In this exclusive interview with Kevin Fetterman, Fire Division Chief for the Orange County Fire Authority, he shares:

• How the Orange County Fire Authority approaches evaluating new technologies to determine their readiness for implementation.
• What successful collaboration between firefighters and IT looks like.
• The key challenges in introducing new technologies to fire departments.

In preparation for the Wildfire Technology Management Summit this April, IDGA has created the latest “Wildfire Management Market Report 2024-2029” which provides the following information:

• Global trends in the wildfire management industry
• Breakdowns on wildfire management spending by country
• The latest wildfire management initiatives from utility companies
• Tools and technologies shaping wildfire prediction and mitigation
  

Ahead of the 5th iteration of the Wildfire Technology Management Summit (The Westin Pasadena, California | April 23-24), IDGA sat down with one of last year’s notable speakers, Tami Parkinson, a Fire Management Specialist for the Wildland Fire Management Research Development and Application Group, a department in the U.S. Forest Services to discuss 'Embracing Technology and Collaboration in the Fight Against Wildfires.'

In the interview, she delves into: 

• Her experience with managing wildfires, the challenges and complexities she faced, and the lessons learnt from the process
• Why Tami believes successful inter-agency partnerships or collaborative efforts are vital to effective wildfire management
• How her department has embraced technological advancements to enhance wildfire prevention, detection, and response
• Why she thinks industry events such as IDGA’s Wildfire Technology Management Summit are important, and the gaps she thinks they address.

>> Read the full interview here.

Ben McGrane, Assistant Director for incident procurement operations, is an expert on all things procurement for firefighting. This written interview focuses on the procurement frameworks and challenges facing the agencies. Ben discusses the direction in which procurement is going and incorporating new technologies. Whether you are a veteran contractor or looking for guidance in a new market, this interview serves as a jumping-off point for new ways of thinking about procurement.

The wildfire threat landscape continues to evolve as climate change accelerates, increasing the need for international and interagency collaboration, as well as the utilization of the latest technologies that can address emerging challenges posed to communities and vital infrastructure. In this interview Chief Z delves into the importance of the Wildfire Technology Management Conference and shines a light on innovative technological solutions that can be leveraged to confront elongated and increasingly severe wildfire seasons.