STILLWATER, Okla. – Dr. Robert England was presented with the 2024 Everett E. Hudiburg Memorial Award during the Opening General Session of the 91st IFSTA Validation Conference held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on July 13, 2024. The Everett E. Hudiburg Memorial Award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions to the training of firefighters.
Dr. England is a Professor Emeritus at the Oklahoma State University School of Political Science. He has enjoyed great success and impact nationally in the field of public administration, both as an academic and as a practitioner. He applied that success and expertise to the fire service in many areas including successfully developing and getting approval from the OSU Board of Regents for the first graduate degree program in applied management and leadership in the fire service and emergency management. The Fire and Emergency Management degree program now offers several options for Master’s and Doctoral degrees in fire and emergency management.
Former Fire Protection Publications Director Chris Neal, who was a student in the FEMP program said: “Dr. England has been a mentor, teacher, advisor, and supporter to so many students and professionals over so many years. I count myself blessed to be one of them.”
Current FPP Director Craig Hannan said that Dr. England has many distinguished accomplishments. The one most closely related to IFSTA/FPP is the creation and leadership of the Research Symposium and the International Fire Service Journal of Leadership and Management.
“Under Dr. England's leadership, the journal has grown to be a sought after and prized academic journal for fire and emergency services professionals,” Hannan said. “The research symposium associated with the journal that is held in conjunction with the IFSTA Validation Conference continues to attract the best and brightest in fire and emergency services research.”
Dr. England continues his outstanding work as a shepherd of these unmatched important professional elements within the fire and emergency services community, said Chief Dennis Compton, longtime IFSTA Executive Board member/chair. His vision and leadership for the journal is his greatest accomplishment for the fire service, Chief Compton added.
Dr. John Granito, who has been deeply involved with the development and continues to be engaged with the IFSJLM, shared that “One of Bob’s greatest abilities was to bridge the gap between the research and fire worlds. That had not previously been done.” He also stated that the creation of the IFSJLM will be one of Bob’s “lasting legacies to fire service research.”
WRITTEN BY: Mike Wieder | IFSTA Executive Director and FPP Associate Director
The International Fire Service Training Association is an organization of fire service personnel who are dedicated to upgrading firefighting techniques and safety through training. Since 1934, IFSTA has been the worldwide leader of the fire service in developing fire and emergency responder training materials. IFSTA produces training manuals, eBooks, curriculum, test prep, workbooks, skill sheets, interactive courses, instructor resources and more. For IFSTA-FPP media inquiries, contact the IFSTA Marketing Department at marketing@ifsta.org or call 800-654-4055.
