International Fire Marshals Association
The International Fire Marshals Association (also called the IFMA or the Fire Marshals Association of North America, being their former name) is an association under the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) made up of 36 chapters spanning across the United States and Canada. Its purpose is to promote and support fire marshals internationally in their goals to promote fire prevention and safety.
 | |
| Abbreviation | IFMA |
|---|---|
| Established | 1906 |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Legal status | Voluntary association |
| Purpose | "To network with other experts responsible for the prevention of fire, the investigation of fires, and/or public fire and life safety education programs"[1] |
Region served |
|
President | Kenneth E. Tyree |
| Website | Official website |
Formerly called | Fire Marshals Association of North America |
Founded in 1906, the association was notable for organizing the first Fire Prevention Week and its efforts to prohibit the sale of fireworks, in which it found some success. Today, the association under the NFPA works towards adding a fire sprinkler requisite to the International Residential Code (IRC) for all new houses to be built. As for the history of the association itself, it had been led by pioneer fire chiefs such as Sherwood Battle Brockwell, and is currently working towards incorporating Maryland as its 36th chapter.
History
editThe association was founded in 1906 as the "Fire Marshals Association of North America," with the purpose of promoting fire safety and prevention tactics.[2] On October 9, 1911, the association, alongside the local insurance organization Western Insurance Union,[2] held the first "Fire Prevention Week" to commemorate the memory of the Great Chicago Fire forty years prior.[3][4] In 1913, the association advocated for teaching fire safety in all schools during their eighth annual convention.[5] From 1914 to 1916 during World War I, the association would take efforts to reduce waste and likewise cost associated with firefighting,[6][7] which an estimate from 1915 predicted to be around US$1,000,000,000 total.[8] In 1916, the first requisites for becoming a fire marshal were written by NYC Fire Chief William Guerin for the association.[2] In 1920, the association would push for legislation requiring safer garage buildings in all states after the growth of automotive industry in the United States.[9] During the middle of the 1920s, the association would visit cities with poor fire records, where they worked to establish inspectors offices and prohibit the sale of fireworks.[2][10]
In October 1926, the association unanimously voted to be incorporated into the larger National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) after being invited by its president at the time Dana Pierce.[11] The incorporation would not change any of the governing body or their actions, and would serve to "simply bring these [two] closer together in a common cause" which had previously been "working on the same problem of fire prevention" separately, according to the Fire Marshal of Iowa, J. A. Tracy, who introduced the resolution.[11] The action would take effect in May 1927,[11] and the association would join as the "Fire Marshal Section".[2][12]
After joining the NFPA, the association would work more towards creating uniform legislation to try to combat arson and firework misuse. In 1929, the association would propose a bill to state legislatures calling for clearer definitions of arson and increased prison time for offenders,[13] and legislation further regulating fireworks in January 1938.[14] In 1989, the organization hosted about 1,300 members.[15]
The IFMA continues to sponsor Operation EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home) as a way to protect oneself in the case of particularly nighttime fires,[16] and oppose the implementation of rescue decals due to their ability to become out of date quickly.[17] They also have continued to advocate for the ban of fireworks for non-organizations,[18][19] and have worked towards adding fire sprinklers to the International Residential Code (IRC) as a requisite to be placed in all new houses.[2][20]
Legacy
editDuring the association's push in the middle of the 1920s to prohibit the sale of fireworks: deaths and blindness caused by fireworks in Pennsylvania dropped from 16 and 43 cases respectively, to zero in both the following year.[2] Firework incidents in the state likewise dropped from 1,702 to 40 between the two years as well.[2] In 2006, CEO of the NFPA, Jim Shannon, would call the IFMA a "linchpin of the system," saying he was "pleased" to see their inclusion into their association by his predecessors.[2]
Governing body
editThe executive board of the association is made up of the positions of President, Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Executive Secretary, and four board members.[1] The current President is Kenneth E. Tyree of West Virginia, who assumed office from the former President Chris Heiner of Rhode Island.[1] Members of the executive board are elected to the position by the NFPA.[12]
While a list of former presidents does not exist, others Presidents include Jon Nisja of Minnesota (2006–2008),[21] Jim Crawford of Washington,[22] John F. Bender (2003),[19] J. Benjamin Roy Jr. of Delaware (1989),[15] Sherwood Battle Brockwell of North Carolina,[23] John G. Gamber of Illinois,[24] Newman T. Miller of Indiana (1923),[10] J. A. May of Iowa (1920),[9] and Ole C. Ree (also possibly spelled as Ole O. Roe)[6] of Iowa (1913–1914).[5]
Layout
editThe association modern-day is one of eleven Sections of the NFPA, titled the "International Fire Marshals Association Section".[25] Within its section, the association has 36 chapters, made up of regions or states within the United States or Canada.[26] In July 2023, the Maryland Fire Marshals Committee begun the process of becoming a chapter within the association, and were successfully admitted sometime in 2024.[27]
Below is a table of all 36 chapters of the IFMA: listing their number, name/location within the IFMA, and their organizations name.[26]
| Number | Name and location | Organization name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | Michigan Fire Inspectors Society |
| 2 | New England | New England Association of Fire Marshals |
| 3 | Florida | Florida Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association |
| 4 | New York | New York State Fire Marshals and Inspectors Association |
| 5 | Arizona | Arizona Fire Marshal Association |
| 6 | Delaware | Fire Marshals Association of Delaware Valley |
| 7 | Oklahoma | Fire Marshals Association of Oklahoma |
| 8 | Alabama | Fire Marshals Association of Alabama |
| 9 | Texas | Texas Fire Marshals Association |
