Board of Visitors

NFA Board of Visitors (BOV) Meeting

The NFA BOV will meet Friday, October 2, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, October 3, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EDT at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD. More »

The Board of Visitors plays an important role in enhancing the academic stature of NFA. Authority for the Board comes from Public Law 93-498, the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974. Functions of the Board are to examine:

An examination of Academy programs to determine whether these programs further the basic missions which are approved by the FEMA Administrator;
An examination of the physical plant of the Academy to determine the adequacy of the Academy facilities; and,
An examination of the funding levels for the Academy programs.

The Board's Charter is to provide advice and recommendations to the Assistant Administrator, U.S. Fire Administration.

Members of the Board of Visitors are selected from professionals in the fields of fire safety, fire prevention, education and training, fire control, research and development in fire protection, treatment and rehabilitation of fire victims, or local government services management, and from such professional organizations as will ensure a balanced representation of fire and emergency services interests.

Board of Visitors

Ms. Helen Johnson (Chairman)
Executive Consultant (Retired)
State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association
5810 Charles Schreiner Trail
Austin, Texas 78749
(512) 288-5531

Dr. Sandy Bogucki
Associate Professor
Section of Emergency Medicine
Yale University School of Medicine
464 Congress Avenue
New Haven, Connecticut 06519-1315
(203) 785-6159
FAX (203) 785-3196

Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran
Atlanta Fire Rescue Department
City Hall East, Suite 2001
675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30308-1807
(404) 853-7130
FAX (404) 853-7245

Mr. Robert Cumberland
Director for Maryland
Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen's Association
222 Shipley Avenue
Westminster, Maryland 21157
(410) 848-8189
FAX (410) 848-0874

Mr. Chris Neal
Executive Director
International Fire Service Training Association
930 North Willis
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-8045
(405) 744-5723
FAX (405) 744-3656

Mr. Randal Novak
Bureau Chief
Iowa Fire Service Training
3100 Fire Service Road
Ames, Iowa 50011-3100
(818) 469-2374
FAX (800) 722-7350

Captain Jack Reall
President, Columbus Firefighters Union,
IAFF 67
379 West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 481-8900
FAX (614) 481-7400

Fire Chief Adam Thiel
Alexandria Fire Department
900 Second Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703) 838-4600
FAX (703) 548-6952