This week marks the historic inaugural session of the World Fire Congress (WFC) in Washington D.C., an initiative spearheaded by U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell. Designed to address the myriad challenges faced by fire services globally, the WFC brings together representatives from over 50 countries to foster international collaboration and share solutions to critical issues like wildfire management, firefighter health, and emerging energy technologies.
Dr. Moore-Merrell emphasized the significance of the gathering: “The inaugural session of the WFC meets against the backdrop of complex, interlocking issues facing fire services, including structure fire, wildfire, and climate change, emerging energy technology, and firefighter health and safety.” Her leadership has been pivotal in conceptualizing and launching this biannual event that will rotate host countries, ensuring a continuous and evolving dialogue among the world’s fire services.
Attendees of the WFC are set to establish a pathway for future meetings, with the next Congress scheduled for the United Kingdom in 2026. This ongoing work aims to ensure that the interests and voices of first responders globally are heard and addressed in perpetuity.
During the event, fire officials are tackling pressing concerns such as the rising scale and frequency of wildfires, as highlighted by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “I was just talking with some of my colleagues in Europe and we are hearing about fires in Germany and Greece at a scale that they have never seen them before,” Criswell noted, underscoring the growing significance of these threats even in countries unaccustomed to such disasters.
The Congress also delves into the challenges posed by new technologies, particularly the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries. District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John Donnelly expressed the urgency of adapting to these new risks safely: “There are things like emerging technologies, and how do we implement them to be safe and to be safe in our community?”
The broad scope of challenges discussed at the WFC reflects the diverse responsibilities of firefighters today, who are called upon to respond to a variety of disasters beyond fires, including earthquakes, floods, severe weather, and volcanic eruptions. This wide-ranging responsibility underscores the need for a global dialogue to enhance the capabilities and safety of firefighters worldwide.
The establishment of the World Fire Congress under the guidance of Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell marks a significant step forward in international firefighting collaboration, promising to enhance strategies and technologies to better protect communities and first responders across the globe.
