NVFC Holds 2022 Spring Board Meeting

April 19, 2022

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Board of Directors held its annual spring meeting in Arlington, VA, on April 8-9. Sixty directors from 40 states gathered to conduct Council business, participate in committee meetings, hear from guest speakers, and present the NVFC’s annual achievement awards. Below is a wrap-up of the NVFC activities from the 2022 spring meeting.

Council Business

NVFC Board of Directors

NVFC board members participated in committee meetings virtually the week prior to the spring meeting as well as in-person at the spring meeting. Committees address a range of topics critical to the fire and emergency services, including legislation; standards and codes; recruitment and retention; wildland; communications and technology; health, safety, and training; and more. In addition, the EMS/Rescue Section held its biannual meeting.

The board also took action on several items, including the following:

  • The board voted to purchase bricks at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial to continue its project to have a designated NVFC section of the memorial walkway for directors who have passed.
  • The board approved five proposed amendments to its bylaws relating to updating membership categories, streamlining the elections procedures, adding language regarding executive sessions of the board, updating the process for the NVFC to review requests for research grant support, and updating the policy regarding the CEO’s annual evaluation.
  • The board voted to participate in the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s two-pound challenge. This challenge asks board members, state association representatives, and NVFC members to either lose two pounds for each year they have been involved with the NVFC, walk more, spend two hours a week doing relaxation activities, or set a personal health and wellness goal during the challenge period of April 11 to June 11.
  • The board voted to support the inclusion of non-hot zone firefighter 2 skills in the new support personnel section of NFPA 1010.
  • The board approved changing the name of its Diversity and Inclusion Committee to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

A silent auction held throughout the meeting raised $865 for the NVFC’s Health and Safety Fund.

Speakers

U.S. Fire Administrator, Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell

A lineup of distinguished speakers addressed the board, including the following:

  • Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator, gave the keynote address, informing the board about current and future initiatives of the U.S. Fire Administration and answering questions from board members.
  • Chief David Povlitz of the Arlington County Fire Department welcomed the board to Arlington.
  • Ken Willette, executive director of the North American Fire Training Directors (NAFTD), discussed NAFTD initiatives and ways the two organizations can work together.
  • Tina Godfrey from the FEMA Grants Office provided an update on the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant programs.
  • Eriks Gabliks, superintendent of the National Fire Academy (NFA), talked about training available through the NFA.

Awards

The NVFC and International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) received the Senator Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award from the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation during CFSI’s annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner on April 7 prior to the start of the NVFC meeting. Read article.

The NVFC also presented four of its own annual fire service achievement awards during a special banquet at the spring meeting on April 8. Read article.

Meeting Sponsors
The NVFC thanks all of the sponsors and partners that helped make the spring meeting possible: Anheuser-Busch Foundation, California Casualty, Clarion Fire & Rescue Group, Columbia Southern University, ESIP, FirstNet Built with AT&T, Josh Cellars, Lincoln Financial Group, National Fire Protection Association, NPPGov, and Provident. We also thank the sponsors of the NVFC’s achievement awards: ADT, California Casualty, Provident, Ward Diesel Filter Systems, and VFIS.

Next Meeting
The NVFC board is comprised of up to two representatives from 47 state fire and emergency services associations. The board meets as a whole twice each year. The next meeting will be hosted by the North Carolina State Firefighters’ Association and will take place October 26-28 in Wilmington, NC.

Chief David Povlitz welcomes the NVFC board to Arlington, VA

Arlington County Fire Department Color Guard presenting the colors

Ken Willette, executive director of the North American Fire Training Directors

Recruitment & Retention Committee meeting

NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch addresses the board

New NVFC directors