Leading With Purpose

We provide purpose beyond the workplace.

Gary has been connected to the fire service since he was young child. His father served as fire chief of the local department where Gary was raised, following Gary’s grandfather before him. The connection runs even deeper through a family-owned steamer manufacturing company in Seneca Falls, New York, which was later acquired by a fire apparatus manufacturer. For Gary, the fire service has always been part of who he is.

When the opportunity came to join Scott Safety, Gary saw a natural way to bring together his background in Information Technology and his 26 years of experience in Emergency Services. That combination gave him the chance to contribute to products designed for those who serve others in dangerous conditions every day.

“Joining Scott Safety felt like a natural extension of where I come from and the work I’ve dedicated my life to. The fire service has always been part of my family and part of my identity. With my background in Information Technology and my years in Emergency Services, I saw an opportunity to contribute in a different way. What motivates me most is knowing that the work we do can help improve the products our end users rely on every day. If my efforts can play even a small role in helping them return home safely to their families, then that is incredibly meaningful to me.”

Gary Silsby
Global Application Engineer
Scott Safety

We value industry expertise.

With a career in fire safety, Brian Podsiadlik, wasn’t sure if there were many opportunities outside of the firehouse. Then he discovered TFT, a Sentorum brand that designs and manufactures fire hose nozzles. He soon realized TFT was an opportunity to take his real-world fire rescue experience and build a different career. His first position at TFT was on the manufacturing floor in quality control. Then he moved to sales, where he grew TFT’s Canadian territory, and finally landed in his current position as the Product and Training Manager.

“When I first climbed on the firetruck in March 2001, we had an old TFT nozzle hooked up to the hose line—it was probably older than I was. At the time I didn’t know much about TFT or the depth of the company, but I certainly cut my teeth on their products as a firefighter. Today, I’m passionate about the product because I know and understand it from a user’s perspective. The fact that I get paid to offer insight and feedback to TFT’s engineering and R&D departments is incredibly rewarding. I get to have a direct impact on firefighters all across the world, because I get to help make sure that TFT’s products are exactly what they need.”

Brian Podsiadlik
Product and Training Manager
Task Force Tips