Category: Uncategorized

Dear IAFSS Member,

I trust you are doing well. I am writing with information about the 2021 IAFSS General Meeting, Part 2, which will be held on 30 April 2021, 13:00 UTC.  The draft agenda for the meeting can be found here.

First, thank you to those who were able to join us on 24 March 2021 for Part 1 of the 2021 IAFSS General Meeting (GM).  This was our first ever virtual GM, and although we had a few minor glitches, the meeting went well. The draft minutes for the GM Part 1 are attached to the draft agenda for the GM Part 2.  As you will see, the proposed amendments to the Rules of the Association were approved, which formally allows us to proceed with a virtual GM Part 2. Click here to view the Rules of the Association.

As previously noted, we are changing the procedures for the GM Part 2, taking into account lessons learned and experiences gained from the GM Part 1, and aiming for a more interactive meeting.

• To limit the potential for non-members to join the meeting, all eligible members will be required to pre-register to attend the meeting. You will need to contact the Secretariat to pre-register. Upon verification of eligibility, you will be sent a meeting link and password.
   
• To assist us in checking attendees against our membership list, when logging into the meeting, please enter using your name in English as it correlates to your membership application.
   
• Since the meeting time is limited, please try to log in five (5) minutes prior to the start of the GM. Please check your hardware and connections prior to the meeting time.
   
• As with the GM Part 1, we are aiming to have any action required for voting to be presented in a form that votes can be simple ‘approve / disapprove / abstain’ where possible.  This is largely driven by the limited time for discussion and the time allotted for the meeting.
   
• In the case where there is a vote that requires a choice between options (for example, if there are three candidates for Scrutineer and only two positions available), each option will be voted on separately, and the options receiving the highest vote counts will be taken as approved.
   
• Details of actions requiring votes, as initiated by the Committee, will be posted to the IAFSS website by 17 April for review, and as appropriate, to allow time to submit proxy votes by members who cannot attend the 30 April meeting. It is expected that this will include:
   
  • Approval of past minutes of General Meetings of the Association (14 June 2017 and 24 March 2021)
  • Approval of the Treasurer’s report
  • Nominees for Honorary Auditors of the Association (two positions)
  • Nominees for Scrutineers of the Association (two positions)
     
• Because time for discussion in the virtual GM Part 2 will be limited, any member who nominates members for the position of Honorary Auditor or Scrutineer, or proposes any action that will require a vote, or wishes to raise an item for discussion under Any Other Business, must provide text of the item in writing to the Honorary Secretary no later than 13 April 2021. This is to allow time for review, confirmation, and posting of the item by 17 April, and if needed, time to permit submittal of proxy votes by members who cannot attend. 
   
• Due to time limitations, a maximum of five (5) minutes will be allotted for questions / discussion on any agenda item.
   
• Proxy voting forms, for those unable to attend, will be available on 17 April, once items for voting have been identified and confirmed.  Note that it is intended to simplify the proxy form such that proxy votes will be given to the Honorary Secretary, unless another person is specifically designated. If another person is designated, confirmation is required from the designee, in advance of the GM, that they (a) agree to serve as proxy and (b) confirm that they will be in attendance at the meeting.  This is to help assure that the proxy vote will be delivered and counted appropriately.

As a member, your participation in General Meetings and your vote on issues of importance to the Association is critically important.  We ask that all who can attend and participate do so.  For those unable to attend, and who would like to exercise their right to vote, you are asked to provide your proxy vote to the Honorary Secretary no later than 27 April.

Also, we appreciate that options for voting and discussion remain somewhat limited. However, we have presented a more flexible and participative arrangement for Part 2 of the GM, within the limitations of time and technology being used. Developing a more robust on-line GM approach for future meetings will be an action on the Committee going forward.

Again, thank you for your understanding and flexibility, and if you have questions for clarification, or comments on what has been proposed, please let me know. Thank you.

Respectfully submitted,

Brian Meacham
IAFSS Honorary Secretary ad interim

Please download the draft agenda for Part One of the IAFSS General Meeting here. The zoom link to attend the meeting is https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/62577478118

Download the proxy vote form here

IAFSS 2021 Virtual General Meeting, Part 1, 24 March 2021 PROXY VOTE FORM Download here. Please send the completed form to [email protected]

The IAFSS Committee welcome bids for the 15th IAFSS Symposium, to be held in Europe in 2026.
Selection of the host for the symposium will be made by the new Management Committee at its April meeting, which will be associated with the virtual 13th IAFSS Symposium organized and hosted by the University of Waterloo. An exact date will be defined and communicated by those sending in a bid.
If you are interested in hosting the 15th IAFSS Symposium please click here for further information.

Poster submissions have re-opened on Easy Chair for the 13th IAFSS Symposium. Final poster submission (NEW contributions): January 30, 2021. Read more here: https://uwaterloo.ca/international-symposium-on-fire-safety-science/

In light of developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19), and the need to protect our own and extended communities, the Symposium Planning Committee, in consultation with the IAFSS Executive and Management Committees, has decided that the 13th IAFSS Symposium will be an on-line event. Further information can be found on the FAQ webpage.