Hello to everyone! I hope this message finds you well and that your new year is off to an easy start. It has been a while since I touched base with the membership, and I wanted to update everyone on Chapter business. In full disclosure, this will be a bit lengthy because I have a great deal of information to share. So, get a drink and snack because I want you to be comfortable while you read.
First, Training Committee Chairman and 2 nd VP Andy Thomas has been full speed ahead on several training opportunities. We are excited to conduct our first Evidence Collection class in Catawba County the first week of March. Thanks to Board Directors John Bull and Jason Boggs for all their hard work. We are hoping to share news of other evidence collection classes in the future. Andy and the Training Committee are finalizing this year’s Spring Conference in Pinehurst. A presentation schedule and additional information will be released soon. Sandhills Community College has been a phenomenal partner and is excited to host our conference. Other training opportunities are also in the works and we will share that information at our next Chapter meeting.
Our Spring Conference will not only provide a terrific training and networking opportunity, but it will also mark a start for our Chapter to give back to our communities and to the burn victims we often encounter. Recently, I have spoken with representatives from the UNC Jaycee Burn Center and the Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center with the goal of creating new partnerships. As a result of these discussions, the medical staffs from both hospitals and Chapter members are crafting a Burn Forensics training event. We are blessed to have two cutting-edge burn centers in North Carolina and they are eager to share their expertise with us. As thanks, the NC Chapter will be holding several charity drives to benefit both hospitals this year, with the first occurring at the Spring Conference. I am challenging our membership to donate items greatly needed by both centers: cash and new shoes. The cash will go towards gift cards that the hospitals provide to families while their loved ones receive care. The shoes will be given to burn victims to help them get up, moving, and healing. The burn centers require that the shoes be ones with laces, and bigger sizes are encouraged. It’s a challenge to get a bandaged foot in a small shoe. People, our Spring Conference is FREE TRAINING! I know our membership will step up!!!
This year, the Fire Life Safety/ NC Fire Marshal's Association conference is being held at the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC, on Feb 28-29 th . YOUR NC IAAI Chapter will be present as an exhibitor! This is our first event this year, so if you are attending, please stop by, say hello, and grab some swag. For those social media savvy types, I hope you are following our NC IAAI Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NCIAAI) and our updated website. For those of you not, please consider checking them out and following. Our Facebook page shares information, news, and happenings from across the state and about our profession. Our website is now more user friendly and has links to a great deal of information. Of particular note, our site now lists information and the application for this year’s college scholarship! We want to give these scholarships away so please have your high schoolers apply. Every dime helps and makes it a little easier when that tuition bill arrives. Here is the link: https://nciaai.com/Academic-Scholarship
Lastly, I want to remind our chapter members that are also IAAI members that the IAAI elections are open. Candidate information can be found on both our website and Facebook pages. In addition to the officer positions, several by-law amendments are on the ballot. Please take a chance to read and research these amendments at firearson.com. Just because they are on the ballot, does not mean they should automatically earn your vote. Both the current IAAI Board of Directors and the Past Presidents Committee have both come out against the foolish and absurd Amendment 23-01.
Everyone stay safe. Take care of yourselves and check in on a friend. Make a commitment to coming home every night.
V/R
Darren
