As CTIF turns 125 years in 2025 we still stand together in the same Spirit of Exchange & Sharing as in the year 1900

“Firefighters work is getting increasingly more and more complex and dangerous”…

That sentence was equally true over a hundred years ago, when CTIF was founded in the year 1900, as it is today.

The CTIF was since the beginning a technical body of expertise, and was created largely to spread knowledge amidst striding technological advances, creating both new challenges, and new tools.   

The first 13 founding countries of The CTIF International Association Fire Services ("Comité Technique International de prevention et d'extinction de Feu”) were:

France, Germany, USA, England, Spain, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Russia and Switzerland, as can be seen in the photo of the first Charter of Incorporation dated August 16, 1900 in Paris, France. 

That’s the date when representatives from these 13 founding nations first met at the salons of the Café Maxeville on Boulevard Montmarte 12 in Paris, with the idea to create the world’s first international fire service association.

The turn of the last century was the dawn of a new technological age, and the enthusiasm for peace and cooperation across borders was strong. The term “The New Age” had just been coined at the World Exhibit, with the belief that humankind could live side by side without war or conflict. 

That dream was shared by the fire authorities of these founding countries; perhaps the world would not always be at peace, but perhaps firefighters, joined by a common purpose to save lives, should be able to rise above their differences?

Of course, only 13 years later, the hope of world peace was temporarily shattered in 1913,  and again in 1939,  with the onslaught of WW1 and WW2.

However, the dream of uniting firefighters worldwide - regardless of rank, nationality, political association or religion - survived through two world wars, as well as through the Cold War that followed. 

“In CTIF, we are all the same: we are all firefighters and we don’t engage in politics. CTIF was strong during the Cold War: there were firemen cooperating from both sides of the Berlin Wall. It works today as it did in the past..."

Marc Mamer, treasurer for CTIF 2016 - 2024, national delegate in CTIF for the country of Luxembourg, and one of CTIF's Honorary Members for long and faithful service says:

“In CTIF, we are all the same: we are all firefighters and we don’t engage in politics. CTIF was strong during the Cold War: there were firemen cooperating from both sides of the Berlin Wall. It works today as it did in the past, and that's for me a big advantage”.

Although society has changed a lot since then, that agreement from the year 1900, with the main objective to exchange knowledge and lessons learned between fire and rescue services, still stands and continues strong also today,125 years later.

This makes CTIF by far the oldest international fire service association of its kind in the world.

What has changed since the humble beginnings, and especially since the last turn of the century, is the number of Member Countries, and Associate businesses and organizations that are part of the organization.

“My opinion is that firefighters, as a group, are really quite conservative and sometimes slow to change. However, in the last 30 years since I first got involved with CTIF, I have seen our members and our commissions really grow and adapt, which has enabled them to do some very important work”, says CTIF President Milan Dubravac, from Slovenia.

In 2024, CTIF officially had around 40 member countries and 50 member organizations from Europe, North America and Asia. 

Through its members, CTIF represents 5 million firefighters who protect the daily lives of around one billion people.

“Many countries are doing so many good things and if we don't network and  talk to each other, then we wouldn’t ever find out about it. Because we have this organization, we can spread the information all over the world”, says Mona Hjortzberg, (Sweden)

Ms Hjortzberg is the former chair of the CTIF Commission for Women in Fire & Rescue Services, which is one of CTIF’s largest and most active commissions, and she serves as the chair of the Swedish Network for Women in Fire services, KIRTJ.se. In those roles, she has contributed several surveys, taking the temperature on many hot issues within Fire & Rescue.

In total there are actually 17 Commissions and Working Groups, each with their own distinct area of interest and expertise.

“There is so much knowledge in these different countries, in our commissions and among our delegates and friends. The sharing of this knowledge is actually what is most important for me”, says Roman Sykora, General Secretary since 2019, and former Chair of the CTIF Hazardous Materials Commission.  

A very related commission, is the CTIF Commission for Extrication & New Technology, which has been instrumental in developing new methods for extinguishing fires in lithium-ion batteries, and also for developing the new ISO 17840 standard for firefighters working with traffic accidents:

“I started working with the fire departments 24 years ago, and I also have a background as an intensive care and ambulance nurse. Being a part of the extrication commission was a given for me. Exchanging this specialized knowledge between several countries makes us much more efficient than if every country, especially the small ones, worked alone”, says Yvonne Näsman, Sweden, and one of CTIF’s 8 vice president since 2020 and also the chair of the Swedish National CTIF Committee. 

“I like to see results, and we are producing those results. We share knowledge, we get together, and we produce results, which we in turn share with everybody”, she adds.

