About the First Arriving Team - Public Safety & Local Government

First Arriving is led by lifelong media, marketing and technology veterans focused on public safety, local government, non-profits & businesses — backed by a growing team driven to create dynamic solutions for our clients and partners.

First Arriving co-founders Dave Iannone and Chris Hebert created the original Firehouse.com, FirefighterNation.com and expanded law enforcement portal Officer.com in the “dot com” days. Our leadership team and strategic partners have pioneered across all facets of technology and marketing in public safety, local government and over a dozen other niche markets.

We’ve spent our lives creating innovative content and marketing platforms, online communities and events that have made a lasting, positive impact on the markets we serve.

Our team includes some amazing development, content, design, technology and marketing professionals who all share a passion to create incredible solutions that our clients and partners love – and more importantly help them achieve and exceed their objectives.

We are not just a service company – we are a long term partner in the success of your agency, department, organization or company.

Chief Operating Officer
Shannon Gilliland

Vice President, Web Services
Christopher Hebert

Vice President, Recruitment & Retention Services
Tiger Schmittendorf

CEO

Dave Iannone

Since the age of 12, Dave has been in love with the fire service. He’s spent the last 32+ years at the Hyattsville (MD) VFD where he, Chris and others first worked together on the original Firehouse.com and Officer.com. Dave has been able to combine is passion for public safety, content, marketing and technology to serve first responders at First Arriving.

Chief Operating Officer

Shannon Gilliland

Shannon is responsible for planning and implementing new business initiatives across First Arriving’s suite of technology, marketing solutions, and strategic services. Prior to joining First Arriving, Shannon served as the Director of Business Development for the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) where she led sales and the client-relationship management team. Shannon brings over 15 years of experience with developing strategic partnerships, sales & marketing, revenue growth, project management, and client success transformation.

Vice President, Web Services

Christopher Hebert

Chris is from Upstate (the New York one) where he started his fire service career as a teen but made his home in Maryland where he met Dave, they started Firehouse.com and the rest is history. Chris is not only a creator of many things Web, he’s also a Firefighter/Technician with the Washington, D.C. Fire/EMS Department and Life Member of the Hyattsville (MD) VFD. He leads the way with our bloggers, content creation, WordPress and lots of other fancy technical things.

Vice President, Recruitment & Retention Services

Tiger Schmittendorf

Schmittendorf brings 20 years of experience in engineering, sales and marketing management to marketing the product he loves: the fire service and public safety. He specializes in recruitment and retention, marketing, training and leadership consulting for agencies and departments around the country.