Storm Lake Fire Chief Glenn Schlesser was presented with the 2025 Floyd Wm. "Bill" Nelson Instructor of the Year Award during the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors Conference February 22.
The award is based on nominations by fellow members of the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors.
Chief Schlesser has led the Storm Lake Fire Department since 2021, and has 15 years of experience in teaching multiple firefighter and fire officer training programs at the local, regional and state levels. During his service in Storm Lake, he has implemented a Regional Fire School hosted by the local department that helps to train firefighters from around Iowa, as well as the first Junior Firefighter cadet program for the department.
The Instructor of the Year award is named for Floyd W. Nelson, a groundbreaking researcher in fire science with Iowa State University starting in the early 1950s, and one of the founders of the Society of Fire Service Instructors in 1964.