Ray Bizal is Director of Regional Operations at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). He oversees Canadian and U.S. regional directors, who provide outreach and advocacy to NFPA stakeholders regarding the many activities undertaken by the association. This includes supporting the adoption and enforcement of NFPA codes and standards, identifying tools and solutions for fire, electrical and related hazards, and public education outreach. He also advocates for fire and life safety at the local and state legislative levels in California and Oregon. He has been a member of many state and national organizations and served on many committees and task groups, such as CSFA’s Life Safety and Fire Investigations Committee. With over 35 years in the fire protection profession, Bizal is a Fellow in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He is the 2006 recipient of the Western Fire Chiefs Association’s Robert W. Gain Award; the 2014 recipient of the California Fire Chiefs, Northern California Fire Prevention Officers’ Charles H. Gray Memorial Award; the 2020 recipient of the Southern California Fire Prevention Officers’ William E. Fox Award; and the 2022 recipient of the California State Firefighters’ William R. Goss Award. Holding a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, he is a registered Fire Protection Engineer in California.