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International Association of Fire Chiefs

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International Association of Fire Chiefs
AbbreviationIAFC
Established1873; 151 years ago (1873)
TypeNonprofit
Purpose"To provide leadership to current and future [fire chiefs and workers] of emergency service organizations throughout the international community"[1]
HeadquartersMcLean, Virginia
Region served
  • Canada
  • United States
President
Josh Waldo
WebsiteOfficial website

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is a non-profit[2] network of more than 12,000 fire chiefs and emergency officers in over 30 countries.[3] The Association was established in 1873 with John S. Damrell as president.[1] It is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, United States. The President and Chair of the Board is Josh Waldo, Fire Chief, from Bozeman, Montana.[4] The CEO and Executive Director is Rob Brown.[5]

During the late 19th century, as many U.S. cities transitioned from volunteer to paid fire departments, a confluence of factors such as major fires and communication advancements led to the establishment of IAFC. Key figures from cities like Portland, Chicago, Boston, and Baltimore gathered in 1873 in New York City to consider the creation of a national association for fire chiefs. The inaugural convention, convened in October of that year, drew 61 participants and elected Chief Engineer John S. Damrell of Boston as its first President. The organization's original name, the National Association of Fire Engineers, underscored the aim to foster idea exchange and introduce innovative firefighting machinery. By 1884, the inclusion of Canadian fire chiefs prompted a name change to the International Association of Fire Engineers, evolving into the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1926.

IAFC's headquarters have transitioned over the years, from Baltimore to New York City's Case-Shepperd-Mann Publishing Company in the 1920s, then to Washington, D.C., in the 1970s, and eventually to McLean, VA in 1992. The IAFC's annual conference, an uninterrupted tradition since 1873 (except during World War I and II), has grown and diversified. In 1994, the conference was renamed Fire-Rescue International (FRI).

Divisions

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The association is broken into eight divisions spanning across Canada and the United States.[6]

  • "Canada Division" (covering all of Canada)
  • "Eastern Division" (covering Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C.)
  • "Great Lakes Division" (covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
  • "Missouri Valley Division" (covering Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming)
  • "New England Division" (covering New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island)
  • "Southeastern Division" (covering Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia)
  • "Southwestern Division" (covering Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas)
  • "Western Division" (covering Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and the Pacific Territories)

Presidents

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2001–present

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The following were presidents:[7]

  • 2024 Josh Waldo - Bozeman, Montana
  • 2023 John S. Butler - Fairfax County, Virginia
  • 2022 Donna Black - Duck, North Carolina
  • 2021 Kenneth Stuebing - Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • 2020 Richard R. Carrizzo - Southern Platte, MO
  • 2019 Gary Ludwig - Champaign, IL
  • 2018 Dan Eggleston - Albemarle County, VA
  • 2017 Tom Jenkins - Rogers, AR
  • 2016 John Sinclair - Kittitas Valley, WA
  • 2015 Rhoda Mae Kerr - Austin, TX
  • 2014 G. Keith Bryant - Oklahoma City, OK
  • 2013 William R. Metcalf - Fallbrook, CA
  • 2012 Henry C. Clemmensen - Inverness, IL
  • 2011 Albert H. Gillespie - North Las Vegas, NV
  • 2010 John E. Parow - Chelmsford, MA
  • 2009 Jeffrey D. Johnson - Tualatin Valley, OR
  • 2008 Larry J. Grorud - Janesville, WI
  • 2007 Steven P. Westermann - Central Jackson Co., MO
  • 2006 James B. Harmes - Grand Blanc, MI
  • 2005 William D. Killen - Kingsport, TN
  • 2004 Robert A. DiPoli - Needham, MA
  • 2003 Ernest Mitchell Jr. - Pasadena, CA
  • 2002 Randy R. Bruegman - Milwaukie, OR
  • 2001 John M. Buckman III - Evansville, IN

1901–2000

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Boyd was president in 1924

1873–1900

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About IAFC". International Association of Fire Chiefs. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "IAFCF | International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation". International Association of Fire Chiefs. Retrieved November 20, 2023. The IAFC Foundation was chartered as a non-profit organization in 1974.
  3. ^ "IFOC 2019 Welcome" (PDF). International Association of Fire Chiefs. February 2019. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  4. ^ "President and Board Chair". www.iafc.org. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  5. ^ "Staff". www.iafc.org. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  6. ^ "Divisions". International Association of Fire Chiefs. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  7. ^ "IAFC Presidents" (PDF). Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "Funeral Services to Be Held Monday for Chief Boyd. Died After Collapse After Fire". Knoxville News Sentinel. March 30, 1929.
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