Ed is from Brooklyn N.Y. and a graduate of Brooklyn College. He received his Masters degree from Hunter College. In 1982 he entered the police academy along with 3000 other recruits and was assigned to the 71^st pct. In 1983 he entered the Fire Dept and was assigned to Engine 18 in Manhattan. His career path took him to ladder 161 in Coney Island and eventually to Haz Mat 1 in Queens. He obtained his masters degree in Environmental Health and Safety as well as his professional certification in Industrial Hygiene. He later went on to work with the Dept of Health and the National Laboratories developing sampling plans and remediation plans for environmental  contamination .Ed has taught at John Jay and Hunter College both on campus and on-line for ten years.