About

The Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers’ Association dates back to 1957. Our Association was the brainchild of James Fitzgerald, Fire Prevention Officer of the London Fire Department. James encountered problems in the field of fire safety and, realizing that others probably encountered the same thing, wondered how they solved their problems. He invited a handful of Fire Prevention Officers from the general area of London to meet and discuss the problem. It was obvious from the flood of discussion that a brief meeting was not sufficient to cover half the items that they all wanted to discuss and that, in fact, several days would be required. Correspondence and inquiries went out to all departments in the South-Western Ontario Region and eventually a two day conference was conceived in London commencing on May 9, 1957. It was attended by sixteen persons representing ten fire departments and the Office of the Fire Marshall.

In two full days of round table discussions, many problems were bared, “I have such and such a problem in my area. Have you had the same problem and how did you solve it?”. This type of question was common and many answers were found but some went unresolved. It was obvious that two days were not enough. It was decided to enlarge it to three days and make it an annual gathering. An Executive was elected and the group became known as The Fire Inspector’s Conference, South Western Ontario Region.

The group remained small for several years but was instrumental in bringing about standardization of inspection practices, and many needed changes in Municipal By-Laws and Government Codes. So much was accomplished that it was decided to invite others in Ontario to attend the Conference with the hope that other Regions would come into being. Those that attended wanted to join the group rather than start one of their own, and so the group was enlarged to include Hamilton and Niagara Region. The name was changed to the Municipal Fire Prevention Officers’ Association (South-Western Ontario Region). It progressed in its enlarged state for a few more years but still other Regions did evolve. Others wanted to join so it was finally decided to go all over Ontario, and the title was changed to the present one: Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers’ Association.