Gary Ludwig

Gary Ludwig is a well-known author, educator, speaker, and consultant who has served in three fire departments over his career. His fire, EMS, and rescue career spans a total of 48 years, and he has been a paramedic for over 46 years.

He served as the President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) during the 2019-20 term and was selected as the Career Fire Chief of the Year by the IAFC in 2022.

Chief Ludwig started his career with the City of St. Louis at age 18, just two months out of high school, rising through the ranks and retiring as the Chief Paramedic of the St. Louis Fire Department after 25 years of service. He served 10 years as a Deputy Fire Chief for the Memphis Fire Department, managing EMS and the Emergency Management Office. He also served 8 ½ years as the fire chief in Champaign, Illinois.

He has a Master’s degree in Business and Management. He has written over 500 articles for professional fire and EMS publications and is the author of six books. He has also been invited to speak at over 400 professional EMS or fire conferences or seminars. He has won numerous awards including the James O. Page EMS Leadership Award from JEMS Magazine in 2014, and the IAFC EMS Section’s James O Page Achievement Award in 2018.