BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Paul Martin, President

Paul D. Martin is chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention with the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control where he served as a principle architect of New York State’s nationally acclaimed Campus Fire Safety Program.

Under Paul’s guidance, the staff of the Bureau of Fire Prevention is responsible for; fire and life safety inspections in a multitude of facilities throughout New York State, including all colleges and universities; fire safety education and information dissemination intended to elevate the public’s understanding of the danger of fire; and enforcement of the laws and regulations of the state regarding fire safety, which include the world’s first cigarette fire safety standard. 

Paul serves as state co-chair in Prevention, Advocacy, Resource and Data Exchange (PARADE), a program of the United States Fire Administration designed to foster the exchange of fire-related prevention/ protection information and resources among Federal, State, and local levels of government. Additionally, he is active in the National Association of State Fire Marshals working on issues associated with fire safety education and code applicability for special needs occupancies.

He serves on the International Building Code - Means of Egress Committee for the International Code Council where he is active in the development of the Codes under the auspices of the ICC and which serve as a baseline for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the majority of both public and private sector buildings in the U.S.

Paul holds an associate degree in fire science; a bachelor of science in public administration; and has an extensive record of professional development education. He is a fire service veteran of more than thirty years having served in several line and administrative positions and has received several awards of valor over the course of his career.

 

Mike Swain, Vice President

Mike is currently the Campus Fire Prevention Officer at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has been working in Fire Prevention at the University for over 19 years. Mike has been a member of the NFPA Education Section since 1988, and is Vice President of the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts.

Mike has attended many fire prevention and public fire education classes at the National Fire Academy. He holds an A.S. Degree in Fire Science Technology and is working towards a bachelor’s degree in Fire Service Administration. Michael is also a captain on the Greenfield MA Fire Department.

  

Tim Knisely, Secretary and Treasurer

Tim is the Senior Fire Inspector for the Centre Region Code Administration in State College, PA, a regional government agency responsible for the enforcement of fire and building codes.  Tim is directly responsible for management of the Existing Structures Division that coordinates the fire and health inspections in existing structures, including off-campus housing and commercial properties.  The division also coordinates the life safety education program for the community and local businesses. 

Tim has been involved in emergency services for more than 25 years including 6 years as fire chief of an all-volunteer fire department.  He conducts training and presents lectures on a variety of fire safety topics across the United States. 

 

Michael Halligan, Immediate Past President

Mike is the Associate Director of Environmental Health and Safety at the University of Utah, and the President of the Center for Campus Fire Safety. He is responsible for fire prevention and special events safety on campus. He has lectured on the topic of housing fire safety and campus fire prevention programs throughout the world.

He holds bachelors and masters degrees in Architecture and specializes in applying building, fire and life safety codes to historic structures. Mike currently chairs the Fire and Life Safety Committee for the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Health Association.

   

Robert Ferrara, Director

Robert Ferrara is the Director of Fire Safety for Montclair State University.  He has 26 years experience as a firefighter in the Lyndhurst Fire Department, including serving as Chief of the Department for four years.  He is licensed as a Fire Official and Fire Sub-Code Official.

Robert was employed by the New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office as a state fire inspector prior to his employment at MSU in 2002.

As Director of Fire Safety for Montclair State, New Jersey's second largest University, Robert is responsible for all aspects of life safety throughout the campus, which serves more than 3,000 faculty and staff and more than 18,000 students.  Duties include fire and life safety inspections of campus buildings, reviewing plans for construction and renovation projects, and preventive activities.  This includes training of University students and personnel, conducting fire and evacuation drills, testing of fire detection and protection equipment, providing educational programs, evaluating materials and establishing guidelines for fire safe materials.

 
 Alan Sactor, Director

Alan is an Assistant Director with the University of Maryland Department of Environmental Safety and the University Fire Marshal. He manages a staff of 10 full and part time Deputy Fire Marshals, Fire Inspectors, and Fire Protection Engineers. He is appointed as an Assistant State Fire Marshal. 

He has over 30 years of experience in fire protection and the fire service including working as a firefighter/paramedic in the Washington D.C. area.  Mr. Sactor is a principal member of the Technical Committee for NFPA 1037, Professional Qualifications for Fire Marshal. 

He was a participant and presenter at the first USFA/NFPA Forum on Campus Fire Safety and the first National Summit on Campus Fire Safety. He delivers presentations nationally on campus fire safety, fire protection, and general safety. Alan is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist and holds a Master of Science in Environmental Management. He has been with the University of Maryland since 1985. 

 

Randall Hormann, Director

Randall L. Hormann is currently a Program Coordinator and Fire Training Officer for the State of Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office and the Ohio Fire Academy. Randy has over 15 plus years in fire safety and public education for two large Division I Universities in the State of Ohio. As the executive director of a campus fire safety consulting firm, he has consulted and lectured across county and for such organizations as NFPA, MARSH & CSHEMA.

Randy has been a fire fighter for over 25 years and is strong advocate of fire safety education at the college & university level. A graduate of the National Fire Academy, Randy is a firm believer in the ideals of “Everyone Goes Home and Everyone Graduates”.

 

Janet Maupin, Director

Janet is a Deputy Fire Marshal for the Champaign, IL Fire Department. She inspects university-owned buildings and delivers fire safety education to students and staff at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus.

She has been involved in making inspections for over 20 years. Currently inspecting university occupancies (laboratories, dormitories, major assembly venues, and classroom buildings), but with vast experience in making off-campus housing inspections (apartments, fraternity, sorority houses and privately owned dormitories).

 

 Jeff Pendley, Director

Jeff Pendley is a Firefighter/EMT and Fire/Emergency Specialist for the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He serves as a technical expert in fire safety matters and provides training and education to students and staff. Jeff serves as a liaison to the Fire Prevention and Operations Bureau of the Los Angeles Fire Department. He is responsible for the university’s compliance with the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know regulations, required by the U.S. Department of Education.

Since 2007, Jeff has concentrated on the university’s effort to be more self-sufficient following a large earthquake. The university anticipates that municipal resources and the mutual-aid system will be severely challenged—and in some cases overwhelmed. This effort included the acquisition of a fire truck, training a university fire brigade, and creating and supporting Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).

Prior to joining USC in April 2006, Jeff was a Firefighter with the Sarasota County Fire Department in Sarasota, Florida. In 1995, he received an M.B.A. from the University of South Florida. Jeff is a National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Certified Fire Protection Specialist.