Meet the Commission Members: Daniele Ryser - CTIF Forest Fire Commission

In our article series "Meet the Commission Members & Chairs",  it is now time for the CTIF Forest Fire Commission to present their "eldest and wisest", Daniele Ryser from Switzerland. 

DANIELE RYSER

Born 24 04 1949

Dipl.-Ing. Agronomist ETH-Zürich

Commander of a volunteer fire brigade in Southern Switzerland.

In this function he developed the training of firefighters in forest firefighting and was commissioned by the Ticino Cantonal Federation of Fire Brigades to introduce this training in Southern Ticino. As a committee member of the Ticino Cantonal Federation of Fire Brigades, he collaborated with the Federal Institute for Forest Research. Landscape and Snow in several Interreg projects on forest fires and has drawn up forest fire prevention and control plans for several Alpine cantons. Since 2008 he represents the Swiss Firefighters Association in the CTIF Commission on Forest Fires.

What was the most critical decision you had to make as a Firefighter at a forest fire?

The most critical decision during a forest fire I had to make was in March 1990 when a fire front threatened to burn a village protective forest driven by a strong wind. I made the decision to extinguish with tactical fire despite the unfavourable wind, I employed a team of firefighters for its execution and I gave the order to the pilots of two helicopters to make water drops not directly on the fire but out of the fire behind the group of firefighters to allow them to have an escape way in case of a failure of the tactical fire.

What will you remember from the years you lived in the Firefighter family? 

"The spirit of collaboration and the convinced engagement to protect people and things in the spirit of volunteering."

The most intense emotion you've felt? 

"The greatest emotion is the satisfaction to have realised an integrated fire management in my region by combining the training for the firefighters to an efficient forest firefighting with forestry and agriculture".

What did you learn from your mistakes?

"I have learned a lot from my mistakes and the most important thing has been calm and patience in evaluating them".

Who was your inspiration?

"All the people from different regions of Europe and of the world with whom I have had contacts regarding fire and land management have helped to inspire me and give me the strength and enthusiasm to act".

Meet the chair of the forest fire commission: Jean Marc Bedogni 

Interview questions compiled by the Secretary of the Forest Fire Commission, Zisoula Ntasiou.