Real Experience. Real Leadership. Real Lessons.

For nearly 30 years, Dane has served on the front lines of public safety. Beginning his career as a Police Paramedic in 1995 and joining the Oklahoma City Fire Department in 1999, he has built a reputation for leadership, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to developing firefighters and officers. His presentations aren't built from theory. They're built from real incidents, real leadership challenges, and real lessons learned through decades of service.

Experience That Connects

✓ Oklahoma City Fire Department Major

✓ Former Fire Training Center Coordinator

✓ Trained more than 320 recruits and hundreds of officers

✓ Oklahoma Task Force 1 Urban Search & Rescue Specialist

✓ National Conference Speaker

✓ Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor II, State EMS Instructor, Paramedic, and EFO

✓ Technical Rescue and Special Operations Leader

Popular Programs and Presentations

Red Lights, Blue Lights, Gunfights: Tactics for when Calls Turn Violent

Fire trucks and medic units roll in fast — but sometimes they roll into danger. This high-impact session digs into violent-call survival: reading the scene, controlling your footprint, keeping communication tight, and making split-second decisions that keep crews breathing. A gritty look at the side of the job nobody puts on the recruiting poster.

Back of the Bay

Back of the Bay isn’t theory - it’s truth. Built from real stories gathered through Oklahoma City Fire Deparment’s Officer Development courses, this raw, unfiltered session exposes the lessons that never make it into textbooks.

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Meet Major Dane Yaw

Major Dane Yaw has dedicated nearly three decades to public safety, serving with distinction in law enforcement, EMS, technical rescue, and fire service leadership. His career began in 1995 as a Police Paramedic before joining the Oklahoma City Fire Department in 1999. Throughout his career, he has served in operational, training, and leadership assignments while developing expertise in technical rescue, officer development, and organizational leadership. As a member of Oklahoma Task Force 1, Dane has served in multiple Urban Search & Rescue roles including Medical Specialist, K-9 Search Specialist, Squad Boss, and Safety Officer. His technical rescue certifications include Rescue Dive, Swift Water Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Structural Collapse, Trench Rescue, and Rope Rescue. Promoted to Sergeant in 2005, Dane served as an EMS Training Officer and helped establish Oklahoma Task Force 1's Live-Find K-9 Program. Alongside his K-9 partner Salsa, he earned second place in the prestigious Iron Dog Competition in New York. Following assignments with Special Operations' Heavy Rescue 8, Dane promoted to Captain and later served at several of Oklahoma City's busiest companies, including Station 1 and Station 6. As Fire Training Center Coordinator, he helped shape the next generation of firefighters, training more than 320 recruits and hundreds of officers across every rank within the department. Today, Dane serves as Station Officer at Station 31 and Chief's Ride-Out for Battalion 606 while continuing to teach firefighters and leaders across the country. READ FULL BIOGRAPHY

Recognition and Service

Leadership Beyond the Fireground

Dane's commitment to the fire service extends well beyond emergency response. He is a Past President of Mid-America FOOLS, serves on Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and Peer Support Teams, and has contributed to both The Book of Search and JEMS. His dedication to excellence has earned numerous honors, including the Oklahoma City Fire Department Meritorious Service Award, recognizing outstanding professionalism, technical expertise, and service to both firefighters and the citizens of Oklahoma City.

Testimonials

What Firefighters Are Saying

"One of the most authentic leadership presentations I've attended in my career."

"No buzzwords. No fluff. Just practical lessons that make you a better firefighter and leader."

"Dane has a unique ability to connect leadership principles to real-world fire service experiences."

“Outstanding information.”

“Was a very good course brought a lot back to my department from class. Helped me be more aware at medical and fire calls of aggravated people.”

“The information will certainly be helpful to the members of my department. My only wish is you would have been afforded more time to present the information as the classes were incredible.” 

Leadership Philosophy

"Earn trust. Lead hard. Take care of your people—everyday."

Leadership isn't a title. It's showing up every day. Doing the hard things. Holding people accountable while caring about them enough to help them grow. It's building trust before you need it and preparing your people for the moments that matter most. That philosophy has guided Dane's career and remains at the heart of every presentation, workshop, and training program he delivers.

Bring Dane to Your Conference, Leadership Event, or Department

Whether you're planning a conference keynote, officer development workshop, leadership retreat, or department training event, Dane delivers engaging, practical, and experience-driven presentations that resonate with firefighters at every rank. BOOK DANE

Available For

• Fire Service Conferences • Officer Development Programs • Leadership Workshops • Department Training Events • Technical Rescue Conferences • Fire Academy Programs • Professional Development Events

Ready to Start the Conversation?

CONTACT DANE TODAY

Major Dane Yaw is a fire service leadership speaker, technical rescue instructor, firefighter mentor, conference presenter, and Oklahoma City Fire Department Major. He provides firefighter leadership training, fire officer development programs, firehouse culture workshops, technical rescue education, peer support presentations, and conference keynote presentations for fire departments, emergency services organizations, and public safety agencies throughout the United States.