"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]
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]
Legacy
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]
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
Chapter identification
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
^"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).
