02/24/2026
The FOOLS International is excited to announce the appointment of our new Vice President, Jim Ogle! Jim brings a vast amount of experience and enthusiasm to his new position.
We cannot thank our former Vice President, Chris Bednarek, enough for his 10+ years serving on the E-Board. Chris served as Treasurer and Public Information & Technology (PIT) Chair prior to stepping up to take the VP role. Chris elevated each position along the way!
Chris will be missed, but we are stoked to have Jim on the E-Board! Here is a little bit about Jim:
Jim Ogle is a third-generation firefighter with over 30 years of service in the fire service. He began his career in 1995 as a volunteer firefighter with two departments along the Jersey Shore. To this day, Jim remains committed to giving back to where he started and continues to maintain strong relationships with those departments.
In 2002, he was hired by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, where he was assigned to Station 25 in the Aspen Hill section of the county.
After a short time, Jim returned to New Jersey and served with the Washington Township Fire District, now known as the Robbinsville Division of Fire. In 2006, he made his final career transition when he was sworn into the New York City Fire Department. Following probie school, he was assigned to Tower Ladder 14 in the East Harlem section of New York City, where he continues to serve today.
Throughout his career, Jim has instructed at a variety of conferences and events, many of which were FOOLS-related. In 2018, he was part of the group that founded the What Exit? FOOLS. With strong ties to the area and deep family roots there, this was a natural way for him to give back to the community where he began his career.
During his time with the chapter, Jim has held numerous leadership roles, including Training Chair, Trustee, Vice President, and currently President. What began as a small group dedicated to giving back has grown into a 150-plus-member chapter that hosts numerous training events throughout the year and consistently supports firefighters in need.
As Jim accepts the position of Vice President on the international executive board, he credits much of his success within FOOLS to the dedicated membership of his home chapter.
Outside of the fire service, Jim enjoys spending time with his wife, Stefanie, and their three daughters: Regan, Kiera, and Harper. Jim and Stefanie have been married for 10 years. Stefanie works as an ER nurse, which makes for unique dinner conversations in the Ogle household.
Regan, from Jim鈥檚 first marriage, is graduating high school this year and plans to pursue higher education in college. Kiera, a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, competes nationally and also plays basketball and field hockey. Harper will be testing for her first-degree black belt in the coming months and also competes nationally in Tae Kwon Do; in addition, she plays softball and lacrosse.
As a family, they enjoy camping, traveling, and spending time together.
