U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire Prevention and Control 2023

Agenda

FEMA
U.S. Fire Administration
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

All Events will be held in Building E Auditorium

Note: Topics, Speakers, and Times Subject to Change. All times listed in Eastern Time Zone/United States
8:30 am

All attendees in their seats

8:45 – 9:00 am

Opening Address

Rob Feeney, Survivor of the Station Nightclub Fire and Captain at Onset (Massachusetts) Fire Department
(Introduced by Vickie Pritchett, National Fire Sprinkler Association)

9:00 – 10:30 am

Welcome Remarks by the Acting United States Fire Administrator

Introduction of Federal Dignitaries and Opening Remarks

Roundtable Testimonies Provided by:

  • Chief John Donnelly, District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services Department
  • Chief Deputy Anale Burlew, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
  • Chief Trisha Wolford, International Association of Fire Chiefs
  • Ryan Cole, Buncombe County Emergency Management
  • Sean DeCrane, International Association of Fire Fighters
  • Chief Kevin Quinn, National Volunteer Fire Council
  • James Pauley, National Fire Protection Association
10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Chiefs’ Interactive Discussion and Update on the USFA Summit Workgroups

  • Commissioner Adam Thiel, Managing Director, City of Philadelphia (Facilitator)
  • Chief Frank Leeb, Managing Director, First Responder Center for Excellence (Facilitator)
  • Chief Mary Cameli, Mesa Fire & Medical Department
  • Sara Jahnke, NDRI-USA
  • Chief Ken Willette, North American Fire Training Directors
  • Seth Statler, National Fire Protection Association
12:00 – 1:15 pm

Lunch Break in Dining Hall

Ticket Required

1:20 pm

All attendees in their seats

1:30 – 3:45 pm

State of the Fire and Emergency Services

Master of Ceremonies: Bill Webb, Congressional Fire Services Institute

Opening Remarks by Chief Donna Black, Acting United States Fire Administrator, and Victor Stagnaro, CEO, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Your United States Fire Administration

  • Chief Donna Black, Acting United States Fire Administrator

Science of Fire and the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS)

  • Dr. Steve Kerber, Vice President of UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fire Service Support

  • Dr. John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Community Risk Reduction moderated by Monica Owens Doyle, American Red Cross

  • Data & Technology Maturity Framework; Joanna Zibbell, Boise Fire Department
  • Making Fire Prevention/CRR Fun for the Structural Firefighter; Butch Browning, National Association of State Fire Marshals
  • The Importance of Fire Codes and Standards to Reduce Risk Against Today’s Challenges; Lorraine Carli, National Fire Protection Association
  • Recent "Remarkable" Fires and the Importance of Fire Safety Systems - Pre and Post Fire; Shane Ray, National Fire Sprinkler Association

Health, Wellness, Safety, and Survival moderated by Dr. Sara Jahnke, NDRI

  • If Your Story Could Help Prevent Cancer, Would You Share It?; Dr. Kenny Fent, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  • Cardiovascular Health; Kepra Jack, HeartFit For Duty, LLC
  • From Research to Resilience: Mental Health in the Fire Service; Dr. Brittney Hollerbach, NDRI-USA
  • Personal Protective Equipment; Rachel Staebell; Women in Fire
  • Leading with Courage: Vulnerability in the AAR Process; Dena Ali; First Responder Center of Excellence

 Training and Competency moderated by Eriks Gabliks, Acting Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator

  • Tactical Credibility: How Instructor Development Turns Research into Results; P.J. Norwood, Connecticut State Fire Academy
  • Training Gaps in Structural Firefighting; Dr. Dan Madrzykowski, UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute
  • Recruitment & Retention; Chief Jason Caughey, Laramie County Fire Authority
  • Rural Volunteer Firefighters & Training: The Real Story; Ken Willette, North American Fire Training Directors

Emergency Operations moderated by Chief Mary Cameli, Mesa Fire & Medical Department

  • Violence Against Responders; Rob McClintock, International Association of Fire Fighters
  • Fire Service-Based EMS; Chief Kevin Joles, International Association of Fire Chiefs
  • Lithium-Ion Batteries; Chief Michael O’Brian, International Association of Fire Chiefs
  • Analysis & Implementation of Lessons Learned from LA & Lahaina Wildfires; Gavin Horn, UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute
  • Fire Adapted Communities; Chief Eric Litzenberg; International Association of Fire Chiefs
3:45 – 4:00 pm

Closing Remarks with the U.S. Fire Administrator