Missoula, MT, USA - By unanimous decision, the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) Board selected Dan W. Bailey of Stevensville, MT as President beginning January 1, 2012. Bailey has served on the Board for four years including two terms as the Treasurer. “This is an honor for me,” said Bailey, “and I'm excited about leading the Association into new partnerships and projects dealing with wildland fire, including research and community fire protection activities. The IAWF has an extraordinary international board of directors that represent one of the most diverse wildland fire professional groups of any organization. I am looking forward to working with our board, our membership from around the globe, and IAWF staff to further IAWF’s global leadership.”
Bailey is the Director of the Wildland Fire, Natural Resource, and Natural Hazard Programs for the International Code Council (ICC) in Washington, D.C. ICC is a member-focused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe, sustainable and affordable construction through the development of codes and standards used in the design, building and compliance process. Most U.S. communities and many countries choose the International Codes.
Bailey retired from the USDA Forest Service in 2005, where he served as the Nataional Program Manager for Wildland Urban Interface Fire and Firewise. Prior to his Washington DC assignment he was the Supervisory Forester, Fire and Aviation Staff Officer for the Lolo National Forest in Missoula, MT. With over 32 years experience in forestry and wildland fire, including 12 years as one of the Incident Commanders of a Type 1 National Incident Management Team that dealt with the most complex and dangerous wildland fires, Bailey brings a very unique and solid background to his Presidency of IAWF.
Bailey serves on numerous National and International Boards, Associations and Groups including the National Institute for the Elimination of Catastrophic Wildfire, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Wildland Fire Alliance and the International Wildfire Disaster Advisory Committee, and the National Wildland Urban Interface Council. “The IAWF is intensifying efforts to deal with the escalating wildfire problems facing parts of most every continent through new partnerships, technology, research sharing, and education,” said Bailey.
The IAWF Presidency is a two year, voluntary position.
Bailey assumes the Presidency from Chuck Bushey who served as the IAWF President for 5 years. Bushey is owner of Montana Prescribed Fire Services, Inc. in Billings, MT and he will continue his IAWF work as the moderator of IAWF’s listserv “FireNet,” an online global wildland fire information exchange service and as the Incident Commander for IAWF’s upcoming Human Dimensions of Wildland Fire Conference scheduled for April in Seattle, WA.
About the International Association of Wildland Fire
The IAWF; a nonprofit, 501(c) (3) professional association, represents members of the global wildland fire community and is uniquely positioned as an independent organization whose membership includes experts in all aspects of wildland fire management. IAWF's independence and breadth of global membership expertise allows it to offer a neutral forum for the consideration of important, at times controversial, wildland fire issues. IAWF produces Wildfire magazine, the International Journal of Wildland Fire, and FireNet as well as conferences and joint training opportunities. For more information, please check our sites at: www.iawfonline.org and www.wildfireworld.org.
