larry currently serves as the Vice-President of the Museum Board of Directors.

Brian is a 25-year veteran of the Westerville Division of Fire, where he currently serves as Chief. He started his professional career in Westerville in a part-time position in 1999, moving to a full-time position 10 months later. He also served as Chief Fire Marshal. He has received distinction in both his line work and as a command officer, earning both the state of Ohio and National “Firefighter of the Year” award from the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 2011. Westerville Honor Flight, Westerville Serving Our Seniors and the Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM) are just a few of the organizations that have benefited from Miller’s community volunteerism, and now the Central Ohio Fire Museum.

Crystal Geitter has been with CME Federal Credit Union for over 10 years, but working within the credit union movement for over 2 decades. She strongly believes in supporting local businesses and keeping our communities strong by spending our hard earned dollars in places that give back. Charity fundraising is a passion of hers and she has raised over $500,000 and counting for local nonprofit organizations through her various efforts. As an employee of an organization founded by Columbus Firefighters in 1935, and the spouse of a Firefighter, it is an honor to serve on the Board of the Central Ohio Fire Museum.

Dr. Robert Lowe is an EMS Physician and Medical Director with The Columbus (Ohio) Division of Fire. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine with a sub-specialty certification in EMS medicine.

Active in EMS medical direction and Emergency Medicine practice; he enjoys lecturing and teaching in any setting from the streets, to the bedside, the firehouse, or national conferences. Dr. Lowe has served as a medical director for numerous agencies in central Ohio over the last 20 years as well as in Texas and Colorado. He has particular interest in EMS and Fire History.

Dr. Lowe came to medicine as a second career having previously worked as an Aerospace Engineer first at General Dynamics’ Fort Worth Division (now Lockheed) and later for Rockwell Space Operations Company at the Johnson Space Center in Houston as a Control and Propulsion Instructor for Space Flight Training. As he developed an interest in medicine, Dr. Lowe became active with League City EMS while working in Houston and found his passion for pre-hospital medicine. He graduated Medical School from Texas Tech University School of Medicine and completed an Emergency Medicine Residency at St. Vincent’s Mercy Medical Center in Toledo Ohio. He is excited to combine a passion for EMS, a love of history, and a fondness for teaching to help fulfill the mission of the Central Ohio Fire Museum.

Mark had a 38 year career in the Columbus Fire Dept. He was a Firefighter downtown, A Lieutenant on the westside, Captain In Fire Investigations and Linden, Battalion Chief In Fire Prevention Bureau and in the last 20 years of his career on Battalion 3 whose district covered OSU, Short North, Clintonville and Linden. Mark collects old Firefighter Memorabilia, Restores 1960’s muscle cars and is an avid Bridge card player.

Chief Ken Klouda became the Special Projects Coordinator for the State Fire Marshal in March 2023. Most recently, he served as Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau, a role he assumed in November 2016. He joined the State Fire Marshal’s office in December 2010 as a Fire Training Officer 2. Before coming to Columbus, Klouda began his first responder career in 2000 as an EMT with the Community Ambulance District He joined the fire service in 2003 at the Mantua-Shalersville Fire Department in Mantua, Ohio as a firefighter/EMT-paramedic. Klouda also served that role at the Hiram Fire Department in Hiram, Ohio. While at Hiram Fire Department he facilitated fire inspections in the Village of Hiram and Hiram Township.

Klouda has extensive education and training, including an associate’s degree in Fire Protection Technology and a bachelor of science degree in Emergency Management from the University of Akron.

Ken and his wife, Shannon, live in Pataskala with their son Carter.

Steve Stein is the President of Columbus Fire Fighters Union IAFF Local 67, which represents the nearly 1,600 men and women of the CFD. Steve is Columbus native and has ties to the fire service throughout Central Ohio. Steve is proud to support the mission of the Central Ohio Fire Museum and all it contributes to our vibrant city.

