NAMES IN THE NEWS
A MEMORIAL FOR FIREFIGHTERS who died battling wildland fires in California was established in September.
Last year, more than 1,200 wildland fires were caused by dry lightning in California. They burned more than 700,000 acres of national forest and took 10 firefighters’ lives.
The memorial is located within the California Forest Center; its inscription reads, “In memory of the many firefighters who have given their lives while working to keep California’s forests green.” President Reagan, in a memo sent for the memorial ceremony, said of the firefighters “…We owe them everlasting gratitude for the selfless devotion and the skill that they brought to their difficult and dangerous duty.”
Fullerton (Calif.) Fire Chief RON COLEMAN was elected president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs at the association’s conference in August.
Coleman began his fire service career with the U.S. Forest Service 28 years ago, and has worked for the U.S. Parks Service as supervisor of fire control in Yosemite; the Costa Mesa Fire Department as operations chief; the San Clemente Fire Department as chief; and currently, the Fullerton department.
The IAFC president is an authority on fire service leadership and management and quick-response fire sprinkler systems.
JAMES C. “ROBBIE” ROBERTSON has been appointed regional representative for the National Fire Protection Association. As such, he will be the association’s liaison throughout the southern and central regions of the United States.
He has experience both in the fire service and in the private sector. He was assistant chief of the Gainesville (Fla.) Fire/Rescue Department. Prior to that, he was state fire marshal of Maryland. He’s also worked as an inspector for Factory Insurance Association (now Industrial Risk Insurers).
