FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR

Posted by Donna Huffman

Kirk O'Leary spoke to the Bluffton Rotary Club on Wednesday, February 11th about fire safety. South Carolina is third in the nation for fire-related deaths, following New York and New Hampshire, so his message was an important one.

O'Leary moved to the Lowcountry in 1987 from Kentucky where he started firefighting at the age of 15 for a volunteer fire company. After serving with the Town of Hilton Head Island Fire and Rescue Division for 19 years he joined the Bluffton Township Fire District in 2006 as the Fire and Safety Educator.

His accomplishments include National certification as a Fire and Explosion Investigator, Fire and Life safety Educator, Heavy Rescue technician, South Carolina Fire Academy Instructor, Hazardous Material Technician, CPR Instructor and Agricultural Farm safety Instructor.

He has a military background serving both in the US Army Reserves with the 11th Special Forces group, 389th Military Intelligence Airborne Detachment and in the US Air National Guard as a Crash Fire Rescue Crew Chief for the 165th Tactical Airlift Group in Savannah.

He is a former member of the Civil Air Patrol, Hilton Head Composite Squadron, where he served as the Squadron Commander and Cadet Commander in the early 90's.

He is the CEO of the Deep Sigh Equine Services Foundation, a non-profit organization catering to the needs of the disabled and elderly in equine assisted therapy. He and his wife are the owners of the Deep Sigh Horse Farm and RidingAcademy in Seabrook, SC.