The International Association of Fire Chiefs installed Steven Westermann, fire chief of the Central Jackson County (Mo.) Fire Protection District, as its president. Westermann will provide leadership to the association's 20-member board and will serve as IAFC's primary spokesperson on matters of national and international interest. He will be called to testify at House and Senate hearings and is the representative dignitary for the association in all major political and international functions. Kelvin Cochran, fire chief of the Shreveport (La.) Fire Department, was installed as first vice president. Janesville (Wis.) Fire Department Chief Larry Grorud won a spring election to become the association's second vice president.… The IAFC's Fire & Life Safety Section named Azarang “Ozzie” Mirkhah of the Las Vegas Fire Rescue Department as the first winner of the Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award. The award, sponsored by the International Code Council, honors individuals who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through the development of codes, fire-prevention practices and leadership techniques. The finalists included: Gregory Bulanow, administrative chief, North Charleston (S.C.) Fire Department; Richard Ciarrone, fire inspector, Parma (Ohio) Fire Department; and John F. “Sonny” Scarff, senior director for corporate fire protection, Marriott International.