Ed Bent, a veteran firefighter who was a leader in establishing modern training and standards for California firefighters, passed March 27, 2012. Mr. Bent was instrumental in creating a professional model for fire service. He spent 40 years as a firefighter, starting with the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1943. He moved to Redding in 1952 and became a state fire instructor responsible for training firefighters in 13 Northern California counties. He transferred to Sacramento and served almost two decades as superintendent of fire service training for the State Fire Marshal's Office in Sacramento. Under his leadership, California established statewide policies and programs for new firefighters, including a fire academy and certification system. Mr. Bent wrote training texts for dealing with hazardous materials, building collapses and other safety issues. He taught classes for firefighting agencies in Western states and spoke at seminars for professional groups, including the Western Fire Chiefs Association and the National Fire Protection Association. Following his retirement in 1983, the California Fire Chiefs Association established the Ed Bent Training Excellence Award, which is given annually to top firefighting instructors in the state. "Ed Bent's contributions to the firefighting profession in California were of great significance at a time when the system could have failed," said Ron Coleman, a former state fire marshal. "Many people in firefighting today spend their careers under his influence."