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CTIF President Milan Dubravac at the World Fire Congress in Washington, DC, May 7, 2024.
08 May 2024

CTIF made presentation at the World Fire Congress in Washington

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The opening of the World Fire Congress 2024. The First world fire congress is taking place in Washington, DC Tuesday and Wednesday. Around 60 countries are present. CTIF has an important role as the president is a member of the steering committee of this event.
 

The initiative came from the US Fire Administration. The main topics of the congress are wildfires, firefighters health, structure fires, new technologies and of course new challenges due to climate change.

Dr.Lori Moore Merel  US Fire Administrator, opened the congress and pointed out the importance of future cooperation between worldwide firefighters communities.

Milan Dubravac, President of the International Technical Committee for the Prevention and Extinction of Fire (CTIF), highlighted the high density of firefighters in regions including Austria, Croatia, Germany, and the Czech Republic, attributing this not only to professional firefighters but also to a significant number of well-trained and dedicated volunteer firefighters. He noted that CTIF, established in 1900 in Paris, was the first global firefighter association, founded with the aim of exchanging knowledge, a goal that remains central today.

 

Dr Lori Moore Merel speaking at the The World Fire Congress

President Dubravac emphasized the importance of adapting to new challenges posed by climate change and technological advances, underlining the need for global standards and technology exchange to enhance firefighter capabilities worldwide. CTIF's efforts involve various technical commissions and working groups focusing on diverse firefighting disciplines such as forest fires, hazardous materials, and new technologies, among others. The organization is committed to sharing knowledge and outcomes with the global firefighting community.

Moreover, he stressed the importance of fostering the next generation of firefighters through CTIF’s active youth commission, which organizes symposiums and competitions to ensure the continuation of firefighting traditions. He concluded by expressing optimism that the World Fire Congress would strengthen global cooperation among firefighters, leading to better training and enhanced safety for citizens.

 

The World Fire Congress in May 2024.