After Action: Why become a member of IAWF?

It’s Bigger than You

By supporting the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) you are supporting the fire community and profession. This helps you but it’s bigger than you or me. It’s about all of us.

IAWF trains the profession through the conferences and webinars it organizes and hosts, which provide a venue for cross-pollination of ideas at these face-to-face meetings. Plus, IAWF provides contact information for all fellow IAWF members so that communication is fostered year-round. Your membership also helps train future professionals by offering scholarships to students studying fire science and management from around the globe.

IAWF serves as a voice of the profession to decision makers like legislators, and is an agent for progress in the fire profession. IAWF is a member of the US National WUI Council and often presents the fire profession at the US National Wildfire Coordinating Group meetings.

Your membership funds programs that benefit the greater good.

Diversity is Power

There is no other organization within the Wildland fire community that is so inclusive. This organization is truly international, with membership from South Africa to Canada, from Australia to Mexico to Spain, Portugal, France, Russia and more. IAWF includes those who focus on fire operations, as well as research and management, and includes private corporations, individuals, and government employees at all levels (local, state/provincial, federal) and at all positions, from students and entry-level areas of responsibilities to top decision-makers.

The diversity of membership makes it interesting; it also makes us powerful. When a forum of so many different voices all agree on lessons, policies and ideas, it is hard to ignore. When it comes with unified and diverse voices, it is powerful. When everyone agrees on a lesson, it becomes a best practice.

Diversity spawns discussion, progress, and results. Process can happen faster when more voices are heard, because more ideas brought forth. Your membership allows that forum to be held via the conferences. It also allows those lessons to be broadcast through the Students of Fire webpage (at http://www.iawfonline.org/studentsoffire.php).