James P. Smith is a retired Deputy Fire Chief with the Philadelphia, PA, Fire Department. He started his career in 1966 and retired in 2007. He held every civil service rank within the department. He is an adjunct instructor at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD. He has developed programs on building construction, building collapse, firefighter safety, incident command, high-rise firefighting operations, church fires, and strategy and tactics, and presents seminars nationwide. He is published in various national publications and is contributing editor for Firehouse magazine, fire studies column. He is the author of the book Strategic and Tactical Considerations on the Fireground, Third Edition for which this study guide is written.