Chief Robert Marshall Honored for Excellence in Fire and Life Safety
The Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award honors individuals who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through their work on code development, fire prevention and fire service leadership.
The International Code Council (ICC) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire & Life Safety Section presented the 2026 Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award to Chief Robert Marshall, Deputy Fire Chief (Ret.) from the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department in California. The award was presented during the IAFC Fire-Rescue International Conference in Kansas City, MO.
The Excellence in Fire & Life Safety Award honors individuals who have dedicated themselves to saving lives and property through their work on code development, fire prevention and fire service leadership.
“Robert’s commitment to fire and life safety code development has been exceptional,” said Deputy Fire Chief (Ret.) Greg Rogers, Chair of the IAFC Fire & Life Safety Section. “His leadership as Chair of the ICC Fire Code Action Committee, along with his many years of dedicated service to the code development process, has had a lasting and significant impact on our profession.”
A Career Dedicated to Service
Chief Marshall was recognized for his significant contributions to advancing fire and life safety in his home state of California as well as throughout the U.S. and globally. His career includes service as a Firefighter with both the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Humboldt Fire District #1, Deputy Fire Marshal with the City of Gilroy and Chief of Emergency Planning and Preparedness with North County Fire Authority.
Chief Marshall’s service continued with Contra Costa Fire Protection District where he served as Fire Inspector, Fire Prevention Captain, and Fire Marshal supervising a team of 22 employees, overseeing plan reviews, training new staff and serving as Public Information Officer.
Chief Marshall later served with the Belmont, Foster City, San Mateo Fire Departments as a Fire Marshal where he served as Interim Division Chief where he oversaw Prevention, the Office of Emergency Services and Fire Administration. In June 2022 he was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief of Community Risk Reduction and Fire Administration.
Giving Back
Beyond his career achievements, Chief Marshall has and continues to hold a variety of notable volunteer leadership positions in fire and life safety. He is past-president of the California Fire Prevention Officers – North Division and currently serves as President of the California Fire Prevention Institute. He has served on ICC’s Fire Code Development Committee, is a past chair of the ICC’s Fire Code Action Committee and recently concluded his service as Vice Chair of the IAFC’s Fire & Life Safety Section.
Chief Marshall retired from the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department on March 28, 2025, and currently serves as a Senior Regulatory Engineer with UL Solutions.
About the Author
Karl Fippinger, CEM, PMP is Vice President, Fire and Disaster Mitigation for the International Code Council. He is a 30-year veteran of the fire and emergency services having served as an Assistant Fire Chief with the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department in Prince William County, VA as well as an adjunct fire and rescue instructor for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Fairfax County, VA. Karl is also a Certified Emergency Manager with the International Association of Emergency Managers and serves as a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Advisory Council. He brings more than 25 years of public and private sector experience in federal, state, and local disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
