2006 Committed Sponsors

Each year, National Geographic Maps creates up to 60 page maps and four supplements for the Society’s magazines. They also produce globes, online maps, sales edition maps and interactive features on nationalgeographic.com. Their globes, atlases and charts are standard references in homes, schools and libraries worldwide, while the sophisticated, functional road atlas and series of trail and destination maps serve travelers on both the road and hiking trail.

The USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station, www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/4803/focus/fire, research team works closely with communities that are on the wildland/urban interface, to help them minimize the risks and impacts of wildland fire. The North Central Research Station helps them identify the systems, partnerships and resources that empower them to be prepared. We also work with them to develop wildfire protection plans tailored to their specific needs, capabilities and constraints. At the same time, we have been identifying and mapping places of high fire risk to help natural resource managers prepare for - and minimize damage from - wildland fires.

Interactive Training Media (ITM) is an advanced multimedia developer creating training and professional development programs in a continuing education, workplace, or public training forum. The multimedia CD-ROMs and web sites to instructional guides and facilitator-led workshops, ITM supports its programs from content development to implementation to ensure they play a role in the overall success of your organization. Many of titles have been approved for continuing education credit. For more information on ITM, our Wildland Fire training series, Forestry Education series and other educational opportunities go to www.itm-info.com.

Founded in 1981, Chemco has become a worldwide leader in modification and enhancement technologies for wood products. Located north of Seattle, WA, Chemco's history is deeply rooted in the manufacturing of fire resistant wood products for exterior construction. The market need for fire resistant building materials in California in the late 1970's and early 1980's, sparked groundbreaking research in wood enhancement for fire resistant construction. Chemco was one of the early pioneers in fire retardant technologies and became the only producer of fire resistant wood roofing allowed for sale in California. Under the brand name SaferWood, www.saferwood.com, Chemco offers fire resistant wood roofing, siding, decking and trim.

Established in 1896, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), www.nfpa.org, is an international nonprofit association who serves as the world's leading advocate of fire prevention and public safety through research, training, and educational efforts. NFPA's 300 codes and standards influence every building, process, service, design, and installation in the United States, as well as many of those used in other countries. NFPA's focus on true consensus has helped the association's code-development process earn accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). NFPA membership totals more than 79,000 individuals from around the world and more than 80 national trade and professional organizations.

The NFPA Wildland Fire Management Section brings together, for mutual professional and technical benefit, those individuals involved in wildland fire management and related activities. The Section promotes the exchange of information among its members to advance the interests of wildland fire management. To that end, the WFM Section holds meetings, conferences, seminars, and such other forums to encourage professionalism among those responsible for planning, implementing, and operating wildland fire management and other related activities. Participation on technical committees and in the code-development process is strongly encouraged, as is cooperation between the WFM Section, wildland fire agencies of other nations, and federal, state and local fire fighting organizations.

The State of Alaska, Division of Forestry, is one of three suppression agencies in the state. Forestry, along with its interagency partners and land managers actively promote Firewise principles in urban interface and remote areas of the state. 'Alaska Firewise' represents the efforts of not only the Division of Forestry, but also the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, native corporations, nonprofit organizations and local governments. For more information about our site and Firewise Alaska log onto www.dnr.state.ak.us/forestry/index.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), www.ibhs.org, is a national nonprofit insurance trade association that engages in communication, education, engineering and research. The Institute for Business & Home Safety’s mission is to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.

Geographic information system (GIS) software from ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) enables public safety personnel to capture and create an integrated picture of information in the form of interactive maps and reports on the desktop, laptop, handheld, or in the emergency vehicle. From deciding where to build new fire stations, to monitoring disasters as they happen in real time, from mapping wildfires tens of thousands of acres in size with GPS equipment and a helicopter, to picking up the pieces after a major earthquake, GIS is making emergency management a faster and more accurate means of helping people cope. Go to www.esri.com for more information about ESRI.

Fire Fence™, www.fire-fence.com, is a practical defense system designed for use by Home Owners against Wildland type fires. Fire Fence™ is a wetting agent system that is Pet, Plant and Environment friendly. Fire Fence™ uses a solid cartridge wetting agent proven effective against class A combustibles. Our system is designed to connect to your standard garden hose and sprinkler to develop your defensible space, around your home.

Anchor Point Group LLC is the leading North American wildfire management consulting firm specializing in services related to wildland-urban interface issues. Since 1999, Anchor Point has provided forest and fire management solutions for public land management agencies, all levels of government, private landowners, homeowner’s associations, developers, land trusts, major corporations, fire departments, and more. The Boulder, Colorado-based company was named after the fire suppression term “anchor point”, which describes the place where all fire fighting activities should begin.