Hutto (Texas) Fire Chief Scott D. Kerwood recently was elected president of the U.S. branch of the Institution of Fire Engineers.

A member of the IFE-USA since 2000, Kerwood plans to continue the work that is being done by Vision 20/20 to reduce deaths due to fire. With funding from the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant program, the IFE‐USA Branch has established a steering committee comprised of noted fire service and related agency leaders to guide a national strategic planning process for the fire loss prevention that results in a national plan that will coordinate activities and fire prevention efforts.

“The IFE-USA Branch is in a very unique position where it has been able to bring many different fire service leaders together under the umbrella of Vision 20/20 to continue to tackle America's Fire Problem,” Kerwood said. “By working with other professional organizations and life safety experts, IFE-USA Branch is — and will continue to — leading the charge to stamp out fire fatalities and injuries.”

Another of Kerwood’s goals is to increase the membership of the IFE-USA to include not only fire-service members, but also allied professions such as engineering and architecture.

“By bringing in the non-traditional fire service groups to see who we are and what we do, we all stand a better chance to reduce losses due to fires,” he said.

Also elected for 2011 were Harry Carter, PhD, MIFireE as vice president and Chris P. Riley, MS, CFO, MIFireE as secretary of the organization. These three new officers join the Immediate Past‐President James M. Broman, CFO, MIFireE, Treasurer William W. Kehoe, MIFireE, and Member‐At‐Large William E. Peterson, CEM, FIFireE.