NFPA Journal - November/December 2019 - 6

NFPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS
Keith E. Williams, Chair
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Northbrook, Illinois
James Pauley, President
President and CEO, NFPA
Amy R. Acton, First Vice-Chair
The Phoenix Society
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Russell B. Leavitt, Second Vice-Chair
Telgian Corporation
Tempe, Arizona

First Word

by Jim Pauley

NFPA President

Donald R. Cook, Secretary
Shelby County Department of
Development Services
Pelham, Alabama
Roger W. Montembeault, Treasurer
The Montembeault Group
Tampa, Florida
Kwame Cooper, Assistant Treasurer
Los Angeles Fire Department
Los Angeles, California
*Sally P. Everett, Assistant Secretary
Secretary of the Corporation,
VP & General Counsel, NFPA
*Bruce H. Mullen, Staff Officer
Executive VP, NFPA
*Paul DeFronzo, Staff Officer
Chief Financial Officer, NFPA

Poignant Partners
I

6 | NFPA JOURNAL * N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9

the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Weekend. That weekend, 119 names were
added to the national memorial on the
grounds of the National Fire Academy. The
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation was
established by Congress to carry out the
duty of honoring our fallen heroes. Many of
the families are able to attend the memorial
through the generosity of the Foundation.

Every burn survivor
has a unique and
important story.
One summed up
her story well when
she said, 'My burns
do not define me-
they refine me.'

Eric R. Rosenbaum
Jensen Hughes
Baltimore, Maryland
James Sullivan
Westford, Massachusetts
Terms Expire in 2021
John D. Bonney
Alendi Consulting
Ropley, United Kingdom
Brion Callori
FM Global
Johnston, Rhode Island
Martha Connors
Digital Media & Marketing Consultant
Newton, Massachusetts
Reginald D. Freeman
Hartford Fire Department
Hartford, Connecticut
William J. Fries
Department of Defense
Washington, DC
R. David Paulison
Global Emergency Solutions
Davie, Florida
Louis Paulson
Contra Costa County
Fire Protection District, Retired
Walnut Creek, California
Michael Wallace
West Palm Beach, Florida

It is a weekend filled with tears and remembrance, but also one where the families are
able to talk with others who have suffered
similar losses and to share the stories about
their family heroes. I had the privilege of
reading a tribute to those fallen heroes
during the ceremony.
I would encourage everyone in our NFPA
community to learn more about both organizations. You can find more information
on the Phoenix Society at phoenix-society.
org, and on the National Fallen Firefighters
Foundation at firehero.org.

Terms Expire in 2022
Hatem Kheir
Kheir Group
Cairo, Egypt
Patrick J. Morrison
International Association
of Fire Fighters
Washington, DC
Teresa L. Deloach Reed
Oakland Fire Department, Retired
Oakland, California
Stacy N. Welch
Marriott International
Bethesda, Maryland

*Not a Board member

NFPA

n my role at NFPA, I often
get opportunities to attend
and speak at many different
events, and I recently participated in the Phoenix Society
for Burn Survivors World Burn Congress
and the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend. Both events are poignant
reminders for me of how important the
work of NFPA and its members is to our
communities and to society.
The work of the Phoenix Society focuses
on the optimal healing and lifelong recovery
of burn survivors. But just as important is
the society's advocacy role that they have
taken on for burn prevention. At the recent
World Burn Congress in Anaheim, California, I was incredibly moved as I talked
to burn survivors. Each has a unique and
important story, and they have all found
a place where they can share their stories
and take advantage of the peer support
offered by other survivors. One burn survivor summed up her story quite well when
she said, "My burns do not define me-they
refine me." Many of the burn survivors
not only benefit from the programs of the
Phoenix Society, but they are are also using
their voices to advocate for issues that are
critically important to reducing loss from
fire and other hazards. NFPA is fortunate to
have our partnership with the Phoenix Society to help further our own mission.
I also traveled to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where my wife Lisa and I attended

DIRECTORS
Terms Expire in 2020
Jeffery C. Cash
City of Cherryville Fire Department
Cherryville, North Carolina
http://www.firehero.org
NFPA Journal - November/December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - November/December 2019
