The HazMat Guys

The Podcast

Through podcasts, videos, forums, articles, and photos, The Hazmat Guys provide concise, easy-to-understand information on all aspects of hazardous materials response. We’re proud to have created a unique learning space to share ideas, thoughts, and experiences with fellow colleagues, instructors, and students from across the country.

The Hazmat Guys Podcast is the central hub of this website and will be used to share news, discussions, interviews, political debates, products, and tutorials on all things hazmat. The ability for us to adapt to the requests of our listeners and content providers allows us to produce interesting shows that focus on key topics, hot issues, and emerging technologies in the hazardous materials world.

Through our educational podcast and website, we are striving to build community, and encourage you to contribute your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with us and the rest of the audience via the comments section, forums, and on our social media channels. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Please take a moment to go to iTunes and subscribe to the Hazmat Guys Podcast, and create a user account with us on our website.

The Team

BOBBY SALVESEN

Bobby Salvesen is a loving husband and father of two with a passion for teaching. His firefighting journey began in 1994 when he joined the East Meadow Volunteer Fire Department. In 2000, he was hired by the FDNY. He spent a short time in Ladder 159 before moving over to Squad 288 after 9/11, where he remained for the next 13 years. During this time, he became certified in high-angle rope rescue, collapse, confined space, rigging, extrication, diving, shoring, and firefighter removal. After his tenure in the rescue branch of the FDNY, he transferred to the Hazardous Materials Command, and in 2015, he attained his Hazardous Materials Specialist certification.

Currently, Bobby is a member of the NY-TFI FEMA resource as a specialist. He’s been a Deputy Chief instructor for the Nassau County Fire Service Academy for the last nine years and has taught everything from Hazardous Materials to Confined Spaces. His volunteer career is ongoing, and he’s gone through the company-level ranks three times. Most recently, he went through the ranks as Chief of Department of a department with roughly 300 members.

MIKE MONACO

Mike Monaco is a loving father of three with a gift for teaching dry topics and making them interactive and entertaining. He joined the fire service in 1997 as a volunteer firefighter for Mt. Sinai Fire Department. Eventually, he became a career firefighter with the FDNY, as well as an A.L.S. (Advanced Life Support) provider in 2002. For two years he served in Engine 233 until joining Hazmat Company 1 in 2004 where he became a Hazardous Materials Technician. In 2008, he started teaching, and in 2012, he became a local instructor with the International Association of Firefighters (IAF).

In 2013, Mike became a Master Instructor with the IAF. He currently teaches multiple courses in various jurisdictions. He also does private classes and industry-based hazmat. He holds a degree from SUNY Stonybrook University in Neurological Physiology (the study of the nervous system).