2025 SAFE chapter updates
During the SAFE All-Chapter meeting on February 6th, 2025 our attending chapters shared updates on what they have accomplished this year and what future projects we can look forward to.
North carolina state university
30 Members
NC State SAFE has spent the last two years increasing in-person meetings to twice a month and participating in prescribed burns. They have had three speakers come to discuss smoke modeling, prescribed burning, and current research in the field. They conduct volunteer events like attending Fire in the Pines in Durham, NC and conducting a prescribed burn in collaboration with the university burn crew.
Connect with NCSU SAFE on Instagram at @ncstatesafe and @firepackncsu.
Pennsylvania State university
40 Members
Penn State SAFE is committed to connecting their members with current fire ecology research. They assist members with getting S-130/S-190 firefighting certifications and completing pack tests, and provide job application assistance for federal positions. They have hosted social events like movie nights for historical fire films. Penn State SAFE collaborates with local government branches who conduct prescribed burns like the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Pennsylvania Game Commission.
state university of new york
25 Members
SUNY SAFE is a brand new chapter who held their first SAFE meeting in January 2025! They are in collaboration with Applied Forest Fire Ecology lab on campus, which is the hub of fire ecology at SUNY. They aim to assist with prescribed burns conducted by the university and assist members with fire certifications. They have scheduled guest lecturers coming to speak to their chapter this Spring, including a resume workshop.
University of florida
178 Members and Alumni
This year UF SAFE had many guest speakers from Dr. Rae Crandall’s lab to discuss vegetation effects from prescribed fire. They have been connecting members with Gainesville conservation trusts to participate in prescribed burns. UF SAFE recently hosted a Fire and Water social event with the UF Marine Biology club with spike ball and hot dogs at a local park.
Northern Arizona University
30 Members
Almost all of NAU SAFE’s members have been actively participating in prescribed burns. Every Spring they host a workshop to assist members in applying for positions with USA Jobs and workshopping resumes. This past Fall they established a burn crew with local agencies. Previously they have worked with firefighters, and they look forward to working with the US Forest Service. NAU SAFE regularly hosts clean-up volunteer events on Lucky Lane and will have members attending the third annual TREX with TNC Georgia over spring break. They have many guest speakers from federal and academic backgrounds.
University of wisconsin- stevens point
104 Members
UWSP SAFE hosts a bi-annual basic certifications course in the Fall and Spring, and certified 170 students this past year. They sent 20 members on a burn trip in Florida for two weeks over winter break and look forward to conducting more research burns in the future. They have certified students for the S-290 Wildfire Behavior course, S-212 Chainsaw course, and have begun initial drone operations. Social activities for UWSP SAFE include kickball and weekly water polo.
