CTIF celebrates 125 years of international firefighter collaboration

CTIF celebrates historic milestone in international firefighting

CTIF has marked its 125th anniversary, reaffirming its role as a platform for international collaboration in fire and rescue services.

According to CTIF, the association was established in 1900 by delegates from 13 nations including France, Germany, the United States and England. These founding members came together in Paris to form what it describes as the world’s oldest international fire service organisation.

The aim was to share knowledge across borders during a time of growing technological change. CTIF stated that this objective still defines its work today.

The organisation currently comprises around 40 member countries and 50 member organisations. It said it represents five million firefighters globally and supports the safety of one billion people.

CTIF added that its commissions, working groups and events continue to provide spaces for sharing expertise on hazardous materials, prevention, robotics and climate-related incidents.

Member countries and commissions

CTIF President Milan Dubravac said the association’s membership has grown significantly over the past 30 years.

The organisation said its technical strength is supported by 17 commissions and working groups, each focused on a specific area such as fire prevention, forest fires and new technologies.

Roman Sykora, General Secretary since 2019 and former Chair of the CTIF Hazardous Materials Commission, said: “There is so much knowledge in these different countries, in our commissions and among our delegates and friends.

“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.”

Yvonne Näsman, CTIF Vice President since 2020 and Chair of the Swedish CTIF Committee, said: “We share knowledge, we get together, and we produce results, which we in turn share with everybody.”

Tom Van Esbroeck, former Chair of the Commission for Extrication and New Technology and CTIF Treasurer from 2025, said: “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.”

Youth engagement and firefighter competitions

CTIF said its Competitions, also known as the Firefighters’ Olympics, continue to play a central role in engaging the next generation of firefighters.

According to the association, the event is held every three to four years, gathering over 3,500 competitors from 32 countries. It is accompanied by the Youth Games, which bring together teams of firefighters aged 12 to 16.

Nedeljko Vukalović, CTIF Vice President since 2023, said: “The competitions are important because there you will have some of the youngest members making connections all the way up to the veterans.”

CTIF President Milan Dubravac added: “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.”

Otto Drozd, Vice President since 2022 and METRO Fire Chief Secretary, said: “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 organisations 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.”

Climate change and international firefighting

CTIF said many of its members are increasingly focused on climate change and its impact on emergency services.

Christophe Marchal, Vice President of CTIF and the French Firefighter Federation, said: “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.”

Zisoula Ntasiou, Fire Colonel in the Hellenic Fire Corps and CTIF Vice President since 2024, said: “CTIF is not only Europe, it’s 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.”

Taina Hanhikoski, CTIF Vice President from Finland, said: “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.

“Firefighters are often the first responders – in a true sense – when it comes to the consequences of climate change.”

Technical research and future outlook

CTIF also highlighted its focus on technical innovation, international cooperation and evidence-based research.

Dr Ivana Kruijff-Korbayová, member of the CTIF Commission for Extrication & New Technologies, said: “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.”

CTIF said it collaborates with organisations such as the International Emergency Drone Organisation, with which it developed best practices for operating drones at fire scenes.

Peter Wagner, Head of the CTIF Fire Statistics Centre and researcher at Berlin Fire Services, wrote: “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 analysed.

“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 Centre 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.”

Martin Nekula, CTIF Vice President from the Czech Republic since 2022, has resumed the Tunnel Fire and Fire Prevention Commissions. He said: “For me, exchange between countries is not only about technology and methods, but also about social interactions between people.

“That is very important too.”

Luc Faes, Vice President from Belgium since 2023, is relaunching CTIF’s Education and Training Commission. He said: “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.”

Dennis Davis, CTIF Senior Technical Advisor and former Vice President, said: “Although we are primarily a European organisation, 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.”

CTIF celebrates 125 years of international firefighter collaboration: Summary

CTIF was established in Paris in 1900 by 13 nations.

It describes itself as the oldest international fire service organisation.

It now has 40 member countries and 50 organisations.

It said it represents five million firefighters and one billion people.

CTIF runs 17 commissions focused on specialised subjects.

It holds global adult and youth firefighter competitions every four years.

It said its commissions share technical knowledge across borders.

It has expanded its focus on climate-related fire and rescue challenges.

CTIF collaborates on international research, training and innovation.

Its robotics and drone partnerships focus on disaster response.

CTIF publishes the World Fire Statistics Magazine based on global data.

It works with 100 cities to track fire risks over a 100-year period.

The organisation resumed three commissions that had paused during COVID-19.

Its Associate Members include industry and technical partners.

CTIF said it promotes information exchange without political involvement.