Ron Eguchi was appointed as the State of California’s Industry Representative to the Wildfire Technology Research and Development Review Advisory Board

26 Mar 2024

Ron Eguchi, ImageCat’s President and CEO, has been appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom as an Industry Representative to the Wildfire Technology Research and Development Review Advisory Board.

Established in 2021 by California Legislature SB 109, the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development (OWTRD) serves as the central organizing axis within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to study, test, and advise regarding procurement of emerging technologies and tools…to more effectively prevent and suppress wildfires within the state (SB 109). The Advisory Board is made up of nine members, including representatives from state agencies, industry representatives, the fire service, and other stakeholders. It is tasked with reviewing the work of and advising the OWTRD in its work.

Over the last three decades, Ron has been an industry leader in risk management research and technology development and has directed a broad range of studies in these areas for government agencies and private industry.  He serves on several Editorial Boards, has been a member of the National Research Council’s Disaster Roundtable and the Scientific Advisory Committee of the U.S. Geological Survey, and chaired a joint panel established jointly by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.