Biography

Welcome to Fire Science. My name is Michael Dougherty, and I am excited to be part of your
journey into the fire service. I bring over 30 years of firefighting experience to the classroom,
having retired as a fireman/paramedic from the Pontiac Fire Department in Michigan.
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work in emergency response, fireground
operations, incident command, and many different aspects of the fire service.

I currently serve as a Fire Science Instructor with Mountain Institute and Yavapai College, where
my goal is to share the knowledge, lessons learned, and real-world experiences that I have gained
throughout my career. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Administration from Columbia
Southern University, along with several other firefighter training certifications.

My goal is to help prepare you for the challenges of the fire service by focusing on safety,
teamwork, professionalism, and the decision-making skills needed to succeed both in the
classroom and on the fireground.