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 |
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 35 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.
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.
The 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]
During 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]
The 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]
The 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 35 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. [27]
Below is a table of all 35 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 | [Unclear] |
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 |
The Station nightclub fire occurred on the evening of February 20, 2003, at The Station, a nightclub and hard rock music venue in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, killing 100 people and injuring 230. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. The fire was the deadliest fireworks accident in U.S. history and the fourth-deadliest at a nightclub in U.S. history. It was also the second-deadliest nightclub fire in New England, behind the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire.
Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating such things as fireworks, safety matches, oxygen candles, explosive bolts and other fasteners, parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, quarrying, and demolition. This trade relies upon self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions to make heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound. The name comes from the Greek words pyr ("fire") and tekhnikos.
A smoke detector is a device that senses smoke, typically as an indicator of fire. Smoke detectors are usually housed in plastic enclosures, typically shaped like a disk about 150 millimetres (6 in) in diameter and 25 millimetres (1 in) thick, but shape and size vary. Smoke can be detected either optically (photoelectric) or by physical process (ionization). Detectors may use one or both sensing methods. Sensitive alarms can be used to detect and deter smoking in banned areas. Smoke detectors in large commercial and industrial buildings are usually connected to a central fire alarm system.
The MGM Grand fire occurred on Friday, November 21, 1980 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The fire killed 85 people, most through smoke inhalation. The fire began from a refrigerated pastry display case in one of the restaurants, located on the first floor. Fire engulfed the resort's casino, and smoke travelled into the hotel tower.
A fire marshal, in the United States and Canada, is often a member of a state, provincial or territorial government, but may be part of a building department or a separate department altogether. Fire marshals' duties vary but usually include fire code enforcement or investigating fires for origin and cause. Fire marshals may be sworn law enforcement officers and are often experienced firefighters. In larger cities with substantially developed fire departments the local fire departments are sometimes delegated some of the duties of the fire marshal.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a U.S.-based international nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards. As of 2023, the NFPA claims to have 50,000 members and 9,000 volunteers working with the organization through its 250 technical committees.
The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Honolulu. Founded on December 27, 1850, by Kamehameha III and Alexander Cartwright, the Honolulu Fire Department serves and protects the entire island of O'ahu, covering over 600 square miles (1,600 km2) of territory, home to more than 880,000 residents and over 4 million annual visitors.
Fire safety is the set of practices intended to reduce destruction caused by fire. Fire safety measures include those that are intended to prevent the ignition of an uncontrolled fire and those that are used to limit the spread and impact of a fire.
"NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response" is a standard maintained by the U.S.-based National Fire Protection Association. First "tentatively adopted as a guide" in 1960, and revised several times since then, it defines the "Safety Square" or "Fire Diamond" which is used to quickly and easily identify the risks posed by hazardous materials. This helps determine what, if any, special equipment should be used, procedures followed, or precautions taken during the initial stages of an emergency response. It is an internationally accepted safety standard, and is crucial while transporting chemicals.
Kenan Stadium is a college football stadium located on Stadium Drive in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Opened in 1927, it is home to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's (UNC) football team, which competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The facility replaced Emerson Field, where the school's football program had been based since 1916. Plans for the stadium began as attendance increased. Ground was broken on the stadium in December 1926 and work completed in August 1927. The stadium hosted its first game on November 12, 1927, when the Tar Heels faced the Davidson Wildcats, where the Tar Heels won 27–0 in front of 9,000 spectators. On November 24, 1927, the stadium was officially opened and dedicated during a game where the Tar Heels hosted the Virginia Cavaliers and won 14–13.
The International Building Code (IBC) is a model building code developed by the International Code Council (ICC). It has been adopted for use as a base code standard by most jurisdictions in the United States. The IBC addresses both health and safety concerns for buildings based upon prescriptive and performance related requirements. The IBC is fully compatible with all other published ICC codes. The code provisions are intended to protect public health and safety while avoiding both unnecessary costs and preferential treatment of specific materials or methods of construction. The code is updated every three years.
A combustible material is a material that can burn in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort and a flammable material catches fire immediately on exposure to flame.
Fire Prevention Week is a nationally observed week in the United States and Canada from the Sunday to Saturday in which October 9 falls.
The International Federation of Muaythai Associations, or IFMA, called the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur until 27 July 2019, is a sport governing body of amateur and professional Muay Thai and Muay boran consisting of 140 member countries worldwide with 5 continental federations after unification of International Federation of Muaythai Amateur and World Muaythai Council. IFMA is officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF), the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) International World Games Association (IWGA), and Trim and Fitness International Sport for All Association (TAFISA). Muaythai has been included in many official sport programs such as the World Games, World Combat Games, Arafura Games, TAFISA Games, SEA Games, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Asian Beach Games, Demonstration Sport in the Asian Games.
Valentina Anatolievna Shevchenko (born March 7, 1988) is a Kyrgyzstani and Peruvian professional mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai fighter. She currently competes in the women's Flyweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the former UFC Women's Flyweight Champion. As of March 7, 2023, she is ranked #1 in the women’s flyweight rankings, and as of August 22, 2023, she is ranked #3 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
David Allen Lucht is an American engineer and fire safety expert. His career was devoted to public service in government, academia and the nonprofit sector. He served as the Ohio State Fire Marshal; the first presidential appointee to serve in the United States Fire Administration and the inaugural head of the graduate degree fire protection engineering program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he served for 25 years
An electric fire engine is a fire engine that is powered by an electric motor—essentially, an electric vehicle designed and used for firefighting. Electric fire engines were first proposed in the 19th century to replace the steam pumpers used for firefighting. The electric motor was claimed to be simpler, cleaner, and faster in operation, would save money, and require less maintenance than the steam fire engine. Though production of most electric-powered fire engines ended in the early 20th century when they were superseded by diesel-powered fire engines, they have seen a revival in the 21st century, with fire engine manufacturers such as Rosenbauer and Pierce Manufacturing designing their own electric fire engines.
Fireworks policy in the United States can be different in each jurisdiction.
Frank Alden "Frankie" Howard was an American law enforcement officer and politician who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2008 to 2020. Prior to his service in the state legislature, he served as the deputy sheriff in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, and later as sheriff from 1976 to 2000.
Sherwood Battle Brockwell was a fire marshal, pioneer of fire safety and legislation in North Carolina, and Raleigh's first paid fire chief. Brockwell was the United States' oldest fire marshal at the time of his death.
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.
The International Fire Marshals Association [...] [is] calling for a ban on fireworks of any kind sold to individual consumers.
National and regional supporting organizations [...] International Fire Marshals Association
Jon Nisja [...] is also a past president of the International Fire Marshals Association (2006-2008).
Sherwood [...] once was president of the Fire Marshals' Association of North America
John G. Gamber: Former President [of the] Fire Marshals Association of North America