Greg Priest

Greg Priest

MPA, CEM
Fire Chief & Emergency Management Director
Town of West Hartford, CT
West Hartford, CT

Greg Priest is the Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the Town of West Hartford, Connecticut, where he leads the state's ninth-largest municipal fire department. With more than 30 years of experience in the fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical services, tactical medicine, and emergency management, he brings a multidisciplinary perspective to today's public safety challenges. Greg has dedicated much of his career to advancing active-threat response, tactical emergency medical support, and integrated public safety operations. He is an ALERRT Active Attack Integrated Response (AAIR) Instructor and serves on the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 3000 Technical Committee, which develops the national consensus standard for Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response. In addition to serving as Fire Chief, Greg is a sworn police officer and founder and principal consultant of Diversified Public Safety Solutions (DPSS), where he helps public safety agencies strengthen leadership, strategic planning, organizational development, and operational effectiveness. Greg also serves as Vice President of the Connecticut Career Fire Chiefs Association and Chair of the Joint Council of Connecticut Fire Service Organizations, helping advance legislation, emergency preparedness, and firefighter health and safety. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his daughter and son and cheering them on at their softball and lacrosse events.

Active Threat Incident Response: Integrating Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, and Dispatch (Friday, October 23, 2026 - 1:30-2:45pm)

Active threat and active shooter incidents require immediate coordination between law enforcement, fire, EMS, and public safety communications. While many agencies train independently, successful outcomes depend on integrated response models, shared terminology, and coordinated operational strategies. This presentation examines the Active Threat Incident Response framework currently being implemented across Connecticut, including the development of rescue task force operations, unified command structures, and coordinated dispatch protocols. Participants will review real-world operational considerations and lessons learned from statewide training initiatives that integrate law enforcement tactical response with fire and EMS medical operations during hostile events. This program is designed to provide responders and command staff with a practical understanding of how effective multi-agency coordination improves survivability, responder safety, and operational effectiveness during active threat incidents.