NYSAFC Annual Conference & FIRE Expo Moving to Downtown Syracuse in 2019

• By: Staff
• On: 11/20/2017 17:24:22
• In: NYSAFC News

The New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) has announced that its Annual Conference & FIRE Expo, the largest emergency services convention and exhibition in the Northeast, will be held in Syracuse, NY in 2019, 2020, and 2021. More than 13,000 people participate in this event, which features over 300 exhibitors, workshops, hands-on training, and networking activities for fire service leaders from across New York state.

The NYSAFC Annual Conference & FIRE Expo will be held at The Oncenter, located in downtown Syracuse. Exhibits, including apparatus displays, will be situated inside the venue and outside along streets adjacent to the state-of-the-art facility. Classroom education programs and other activities will also be held at The Oncenter. The Syracuse Fire Department will be hosting NYSAFC's popular hands-on training program at its nearby, fully equipped training facility.

NYSAFC has reserved room blocks in more than 10 hotels, most within walking distance to The Oncenter. The newly remodeled Marriott Syracuse Downtown (formerly The Hotel Syracuse) will serve as the host hotel, housing NYSAFC staff and volunteers. The popular Armory Square neighborhood, with the highest concentration of restaurants and nightlife venues in the Syracuse area, is also just a short distance from The Oncenter. The Visit Syracuse team is working closely with NYSAFC to secure ample parking, coordinate shuttles to the venue, and designate nearby camping facilities.

“This is an exciting move for our organization,” said NYSAFC President Chief John Sroka. “Syracuse and The Oncenter venue will allow us to not only continue with our traditional Wednesday to Saturday event format, but also provide an opportunity to expand our exhibits and broaden our training and education program offerings,” he added.

NYSAFC Executive Director Jerry DeLuca noted, “The central location of Onondaga County enables the association to accommodate our members traveling from all regions of New York state. And the revitalized downtown Syracuse area, with so many quality lodging and dining options near The Oncenter, will be appealing to our participants. It will allow us to continue to grow what is already one of the premier emergency services events in the nation.”

“We are thrilled to officially welcome the State Fire Chiefs' Conference to Onondaga County,” said County Executive Joanie Mahoney. “Visitors will find a welcoming and ideal location to hold their annual expo and we look forward to hosting them the next three years.”

NYSAFC's first conference and organizational meeting was held in Syracuse in 1904, where Syracuse Fire Chief John Quigley was elected the first president of the association. More recently, the event was held at the Empire Expo Center – New York State Fairgrounds from 1998-2005.

“Words can't express how excited our Visit Syracuse team is to welcome the State Fire Chiefs' conference,” said Visit Syracuse Convention Sales Manager Chad Welch. “Our office has enjoyed working with this prestigious organization and wanted to show the NYSAFC that Syracuse and Onondaga County would roll out the red carpet for them; thanks to the collaborative efforts of our office, combined with local hotels, The Oncenter, Downtown Committee, Onondaga Historical Association, and Onondaga County officials, we were able to do just that.”

More details, including the exhibit layout, hotel reservation process, and dates, will be forthcoming. Don't forget to join us for the NYSAFC 112th Annual Conference & FIRE 2018 Expo, which will be held June 13-16, 2018, at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY.