Each year the Executive Board of the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) selects one person who has made significant contributions to the training of firefighters to receive the Everett E. Hudiburg Memorial Award. Through the years some of the nation's most notable fire service leaders have been honored with this award. In keeping with this tradition, the IFSTA Executive Board is pleased to announce that the 2007 edition of this award was presented to Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder at the opening ceremonies of the 2007 IFSTA Validation Conference held on July 8, 2007 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Billy began his fire service career in 1973 with the Manhasset-Lakeville F.D., in Long Island, N.Y. Since then he has served in a number of fire departments, including terms as Fire Chief in Ohio, Virginia and Florida. He currently serves as Deputy Fire Chief of the Loveland-Symmes FD in southwestern Ohio. In 2001, Chief Goldfeder was honored with an appointment of Honorary Battalion Chief of FDNY.
Billy is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program. He has served as a member or chair of numerous fire service organizations including, the International Association of Fire Chiefs VCOS Section, the Board of Directors of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the Board of Directors of the 9/11 Widows, Victims and Families Association. He serves as an Associate/Contributing Editor for Fire Engineering, Firehouse, Fire Rescue and several state and regional fire magazines, as well as WithTheCommand.com, Firehouse.com and he is a member of the FETN Advisory Board.
Billy has received numerous previous awards, including the Loveland-Symmes FD Departmental Award of Excellence in 2003, the Dana Hannon Training Award for 2004, the I.S.F.S.I. Fire Instructor of The Year Award for 2004 and an I.A.F.C. Presidential Award for 2005. Billy is a popular speaker and educator on the fire service seminar circuit and his passionate presentations have influenced tens of thousands of firefighters.
In presenting this award to Billy, the IFSTA Executive Board recognizes Billy's tireless efforts as an advocate for firefighter safety and fire service education. It is doubtful that anyone in the American fire service spends as much energy on this cause as does Billy Goldfeder. His passion and accomplishments in these areas makes him a deserving candidate for this recognition.
Formed by a group of state fire training directors in 1934, IFSTA's mission is to develop and validate high-quality training materials for the fire service. Since their inception, IFSTA has worked with Fire Protection Publications (FPP) at Oklahoma State University (OSU) to produce and distribute these materials following their approval by the assigned IFSTA committee. FPP is an auxiliary enterprise of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology at OSU in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
