World Fire Congress advances global fire service collaboration through new Secretariat and research framework
NFPA and IAFC to support Secretariat function; UL Research Institutes to provide learning, research, and global insight efforts
The World Fire Congress (WFC) has named the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs), a section of the National Fire Protection Association®️ (NFPA®️) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), to serve as its Secretariat, establishing a long-term coordination and continuity framework designed to strengthen global collaboration across the fire and emergency services profession.
The Secretariat structure will provide continuity between Congresses, preserve institutional knowledge, support host-nation coordination, and strengthen sustained international engagement on emerging fire and life safety challenges.
“It is an honor for the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association to serve as the Secretariat for the World Fire Congress,” said Otto Drozd III, Executive Secretary of Metro Chiefs. “What is being established through this partnership is far more than operational coordination for a single event. It is the long-term infrastructure designed to support continuity, global engagement, and sustained collaboration for future Congresses and the international fire and emergency services community. With the support of NFPA and IAFC, combined with the research and learning efforts being advanced through UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute, the World Fire Congress is building a strong and enduring foundation capable of supporting global cooperation for generations to come.”
The World Fire Congress is a biennial global forum that brings together fire and emergency service leaders to strengthen international cooperation, share knowledge, and advance evidence-informed dialogue on evolving fire and life safety challenges impacting communities worldwide. Topics include firefighter health and safety, climate-driven disasters, structural fires, wildfires, emerging technologies, prevention, response, recovery, and resilience
