In the Spotlight: Greg Allen

An instructor at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) since 2016, Greg Allen is a retired fire chief who managed a hazardous materials team covering 12 counties.

Allen, who graduated from the University of Kansas in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, has developed and taught hazardous materials and incident command courses in Africa as well as the U.S.

During his 30-year career, Allen responded to numerous hazardous material emergencies created by train derailments, floods and tornados, serving in the role of incident commander for operations and logistics.

Additionally, he responded to several incidents of national significance, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the cargo ship with more than 4,000 vehicles onboard which overturned in the St. Simons, Georgia, Sound. In those incidents, he served in different capacities, including decontamination supervisor and safety officer.

“I like to teach and share my experiences, while also learning from the students,” said Allen. “It is an honor preparing first responders across the United States to respond to all varieties of incidents safely.”