NVFC Holds Virtual Fall Board Meeting

October 27, 2020

NVFC board members and staff participating in a virtual happy hour.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Board of Directors meets twice a year to conduct Council business, hold committee meetings, and guide the direction of the organization. Due to the pandemic, the planned 2020 in-person fall meeting moved to a virtual format that took place in early October. The NVFC board is comprised of up to two directors from 47 state fire associations.

“We’ve had to make some modifications to our typical meeting structure this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of our board members,” said NVFC chair Steve Hirsch. “However, like our nation’s fire and EMS departments, the important work of the NVFC doesn’t stop. It is our privilege to serve the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue community, and these bi-annual meetings provide a chance for our board members to come together to address key issues impacting the emergency services. While the virtual meetings served their purpose this year, I look forward to meeting in person again in 2021.”

Over a dozen NVFC standing committees met on topics ranging from retention and recruitment, standards and codes, wildland, and health, safety, and training. In addition, the NVFC’s EMS/Rescue Section held its bi-annual meeting. A strategic planning session open to all board members also took place.

A series of special events rounded out the meeting, including a virtual happy hour, a webinar presented by Tom Merrill, author and fire commissioner with Snyder (NY) Fire District, on professional development for the volunteer fire officer, and a webinar by David Denniston, fire commissioner with the Virgil (NY) Fire District and director of risk management with McNeil & Company, on diversity and inclusion in the fire and EMS services. Both webinars were open to the public.

The general session closed out the virtual board meeting on October 16. The full board gathered to get organizational and committee updates, discuss critical topics facing the emergency services, and vote on items before the Council. Among the actions taken, the Council voted to develop a pandemic response task force, support the EMS Counts Act, and approve a revised 2020 budget and the 2021 budget.

The next NVFC board meeting is scheduled to take place April 29-May 1, 2021, in Alexandria, VA. Officer and Executive Committee elections will be held at that meeting.

The NVFC thanks the following corporate partners for their support and sponsorship of the fall meeting: 3M|Scott Fire & Safety, Anheuser-Busch Foundation, California Casualty, Clarion Events Fire & Rescue Group, Columbia Southern University, ESIP, Lincoln Financial Group, National Fire Protection Association, OnStar, Provident, Verizon, VFIS, and Ward Diesel Filter System.