NFPAs Gary Keith and Russell Sanders Receive Honors

The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Gary Keith and Russell Sanders were recently awarded the grade of “Fellow in the Institution” from the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), United States of America Branch, the highest level of membership given by the Institution. The grade of Fellow represents one of the top degrees of authority within the fire engineering community.
 
Keith, vice president of Field Operations and Education, oversees six NFPA divisions and directly manages 13 field offices across the United States and Canada, which support the adoption and use of NFPA codes and standards. He received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering technology from Wentworth Institute of Technology.
 
Sanders is the Director of the Central Regional Office for NFPA, responsible for promoting the adoption of NFPA codes and standards and the implementation of NFPA’s advocacy projects across nine states. In addition, he serves as the executive secretary to the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and as president of the United States delegation to the International Fire & Rescue Services. He is the former chief of the Louisville, Kentucky Fire Department and received his Master of Science and Master of Education degrees from the University of Louisville.
 
To become eligible for a Fellow membership, IFE members must demonstrate successful leadership, outstanding service or contribution to the fire engineering profession. Such contributions include work in the areas of science, technology, psychology and physiology, management and law. Recipients are awarded diplomas recognizing their professional accomplishments.
 
Fire engineers assess the hazards and risks of fire, and people’s reaction and behavior to it, in order to protect residents, property and the environment from a fire’s destructive effects. They also participate in post-fire investigations and analysis, and examine and review new designs, construction techniques, building materials and more, to lessen the potential of fire damage.
 
Casey Grant, P.E., research director for the Fire Protection Research Foundation, an affiliate of NFPA, was also awarded the distinction of Fellow. Grant is responsible for the management of a wide-range of research projects that support NFPA’s mission.