Tom Van Esbroeck, a fire chief in Belgium, the former chair of the CTIF Commission for Extrication and New Technology, and CTIF’s new Treasurer from 2025, couldn’t agree more:

“For firefighters, if they know what they are dealing with, there is actually no problem. We just have to know, we need access to information. Our commission, as well as CTIF at large, has been able to dispense a lot of very specific knowledge to our members, especially in the last decade”, Van Esbroeck says. 

"The Games are important because there you will have some of the youngest members of our big organisation making friendships and connections all the way up to the veterans!"

The CTIF Competitions, or Fire Fighters’ Olympics, is perhaps the most well known of all CTIF activities. Every three to four years, 32 countries attend this event which gathers 3500 contestants and over 10 000 fans in the audience.

Every fours years, staggered in between the adult games, are the Youth Games, serving as the bridge and the connection point between youth Fire Brigades and adult fire firefighters.

Beings so much more than just a public event, the CTIF Competitions also serve as an important recruitment ground for future firefighters:

“Especially the international youth competitions, where we have competitors between 12 and 16 years, is a CTIF category on its own. The competitions are important because there you will have some of the youngest members making connections all the way up to the veterans”, says Nedeljko Vukalović, from Croatia and vice president since 2023.

Milan Dubravac, CTIF president since 2020, agrees:

“The youth games are a really good example of how you can raise the new generation of rescuers. Recruitment is the key issue today in many countries around the world”, he says.

"CTIF’s origins are with the volunteer fire services, and it really reaches down to the base level of firefighting"

As Otto Drozd, United States, vice president since 2022 and the current METRO Fire Chief Secretary points out:

“Where I see CTIF,  and the real benefit behind it, is as its constituency. CTIF’s origins are with the volunteer fire services, and it really reaches down to the base level of firefighting. A lot of the work that the commissions do really are relevant to those firefighters in the field. Many other fire service organizations deal more with the leadership and the policy development - which CTIF works on as well - but it also produces products that are reaching the firefighters who are serving their communities on the front lines”.

These volunteers are not only essential for day-to-day local first aid and relief but are also on the front line in managing crises directly tied to climate change.

 "It’s essential to work together to find the best strategies for handling these varied and growing threats"

For Christophe Marchal, vice president from France and the vice president of the French Firefighter Federation (FNSPF), one of the most critical topics within CTIF are global warming, forest fires, floods, and other climate change-related disasters that place immense pressure on thousands of volunteer firefighters.

"We are facing increasingly frequent and intense fires, and the fire seasons continue to extend. However, it is not only fires; we are also seeing severe floods and extreme weather events, not just in Europe but also across the globe. In Australia, South America, and Canada, for example, there have been massive, devastating forest fires, alongside flooding and other climate-induced challenges. It’s essential to work together to find the best strategies for handling these varied and growing threats," he says.
 

“CTIF is not only Europe, it's a worldwide. Nowadays it's more than crucial than ever for all of us to collaborate..."

Zisoula Ntasiou, a Fire Colonel in the Hellenic Fire Corps and the Greek Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, was elected vice president in June 2024. 

She has been with the Forest Fire Commission for six years, and with the fire services for 23 years:

“CTIF is not only Europe, it's a worldwide. Nowadays it's more than crucial for all of us to collaborate, share experience and give away that hidden knowledge that we have earned from each country individually and share it to the world, finding the ideas and tools that can help save human lives. Especially when it comes to new technology which helps our progress and make everybody's life easier”, she says.

Dennis Davis, the UK fire sector’s Director of Competency, is CTIF’s longest standing technical member and a previous vice president who established CTIF’s Commission Europe, raising issues like the Working Time Directive with the European Commission. Currently CTIF’s Senior Technical Advisor, he has coordinated a number of important international projects like the recent HyResponder learning project.

The UK delegate for decades Dennis Davis says:  

“Although we are primarily a European organization, CTIF provides access in one sense to a global community with many different ideas and thoughts. And that perspective is a very important one, it makes you think, and it makes you think again - and some good ideas translate from that”. 

In the last 20 - 30 years, CTIF’s various technical committees have grown, both in size, numbers and importance within the CTIF, illustrating the importance of CTIF's technical capabilities.

Two activities, which have been dormant since around theme of the Pandemic, has been started up again by Martin Nekula, vice president from the Czech Republic since 2022. These include the Fire Investigation Work Group, the Fire Prevention Commission and the CTIF Tunnel Fire Commission. 

"For me, exchange between countries is not only about technology and methods, but also about social interactions between people. That is very important too, Martin Nekula says.   

