Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia

06/13/2026

Great Opportunity to witness some live action sprinkler demonstration!

The final side-by-side sprinkler demonstration burn at the Tri-State Fire Academy will be Monday at 10:00 a.m. Anyone who lives, works, or is considering occupancy in a sprinkler-protected building is encouraged to attend.

06/12/2026

Congratulations to Wheeling Fire Department Assistant Chief and Fire Marshals Association member Deric Jamison on his well earned retirement!! Thank you sir for 33 years of service!!

06/10/2026

🏆 Nominations Are Now Open! 🏆

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Life Safety Advocate of the Year Award!

This award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to improving fire and life safety in West Virginia through leadership, advocacy, education, public outreach, professional service, or other efforts that have positively impacted our communities.

Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond to promote fire and life safety? Now is the time to recognize their dedication and accomplishments.

📅 Nomination Deadline: August 28, 2026

📝 **Submit a Nomination Here:**
https://forms.gle/u5iKSu1j9YYDXuLz5

Using the online nomination form helps streamline the review process and ensures all nominations are received in a consistent format for consideration.

The recipient will be announced and recognized during the 2026 FMAWV Fall Conference.

Please help us honor those who work every day to make West Virginia safer.

06/08/2026

One of the many reasons fireworks are regulated by state codes and law. Think of not only the loss of revenue and time from the interstate being shut down, but the damage and danger caused by the illegal (attempt) of transporting fireworks!

06/03/2026

📢 INTEREST SURVEY: NFPA CERTIFIED FIRE INSPECTOR & FIRE PLANS EXAMINER PREP COURSES

⚠️ This is not a class announcement or registration notice.

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia, in coordination with the Huntington Fire Department, is conducting an interest survey to determine whether there is sufficient demand to offer the NFPA Certified Fire Inspector (CFI) and NFPA Certified Fire Plans Examiner (CFPE) Preparation Courses in Huntington, West Virginia, during October 2026.

At this time, no classes have been scheduled. Before moving forward, we need to determine whether enough individuals are interested in attending. A minimum of ten (10) students would be required for the courses to be offered.

📋 If you are interested, please complete the survey using the link below:

🔗 https://forms.gle/msiMiMyJBKiHzFxGA

Tentative course information:

• Location: Huntington, West Virginia
• Host Agency: Huntington Fire Department
• Tentative Timeframe: October 2026
• Estimated Cost: $550 per student
• Minimum Enrollment Required: 10 students

The proposed training format would combine both certification preparation courses into a single training week:

• Certified Fire Plans Examiner (CFPE) Preparation Course – 3 Days
• Certified Fire Inspector (CFI) Preparation Course – 3.5 Days

These courses are designed to assist candidates in preparing for the NFPA Professional Qualification Certification Programs and would be beneficial for fire marshals, fire inspectors, plans examiners, code officials, fire protection professionals, and others involved in fire and life safety.

Many of you may be aware that a Certified Fire Inspector (CFI) Preparation Course was recently offered in Princeton, West Virginia. We are pleased to report that participants from that course have experienced a very strong success rate on the written certification examination thus far. If this training opportunity moves forward in Huntington, the same educational provider would be delivering the courses, providing attendees with access to the same proven instruction that has already produced encouraging results for fire and code officials across the state.

We encourage you to take a moment to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us determine whether sufficient interest exists to move forward with planning and scheduling this training opportunity.

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia remains committed to sharing and expanding professional development opportunities for enforcement professionals throughout our state, and your participation in this survey will help us identify and prioritize these training needs.

Thank you for your time and dedication!

06/03/2026

🎉 Congratulations to TWO more of our dedicated members🎉

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia is proud to recognize Tanner Smith of the Buckhannon Fire Department and Mark Perry of the Parkersburg Fire Department for successfully passing the written portion of the National Fire Protection Association Certified Fire Inspector Program.

Passing the written examination is a significant accomplishment and demonstrates a strong commitment to fire and life safety, code knowledge, and professional excellence.

The certification process is challenging and requires a thorough understanding of fire prevention principles, codes, standards, and inspection practices.

Tanner and Mark now advance to the rigorous practical skills evaluation phase as they continue working toward earning the prestigious NFPA Certified Fire Inspector designation.

Please join us in congratulating both of these dedicated professionals and wishing them success as they move forward in the certification process.

👏 Congratulations, Tanner and Mark!

06/01/2026

One of the reasons for our national and state fire/life safety codes is THIS not happening here. One of the questions we get asked is “why do other countries not have the rules and standards that the U.S. has?” The response is simple- we learn from our past disasters and work to prevent them from happening again.

05/29/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Andrew White, Justin Easter, and Wes Runyan! 🎉

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia is proud to recognize Andrew, Justin, and Wes, who are all members of the Charleston Fire Department as well as members of our association, for successfully passing the written portion of the NFPA Certified Fire Inspector program.

This achievement reflects their commitment to professional development, fire and life safety, and the continued advancement of the fire marshal profession. The NFPA Certified Fire Inspector program is a nationally recognized credential that requires a strong understanding of fire codes, standards, inspection practices, and life safety principles.

Having successfully completed the written examination, Andrew, Justin, and Wes will now advance to the practical skills evaluation phase of the certification process. Their dedication to expanding their knowledge and expertise helps strengthen their department, and the overall safety of the communities they serve.

This marks the third recognition post in recent days highlighting FMAWV members who have successfully completed this important milestone. The leadership of the Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia is extremely proud of our members and their continued commitment to professional excellence as they work every day to protect and serve our citizens.

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia is honored to have Andrew, Justin, and Wes as members of our organization and applauds their hard work, dedication, and pursuit of excellence.

Please join us in congratulating them on this outstanding accomplishment and wishing them success as they continue toward earning the prestigious NFPA Certified Fire Inspector designation.

05/27/2026

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia would like to congratulate Captain Alan Roby of the Huntington City Fire Department on successfully passing the written portion of the NFPA Certified Fire Inspector Program.

This is a significant professional accomplishment that reflects Captain Roby’s dedication to fire and life safety, professional development, and continued excellence within the profession.

Captain Roby will now move forward to the rigorous practical skills portion of the certification process as he works toward obtaining his NFPA Fire Inspector Certification.

As a valued member of the FMAWV, we are proud to recognize Captain Roby for this achievement and wish him continued success in the next phase of the process.

Congratulations, Captain Roby!

05/27/2026

🚨 CONGRATULATIONS! 🚨

The Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia proudly congratulates four of our members from the West Virginia Office of State Fire Marshal on successfully passing the Written Exam Portion of the NFPA Certified Fire Inspector Program! 👏

This is a major professional accomplishment and reflects countless hours of studying, preparation, and dedication to the fire marshal profession and the protection of our communities.

Please join us in congratulating:

🔥 Lonnie Cogar
🔥 Stephen Seminsky
🔥 Richard Hacker
🔥 Cody Foutty

These members will now move forward to the rigorous hands-on practical portion of the certification process as they continue pursuing their NFPA Certified Fire Inspector designation.

This certification is not easy to obtain, and reaching this stage is a true testament to their professionalism, commitment, and desire to better serve the citizens of West Virginia.

The leadership of the Fire Marshals Association of West Virginia is extremely proud of each of these individuals and their dedication to the career field that works every day to protect lives and property.

We would also like to congratulate any other individuals who successfully passed the written examination following last week’s intense preparation course that we may not yet be aware of. Your hard work and commitment to professional excellence deserve recognition as well.

Please help us congratulate them on this outstanding achievement! 👏🔥