About Mike’s Library

“I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.”
– Thomas Jefferson

You can access my own collection of documents that I have used in much of my research in Mike’s Library. However, it is by no means all inclusive. I present it here in the hope that others may find it of use in their own research. Some of these documents can be downloaded. Others are referenced. Yet others you will have to purchase or search out on the Internet.

While the Internet is an amazing research too, not everything on the Internet is true nor does it always pass critical analysis. In other words, nothing beats a good personal library.

“I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way.” – Thomas Jefferson You can access my own collection of documents that I have used in much of my research in Mike’s Library. However, it is […]

About the Author

Michael S. Williams

Michael S. Williams

Founder the Fire Services Training Institute

Williams founded the Fire Services Training Institute in 1995 to find solutions to the challenges confronting the volunteer fire service. He has been an active member of California State Firefighters Association (CSFA) since 1994, having served on the volunteer and public relations committees, and as a southern division deputy director. He sits on several local organizations including the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council, the Tri-Counties Training Officers Association, Santa Barbara Chapter of CAER and is a founding member of the Santa Barbara PIO group Emergency Public Information Communicators (EPIC). He has been the author of many articles and a columnist for a local newspaper on public safety matters. He is also the co-host of Community Alert on KZSB AM-1290 in Santa Barbara. Williams has been a member of the California State Board of Fire Services since 2008. Prior to becoming involved in the volunteer fire service, Williams was a California police officer for 12 ½ years and a POST certified Field Training Officer. He is a licensed private investigator and security consultant specializing in self-insured, government and insurance defense assignments.

Related Articles

Fire & Operations

CSFA Volunteer Committee DMV “Deemed to Comply” video with retired State Fire Marshal Ronny Coleman and Chief Tim Marrisone Wildfire: Past, Present and Future with retired California State Fire Marshals Kate Dargan and Ronny Coleman. You can access hundreds of...

Miscellaneous Books, Reports & Papers

“Not only in research, but in the everyday world of politics and economics, we would all be better off if more people realized that simple systems do not necessarily possess simple dynamical properties.” - Robert May Mathematical Ecologist (1976) Federal Register,...

Law Enforcement & Security

“Let’s be damned sure that no man’s ghost will ever say – “If your training program had only done it’s job.” - United States Marine Corps. Samuels, et al, A Guide for Explosion and Bombing Scene Investigation, (June 2000), U.S. Department of Justice, NCJ 181869 Weston...

Contact Us

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How to Reach Us

PO Box 550, Santa Barbara, CA 93116

(888) 977-1635

Who We Are

FSTI has provided training to the volunteer public safety community since 2006. It has been our mission to provide high quality training to firefighters while at the same time promoting community safety.

Fire Services Training Institute (FSTI) is a non-profit public benefit corporation with both state and federal tax exempt status.