International Fire Marshals Association

Abbreviation	IFMA
Established	1906 (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	Canada United States
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.

History

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]

Governing body

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]

Layout

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]

Map of the coverage of the 35 chapters of the International Fire Marshals Association

See also

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

References