“The fact that an organisation that is 125 years old is still standing, is amazing to me!"

Also Luc Faes from Belgium, vice president since 2023, is planning to re-start the CTIF Commission for Education and Training: 

“The fact that an organisation that is 125 years old is still standing, is amazing to me! CTIF is important for the exchange of knowledge, and we need to create more exchange of information between experts and fire schools in our various member countries, as our work is becoming more and more complex with the challenges of the future”, he says. 

The Commissions and working Groups, each with their own area of expertise, have their members appointed by the national committees of the member countries. The commission work is often sponsored by associated business members.

The Associate Members, is a CTIF group where manufacturers, associations, and others can join to participate and support the various commissions work. Associate Members, although they cannot officially vote, can get involved in commissions where their products or interests are relevant. 

"Firefighters are often the first responders - in a true sense - when it comes to the consequences of climate change”

Taina Hanhikoski, Finland, is the CTIF vice president currently responsible for coordinating the new Associate Members and welcoming them into the organization.

“One of the most important topics within fire and rescue for me is climate change and how climate change affects fire and rescue services and also what the industry itself can do when it comes to climate change - not only adaptation, but also mitigation”, she says.

Firefighters are often the first responders - in a true sense - when it comes to the consequences of climate change”, she adds.

One of the most academically accomplished researchers within CTIF for the last decade  is working within the field of Ground robots in fire & rescue.

“I would really love it when our technology is eventually able to help the first responders to become safer, and to do things that they previously could not do, or go into situations where they otherwise couldn’t”, says Dr Ivana Kruijff-Korbayová, member of the CTIF Commission for Extrication & New Technologies.

She works at the DRZ (Deutche Rettungs Roboktik Zentrum) to investigate human-robot teamwork and develop technology for robot-assisted disaster response.

In a project cooperation with CTIF.org, attempts are being made to gather lessons learned from ground robot assisted rescues, and try to make this knowledge universal and accessible to all firefighters, especially those involved in USAR (Urban Search and Rescue).

"Disaster response teams increasingly use mobile robotic systems for the reconnaissance of an incident site. We have worked in close cooperation with first responders to investigate human-robot teamwork and develop technology for robot-assisted disaster response", says Ivana Kruijff-Korbayová.

CTIF also has many Memorandums of Understandings with which the organization cooperates. One of them is IEDO, the International Emergency Drone Organization, and together with CTIF, they have developed the first Best Practices for operating drones on fire and accident scenes.   

CTIF’s most sought after products, and by far the most popular section on the home page CTIF. org, is the World Fire Statistics Magazine.

The CTIF Fire Statistics Center develops comprehensive world-fired statistics with up-to-date data from 80 different countries and 90 capital cities, and it has been doing this work since 1995.

The Center has also contributed contributed three chapters in two recent scientific publications and is responsible for the research project "100 Cities – 100 Years - Evaluation Of Urban Fire Risks”.

The work is currently under the leadership of Dr Peter Wagner, with the Fire Services of Berlin, Germany.

“The book shows how the fire risks have developed in the period from 1900 to the present. For this purpose, the data from 100 large cities has been compiled and analyzed. This is the first time in history that 100 cities, represented by their professional fire brigades, are jointly considering the problem of fire risks. Methodologically, the book project relies on the definitions developed by the Center of Fire Statistics of CTIF. This method has been used since 1995 and has proven itself many times over because of its simplicity and universality”, he writes about the project on CTIF.org. 

This article was originally written for and published in the ENSOSP magazine in France 2024. It is based on interviews made by Bjorn Ulfsson for explanatory videos about CTIF produced between 2018 and 2025. The headshots in this article are from those videos, except for Christophe Marchal, which is by Luka Kotnik. 

Cover Photo of the CTIF Executive Committee in Oslo 2024 by Terri Casella. 

EC 2024:  Upper row from the left: Roman Sykora (General Secretary, Austria) Martin Nekula (Czech Republic) Christophe Marchal (France),Yvonne Näsman (Sweden)  Taina Hanhihoski (Finland) Otto Drozd (USA0 Luc Faes (Belgium). 

Lower Row from the left:  Nedeljko Vukalović. (Croatia ) Marc Mamer (Luxembourg, former Treasurer) Dennis Davis (UK - Senior Advisor)  Milan Dubravac (Slovenia - Pres), Tom Van Esbroeck (Belgium - Special Advisor and new Treasurer from Jan 2025) Zisoula Ntasiou (Greece) Bjorn Ulfsson, Communications Office (Sweden / Canada)

Neza Strmole (Slovenia) is missing in this photo. Ms Strmole is CTIF's staff secretary since 2017.