NFHC 2025 Annual Meeting

CUMBERLAND, MD—OCTOBER 11, 2025—The National Fire Heritage Center (NFHC) held its 19^th annual meeting at its new headquarters in the Allegheny Museum, marking a significant milestone for the organization. Directors gathered both virtually and in person, with participants traveling from as far as Texas to conduct the nonprofit’s business.

The NFHC was established in response to a pivotal 2003 study by the U.S. Fire Administration, which highlighted the urgent need to collect, preserve, and provide access to the historical records of the fire service and fire protection disciplines across the United States. Since its formation in 2006, the NFHC has dedicated itself to preserving and celebrating the rich history of fire protection and fire department organizations.

During the meeting, directors Lynn White, Chuck Montgomery, and Mike Dixon were reelected to the board, and Christina Bramlett was welcomed as a new director.  Officers reelected for the coming term were Lynn White, president; Billy Shelton, vice president; and Stuart Nathan, secretary. The NFHC also recognized retiring directors Mike Wieder, Glen Corner, Bob Andrews, and Iggy Kapalcyznski with gifts acknowledging their service. 

Archivist DeVore reported continued progress on cataloging and digitizing the NFHC collection with support from the Internet Archive to make materials accessible online.  The Public Relations Committee discussed ongoing work on the NFHC blog and issued a call for submissions for a new annual journal dedicated to fire protection history, with a deadline at the end of February.

President White provided an update on the organization’s five-year strategic plan, approved last year as a guiding framework. Additionally, Don Bathurst shared news on the Hall of Legends, Legacies and Leaders program and the Ben Franklin Writers Award. 

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to preserving and promoting the history of fire departments and the fire protection industry for generations to come.

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