"Despite never being a firefighter, we are amazed at his knowledge of our business and how he balances his immense intellect with common sense and a natural curiosity."

With those words, Josh Waldo, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), presented Craig Weinschenk, director of research at the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of UL Research Institutes, with the 2025 IAFC President’s Award of Recognition on August 16 at the Fire-Rescue International (FRI) conference in Orlando, FL.

The award recognizes Craig’s leadership in building and advancing the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). Under his guidance, NERIS has grown from a concept into a collaborative national platform that is transforming how the fire service collects, shares, and learns from its data.

“Craig shows us that NERIS is not merely a data modernization project, it is a paradigm shift in our business that is certainly a team effort.”

—Josh Waldo, IAFC President and Bozeman Fire Chief

About the award: The IAFC President’s Awards of Recognition are presented annually at FRI to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the fire service during the president’s term. This year’s recognition underscores both the impact of NERIS and of Craig’s leadership in guiding the contributions of the entire team.

2025 IAFC President’s Award Honorees (in alphabetical order)