The World Fire Congress (WFC) has appointed the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association (Metro Chiefs), a section of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), as its new Secretariat.
The announcement marks the creation of a long-term framework to strengthen international collaboration across the fire and emergency services profession.
New Secretariat structure announced
The Secretariat will provide continuity between Congresses, preserve institutional knowledge, support host nation coordination and strengthen sustained international engagement on emerging fire and life safety challenges.
Otto Drozd III, Executive Secretary of Metro Chiefs, said: “It is an honor for the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association to serve as the Secretariat for the World Fire Congress.
“What is being established through this partnership is far more than operational coordination for a single event. It is the long-term infrastructure designed to support continuity, global engagement, and sustained collaboration for future Congresses and the international fire and emergency services community.
“With the support of NFPA and IAFC, combined with the research and learning efforts being advanced through UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute, the World Fire Congress is building a strong and enduring foundation capable of supporting global cooperation for generations to come.”
London to host 2026 Congress
The World Fire Congress is a biennial global forum that brings together fire and emergency service leaders to strengthen international cooperation, share knowledge and advance evidence-informed discussions on evolving fire and life safety challenges.
The 2026 World Fire Congress will take place on Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9 at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, London.
The event will be hosted by the United Kingdom and organised by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).
Phil Garrigan, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “Hosting the 2026 World Fire Congress in London is a significant moment for UK fire and rescue.
“It provides a unique opportunity to bring together leaders, practitioners, and partners from across the world to share experience, learn from one another, and build lasting relationships.
“This year’s Congress comes at a time when the challenges facing fire and rescue services are evolving rapidly.
“Wildfires, flooding, and natural disasters are becoming more frequent, and incidents are increasingly complex, placing firefighters on the front line of global resilience efforts.
“Bringing the global fire community together allows us to share evidence, innovation, and learning at scale.
“With more than 60 countries already registered to attend, we hope this Congress inspires fresh thinking, practical collaboration, and renewed confidence in the vital role fire and rescue services play in keeping people safe.”
Global research and learning network
Alongside the Secretariat announcement, the World Fire Congress confirmed that UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute will support the Congress’ learning, research and insight activities through the development of global Communities of Practice.
Dr. Steve Kerber, Vice President of Fire Safety at ULRI, said: “The science of fire is universal. What burns in London burns the same way in Lagos, São Paulo, or Seoul.
“What differs is access: access to data, to research, to technology, and to the resources that turn knowledge into safer outcomes for firefighters and communities.
“Whether the challenge is climate disasters, emerging technologies and AI, building fire response infrastructure, protecting firefighter health, or advancing women in the fire service, the path forward runs through research shared across borders.
“UL Research Institutes is committed to helping power this global network to impact the future of fire safety.”
Building on international cooperation
Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, former US Fire Administrator, and Chief Fire Safety Strategist at ULRI, said: “Having had the privilege to Chair and convene the inaugural World Fire Congress in Washington D.C. in 2024 — and now returning to London as part of UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute — I am proud to carry that work forward through the WFC Communities of Practice.
“No single nation can solve the challenges the fire service faces alone; it requires us to come together around a global table to share knowledge and expertise to make a difference.”
Looking ahead to future Congresses
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has been confirmed as host of the 2028 World Fire Congress, while proposals are currently being accepted from prospective host nations for the 2030 event.
The World Fire Congress is guided by a steering committee comprising the Asociación Mexicana de Jefes de Bomberos, the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council, the Federation of European Fire Officers, the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Organización de Bomberos Americanos, and, in the United States, the collaborative leadership of the NFPA and IAFC.
