About Dane

Major Dane Yaw has dedicated nearly three decades to public safety—serving with distinction across law enforcement, EMS, technical rescue, and fireground leadership. His career began in 1995 as a Police Paramedic before he “crossed to the dark side” and joined the Oklahoma City Fire Department in 1999.

Promoted to Sergeant in 2005, Dane served as an EMS Training Officer and helped develop Oklahoma Task Force 1’s Live-Find K-9 program, where he and his partner, Salsa, earned 2nd place in the Iron Dog competition in New York. His USAR background includes roles as Medical Specialist, K-9 Search Specialist, Squad Boss, and Safety Officer, supported by advanced certifications in Rescue Dive, Swift Water, Confined Space, Structural Collapse, Trench, and Rope Rescue disciplines.

Dane’s leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence have earned him multiple honors—most notably the Oklahoma City Fire Department Meritorious Service Award, recognizing his outstanding professionalism, technical skill, and service to both the citizens and firefighters of Oklahoma City.

Following assignments with Special Operations’ Heavy Rescue 8, Dane promoted to Captain and Station Officer at several of the city’s busiest companies—including Station 1 (Downtown) and Station 6 (Bricktown). He now serves as Station Officer at Station 31 and Chief’s Ride-Out for Battalion 606. As the former Fire Training Center Coordinator, he trained more than 320 recruits and hundreds of officers across every rank, shaping the next generation of Oklahoma City firefighters.

A sought-after instructor and national conference speaker, Dane has presented at FDIC (2024, 2025), HROC, Water on the Fire, the New York Technical Rescue Conference, and multiple AT&T Disaster Symposiums. He also serves as a subject-matter expert for Rescue International Group and Joint Defense Training, instructing U.S. military personnel in advanced rescue operations.

Dane is a Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor II, State EMS Instructor, and longtime Paramedic. He’s a past President of the Mid-America FOOLS, serves on CISM and Peer Support Teams, and contributes to The Book of Search and JEMS.

Known for his unfiltered, experience-driven teaching style, Dane sums up his leadership philosophy in one line:
“Earn trust. Lead hard. Take care of your people—for real.”

Training Division Accomplishments

  • Transformational Leadership: Led the Training Division during its most transformative period in history.
  • Revolutionary Recruit Training: Developed groundbreaking recruit training methods, producing some of the best academy classes ever. Recognized by Chief Scott Thompson and Chief Curt Isakson.
  • Promotional Academies Enhancement: Updated syllabi to emphasize leadership and progressive skill-building.
  • Advanced Decision-Making Training: Introduced Recognition-Primed Decision Making to enhance fireground judgment.
  • Iudicium – Major Training Event: Founded the department’s largest training event, multi-tiered, nationally recognized, and modeled by other departments.
  • Fire Studio Improvements: Expanded sets and reps to reinforce firefighter knowledge and skills.
  • Recruit Academy Overhaul: Streamlined and reorganized the training structure.

Fostering Pride, Ownership & Culture

  • Historical Chain Concept: Connected recruits to OKCFD’s history and tradition.
  • Chief Recognition Ceremony: Graduates welcomed personally by the Fire Chief at Iudicium completion.
  • SCBA Confidence Course: Designed courses targeting essential survival skills.
  • Covid Safety Planning: Developed and implemented pandemic protocols.
  • Drill Ground Enhancements: Introduced “forge” theme and “one standard” motto.
  • AOA Program Reinvention: Rewrote manual, added realistic operational scenarios, enhanced fireground tactical knowledge.
  • Operational Improvements: Graduates have increased record of successful interventions and lives saved.

Training Program Development & Recognition

  • Expanded promotional academies from 1 to 2 weeks.
  • Achieved FF1 & FF2 reciprocity with OSU for ~380 firefighters.
  • Implemented continuity folders to preserve institutional knowledge.
  • Branded Training Division with custom logo, murals, tables, and podiums.
  • Maintained SOPs, wrote injury reports, conducted evaluations, organized ISO data, and digitized training records.

EMS Training Office

  • Updated BLS and ALS refresher programs.
  • Implemented several enduring EMS courses still in use today.

Safety Office

  • Created a digital NSDS chemical inventory accessible to all employees.
  • Developed NIOSH-compliant secondary container labeling system.

Suppression Experience

  • Station Officer (Captain) of a multi-company house.
  • Assisted in drafting natural disaster procedures, including wide area searches and 3-band marking.
  • Served as paramedic preceptor for company officers in new paramedic program.

Skills

  • Leadership & Management
  • Decisive Decision-Making
  • Strong Communication & Active Listening
  • Mentorship & Team Building
  • Organizational Excellence & Strategic Planning
  • Instruction & Education
  • Problem Solving & Time Management
  • Interpersonal Skills

Oklahoma Task Force One – Urban Search & Rescue

  • Roles: Safety Officer, Canine Search Specialist, Medical Specialist, Confined Space, Rope, Structural Collapse, Trench, and Swift Water Technician.
  • Developed K-9 Search & Rescue team and program policies.
  • Placed 2nd with partner “Salsa” in Iron Dog Search & Rescue Competition (24-hour intensive).
  • Subject Matter Expert for US Military and multiple national US&R exercises.
  • Designed, implemented, and evaluated disaster site training: wide area search, confined space, high/low angle rescue, and swift water.

Subject Matter Expert – US Military

  • US Northern Command Vigilant Guard – Camp Ravenna (2014) & Massachusetts (2020)
  • Virginia National Guard Full Scale MOBEX (2015)
  • Ohio National Guard Full Scale MOBEX (2016)
  • Oregon National Guard / US Army CERFP (2021)
  • Roles: Command & Control Evaluator, disaster scenario developer, participant testing & evaluation