FDIC – Letter from the Managing Editor

April 27, 2023

The team here at International Fire Buyer magazine are extremely excited to be at FDIC International 2023 this year, taking place April 24-29. FDIC International is one of the best attended and most anticipated fire events of the year when it comes to the active side of the market.

FDIC offers thousands of Fire & Rescue professionals from around the world, quality world-class instructors, classrooms, workshops, H.O.T. evolutions and the most innovative products and services available to the industry displayed by over 800 exhibiting companies. The FDIC Experience is more than your traditional trade show, it’s about learning and sharing with your peers formally and informally through hallway conversations, developing life-long friendships and recharging your passion for the industry.

The Fire Buyer team will be attending the event and be available to sit down and catch up with you on the event floor. We will be visiting exhibitors, talking to attendees and taking part and watching the conference program and the workshops. If you would like to book an appointment with me to discuss potential editorial plans for the near future, please be in contact and connect with me.

I am particularly looking forward to the Women in Fire Conference with a keynote session from Mira Leinonen, Senior Fire Officer from the Regional State Administrative Agency, Southern Finland. Mira’s in charge of supervising eight fire departments and is also a chairperson for a network for women in fire and rescue services in Finland. Since 2015, she has been a chairperson for the international association CTIF’s Women in Fire and Rescue Services commission. Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is a huge talking point in the industry currently for both active and passive sides of the market, and I am excited to see FDIC leading at the forefront with another fantastic Women in Fire conference.

The fire industry is at a turning point, with new innovation paving the way for the future of the modern firefighter. Today’s firefighters are tackling new modern challenges, with the rapid increase of the built environment, the tactical changes to highrise firefighting, sustainability efforts and the adoption of electric vehicles and robotics on the frontline. Firefighter safety and training has never been more important.

Therefore, FDIC International is a crucial event for the industry to come together and to learn, listen and network with each other. The FDIC International experience is more than your traditional trade show; it is about learning and sharing with your peers formally and informally through hallway conversations, developing life-long friendships, and recharging your passion for the industry.

This exclusive eight-page section will take an in-depth look at what we can expect from FDIC from this year. We will start off with a brief overview of the event and the different programs and workshops available in our ‘What to Expect’ section, with an exclusive letter welcoming readers and attendees alike from Eric Schlett, Senior Vice President, Fire & Rescue from FDIC.

I look forward to seeing you all in April. Until then, stay connected and up-to-date with our magazine, website and socials. Stay safe out there.

To read more news and exclusive features see our latest issue here.