| 10 | Alberta | Alberta Fire Safety Association |
| 11 | Minnesota | Fire Marshals Association of Minnesota |
| 12 | North Carolina | North Carolina Fire Marshals' Association |
| 13 | West Virginia | Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia |
| 14 | South Carolina | South Carolina Fire Marshals Association |
| 15 | Illinois | Illinois Fire Inspectors Association |
| 16 | Tennessee | Tennessee Fire Safety Inspectors Association |
| 17 | Utah | Fire Marshal's Association of Utah |
| 18 | Washington | Washington State Association of Fire Marshals |
| 19 | Oregon | Oregon Fire Marshals Association |
| 20 | Colorado | Fire Marshals Association of Colorado |
| 21 | New Jersey | New Jersey Fire Prevention & Protection Association |
| 22 | Nevada | Fire Prevention Association of Nevada |
| 23 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin State Fire Inspectors Association |
| 24 | Iowa | Iowa Fire Marshal's Association |
| 25 | Ohio | Ohio Fire Officials Association |
| 26 | Arkansas | Arkansas Fire Marshals Association |
| 27 | California (southern division) | California Fire Chiefs Association (south) |
| 28 | California (northern division) | California Fire Chiefs Association (north) |
| 29 | Virginia | Virginia Fire Prevention Association |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Association of Fire Code Officials |
| 31 | Kentucky | Kentucky Fire Inspectors Association |
| 32 | Kansas | Fire Marshals Association of Kansas |
| 33 | South Dakota | South Dakota Fire and Life Safety Committee |
| 34 | Wyoming | Wyoming Association of Fire Marshal's |
| 35 | Georgia | Georgia Fire Prevention Association |
| 36 | Maryland | Unclear |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "International Fire Marshals Association Member Section". National Fire Protection Association. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Kyle, Susan Nicol (June 7, 2006). "International Fire Marshals Association Marks 100 Years". Firehouse Magazine. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ^ Glass, Marcus (October 2, 2018). "History of Fire Prevention Week". Dover Air Force Base. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ Bush, Elaine M. (October 1, 2012). "National Fire Protection Association celebrates Fire Prevention Week October 7-13". Michigan State University. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ a b "Fire Marshals' Association in Philadelphia Urges Fire Prevention Instruction Be Given in All Schools". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 13, 1913. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Good Addresses And Helpful Discussion Feature Meeting". Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville, North Carolina. September 12, 1914. p. 3. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Compliment to Mr. Mohrbacher". Marshall County News. Marysville, Kansas. May 12, 1916. p. 6. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Tennessee Per Capita Fire Loss Is Heaviest". The Commercial Courier. Union City, Tennessee. September 17, 1915. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Hussey is Elected". The Topeka Daily Capital. Topeka, Kansas. December 10, 1920. p. 10. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "How Arson Is Combatted". The Daily Reporter. Greenfield, Indiana. May 11, 1923. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Fire Marshals Vote To Join With N.F.P.A". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. October 15, 1926. p. 18. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Bill (September 18, 2020). "NFPA: Nicole Comeau Named Executive Secretary of International Fire Marshals Association". firefighternation.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "Smoking Out the Arsonist". The Enterprise. Ponchatoula, Louisiana. February 15, 1929. p. 2. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Firemen Plan Fireworks Law". The Hammond Times. Hammond, Indiana. July 29, 1937. p. 18. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "State fire marshal gets national post". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. May 28, 1989. p. 2. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Auburn Firemen Urging Operation EDITH Plans". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Lewiston, Maine. September 30, 1975. p. 13. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
Operation EDITH is designed to help families protect themselves in the event of nighttime fire. The operation is sponsored [...] by the Fire Marshals Association of North America.
- ^ "Largo fire chief criticizes use of decals to mark rooms of children, invalids". Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay, Florida. April 16, 1986. p. 68. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gagnon, Lisa (July 3, 2003). "Group wants firework ban". The Daily Advocate. Greenville, Ohio. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
The International Fire Marshals Association [...] [is] calling for a ban on fireworks of any kind sold to individual consumers.
- ^ a b "Health, safety advocates urge ban on Fourth of July fireworks". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. July 1, 2003. p. 14. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Supporting Organizations". ircfiresprinkler.org. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
National and regional supporting organizations [...] International Fire Marshals Association
- ^ "2020 Minnesota Fire Marshals Conference" (PDF). Fire Marshals Association of Minnesota. 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
Jon Nisja [...] is also a past president of the International Fire Marshals Association (2006-2008).
- ^ "Jim Crawford Named 2013 Recipient of Dr. Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education". firefighternation.com. April 22, 2013. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "Brockwell Turned Hobby Into His Life's Career". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. December 14, 1947. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
Sherwood [...] once was president of the Fire Marshals' Association of North America
- ^ ""I wish every house had oil heat" says John G. Gamber". The South Bend Tribune. South Bend, Indiana. October 14, 1930. p. 3. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
John G. Gamber: Former President [of the] Fire Marshals Association of North America
- ^ "Members Sections". National Fire Protection Association. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ a b "NFPA IFMA Chapters". National Fire Protection Association. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
- ^ "State Fire Prevention Commission Minutes" (PDF). Maryland State Police. July 20, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.