Wildfire: In your address at the FRI Presidential Celebration you stated that the IAFC must continue to be part of the development of a national strategy to address the wildland-urban interface problem. What do you hope to accomplish during your term as president?

Bruegman: The best laid plans are worthless if the implementation measures aren't taken seriously and the funding is not there to make the necessary changes. A good example is in the year 2000, there were 123,000 fires that burned more than 8.4 million acres. At times there were more than 30,000 firefighters from all over the world fighting fires in the western United States. More than $2 billion of federal funding was expended to control these fires, and an equal if not higher amount of financial impact occurred at the state and local levels. When you count the economic impact, the loss of business, and the repair and recovery cost from a wildland fire to a local community, and then look at what has occurred in the past two years, we can see that today's problem has not materially improved.

We need funding and support for a vastly improved national fire plan. Our first effort is to get the IAFC firmly planted as a collaborator and active player in addressing the prevention and suppression goals set up in the 10-year strategic plan. We see a definitive need for improving communication in fire suppression coordination on the scene of campaign fires that involve local, state and federal response. We have to continue to focus our basic attention on improving current practices, address lack of effective communication, and the lack of attention to basic fire orders, all which have resulted in far too many tragedies. Also, we need to pay more attention to firefighters' safety needs, from dehydration to the proper use of PPE and rehabilitation tactics. As part of the 10-year strategy of reducing fire deaths and injuries, we must set forth and push the system for measurable change.

Wildfire: The IAFC and IAWF are co-sponsoring a conference and exhibition in Denver. Why host a separate conference rather than make the subject part of FRI?

Bruegman: First, it's about partnerships. We've been working with the undersecretaries of the departments of Interior and Agriculture to increase our influence and involvement in developing the implementation measures of this strategic plan. In fact there was a meeting on Oct. 16 to do exactly that. We have officially begun collaborating with the IAWF. The IAFC will continue to push for recognition as an active player in improving fire suppression and prevention activities. We believe together we have planned the first of its kind, national conference and exhibition that touches on the high points of wildland prevention and suppression for local, state and the federal fire service.

The focus of the seminar is to address the fastest-growing fire problem in the United States, Canada and perhaps even the world. Wildland-urban interface today touches virtually every fire agency either directly, as it lies within your community, or through regional or statewide mutual aid agreements. Every fire agency today may be forced to operate in the interface danger zone. The importance of this seminar is to teach agencies and to share information on how to prepare and train and equip our firefighters to survive this very hostile environment. As we have focused on at Fire-Rescue and will continue to do so, the importance of this issue warrants a standalone conference.

Wildfire: Who should attend this conference and why?

Bruegman: We are looking for local, state and federal fire suppression and prevention specialists to come together and to learn from each other, to gain a better focus on how we can act more effectively in working together. Presenters will include local fire chiefs and regional command team members and will include Tim Hartzal, the wildland fire coordinator from the U.S. Department of Interior. This conference will not only provide quality information but the ability for professionals to come together and to network. They can share their experiences and begin to provide meaningful feedback collectively into a 10-year strategic plan which will address what I believe is the biggest fire threat that exists today in North America — wildland fire.

Prior to becoming chief of Clackamas County (Ore.) Fire District #1, Randy Bruegman served in Illinois, California and Colorado, with substantial wildland-urban interface areas. Currently the IAFC president, he has served on the organization's Membership Task Force, Accreditation Task Force, Dues Task Force, Constitution and Bylaws Committee, and the Great Lakes, Western and Missouri Valley Divisions. Bruegman served as the chairman of CFAI from 1997-2000, is an associate with the Institute of Fire Engineers and a member of NFPA. He holds an associate's degree in fire science, a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in management.