After 40 years in Loss Control for commercial property & casualty insurance, Jim has returned to his passion for the fire service. Jim is a past member of the Saint Matthews Fire Department in Saint Matthews, Kentucky, and Liberty Township Fire Department in Powell, Ohio. He previously was a member of the Box 15 Club in Columbus, Ohio. He is a collector of fire department memorabilia and enjoys sharing his knowledge of fire service history with others. In addition to being a member of the museum Board of Directors, he is a wonderful addition to the museum tour guide volunteer staff.

Jim’s heart for serving extends beyond the museum, he also is a volunteer for WARM (Westerville Area Resource Ministry).

Jim and his wife Donna reside in Westerville, OH. They enjoy square dancing and playing golf.

Jim comes from a long line of firefighters including his grandfather who served in the fire service from 1911-1938 and his father, Rudy Pritsel, who served from 1930-1968. Jim has been part of the Ohio fire service since 1962 and became Lieutenant for Columbus Fire in 1983.

Bob Hess is a long-time resident of Central Ohio. He was previously a Firefighter/Paramedic with the Truro Township Fire Department and a Dispatcher with the Metropolitan Emergency Communication Center. Bob has also worked in the security department of several area hospitals, along with being a member of 3 Mobile I.C.U teams. He has been a member of Box 15 since 2004, where he has served multiple elected terms as Trustee, Secertary, and Vice President. In 2024, Bob started his third elected term as Box 15 President.

He currently lives in Reynoldsburg, with his wife Marty. They enjoy traveling to the Great Smokey Mountains and to the beaches of South Carolina and Florida.

Patty serves her community in many ways. Active in Canal Winchester by driving a school bus for 29 years. Girl Scout leader and CW music booster for 20 plus years. Active at the Groveport Methodist church by serving in leadership and the mission’s team. Always happy to serve wherever needed, she volunteers at the Fire Museum and Learning Center every Tuesday.

Lou began his career in the fire service with the Upper Arlington Fire Department in March of 1988. He had previously worked for Delaware County EMS as a crew chief. He also worked with MedFlight as a paramedic on the MICU, and a flight paramedic on the fixed wing aircraft for 22 years. Lou retired from Upper Arlington Fire Department in September of 2015 and retired from MedFlight in 2018. He has been volunteering at the fire museum for the last five years, but also enjoys volunteering at Citizens for Humane Action and Stockhands Horses for Healing with his wife.

Lisa grew up in Gahanna, Ohio, and currently lives on the near west side of Columbus. She enjoys working in her yard and with her flower gardens. When she is not helping out at the Museum she also loves golf and she plays in two golf leagues, one of which she organizes and has been in charge of for over 15 years. Lisa likes to travel and hopes to visit Europe, specifically Serbia where her grandfather was born. She also enjoys volunteering in the Columbus area, including the Memorial Golf Tournament, the Columbus Marathon, and the Capital Area Humane Society. Lisa’s dad, George, worked for the Columbus Division of Fire from 1960-1993; he retired from Medic 27. Lisa retired from Nationwide in the Personal Lines Property & Casualty Department in 2023!

Landren began as a volunteer at the Fire Museum in 2021. Being an autistic adult doesn’t stop him from his passion for learning and sharing what he knows with others, which extends well beyond the museum. As an advocate for mental health, he leads an online community mental health support group.

If you have the opportunity to meet Landren, be prepared to stand next to his 7ft 7in stature and embrace his contagious smile, and positive attitude.

Dave was a former firefighter in Central Ohio, having served the citizens of Westerville, Columbus, and Grove City for 13 years. He retired in 2023 from Nationwide Insurance and is honored to be a part of COFM, where he can help others learn about fire safety and share the history of firefighting.

His Great Uncle and two of his Wife’s Uncles were career firefighters with the Columbus Division of Fire, from the 1940s through the early 1980s. Firefighting has always been in his family and a part of who he is, so volunteering at the museum is a way for Dave to honor their legacy and share his passion for the fire service.