FIRE SERVICE INSTRUCTORS OF OKLAHOMA CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Fire Service Instructors of Oklahoma (FSIO)
Article II. Purposes
A. To provide effective & continuous leadership, education, and training of the Fire Service for the
protection of life and property against fire and related man‐made or natural disasters.
B. To unite for professional benefit those members of the Fire Service who share a sincere interest in
Fire Service Education as a means of protecting life and property.
C. To provide an atmosphere for information and recourse exchange between individuals and between
organizations involved in Fire Service Education as a means of protecting life and property.
D. To promote cooperation among private enterprises, nonprofit organizations, associations, and
government agencies with an interest in Fire Service Education at state and local levels.
E. To disseminate state‐of‐the –art materials concerning Fire Service Education to the membership.
F. To establish and maintain libraries of training materials and to encourage their establishment by
others.
G. To encourage research & special studies and to develop training and education programs &
procedures, and to analyze problems arising and their application.
H. To promote the importance of the role of the Fire Service Instructors in the total Fire Service
Organization.
Article III. Membership
Membership in the Fire Service Instructors of Oklahoma shall be open to any person with the
responsibility for Fire Service Education & Training in an organization or community or to any person(s)
with a sincere interest in Fire Service Education.
Article IV. Membership
The officers of the FSIO shall be a President, 1st Vice‐President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer,
immediate past President, an Ex‐Officio member from Fire Service Training, and 6 area directors.
A. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers.
B. Officers shall serve a term of one (1) year or until successors are elected. They shall not serve for
more than two (2) consecutive terms in any one elective office except that the Secretary/Treasurer may
serve indefinitely.
C. All elected positions shall be decided by a plurality vote of FSIO members present during the annual
general membership meeting.
D. Election of officers shall be held by a form ballot of the membership present.
E. Elected officers shall take office at the regularly scheduled meeting in January.
F. Vacancies in any office may be appointed by the Executive Committee until the next election.
Article V. Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, 1st Vice‐President, 2nd Vice‐President,
Secretary/Treasurer, immediate past President, and an Ex‐Officio member from Fire Service Training.
A. The Executive Committee shall meet on the 1st Friday of each month, or as called by the Executive
Committee at a location to be determined by the Executive Committee.
B. Executive Committee meetings shall be open to all members of the FSIO.
C. The Executive Committee shall be charged with the duty of conducting business.
D. Any officers of the FSIO who shall be absent from three (3) consecutive, regularly scheduled
meetings of the Executive Committee may be removed from office at the discretion of the Executive
Committee based on majority vote.
Article VI. Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the FSIO shall be scheduled at the discretion of the executive committee.
The purpose of the annual meeting of the FSIO should include:
A. Proposals for any amendment to the existing constitution or by‐laws shall be made in writing and be
addressed to the President. Proposals shall be signed by any five (5) active members or by any three (3)
members of the board of directors.
B. The President shall then send by regular mail or email a ballot containing a copy of the proposed amendment
to all active members within thirty (30) days of receipt of the proposed amendment. This ballot shall
also contain an explanation of the meaning and purpose of the amendment as viewed by the Executive
Committee. The ballot must be returned within thirty (30) days from the date of post mark to the
President.
C. All ballots returned to the President in the stipulated period of time shall be counted by the Executive
Committee. If two thirds of the ballots returned favor the amendment, the constitution shall be
amended, effective the following Executive Committee meeting.
D. The constitution or by‐laws may be amended at the annual meeting providing a notice of the
proposed amendment has been mailed or emailed to all active members ten (10) days prior to the annual meeting.
Members who will not be present at the annual meeting may vote by mailing their ballot to the
Secretary/Treasurer of the FSIO.
BY‐LAWS OF THE FIRE SERVICE INSTRUCTORS OF OKLAHOMA
Article 1
1.1 The administration of the FSIO shall be vested in the Executive Committee. All actions of the
Executive Committee shall be reported to the membership of the FSIO.
Article 2. Duties of Officers
2.1 The President shall:
a. Preside at meetings of the FSIO and meetings of the Executive Committee.
b. Call meetings of the Executive Committee at the discretion of the President or by written
request of three (3) Executive Committee members.
c. Call special meetings of the FSIO as authorized by the Executive Committee.
d. Appoint standing and special committees as necessary for the operation of the FSIO.
e. Appoint the Chairperson for the Nomination Committee.
2.2 The 1st Vice‐President shall:
a. Serve as President should the President not be available.
b. Exercise the powers and prerogatives of the President in the absence of the President.
c. Perform such duties as may be assigned by the President of the Executive Committee.
d. Chairperson of the Program Committee.
2.3 The 2nd Vice‐President shall:
a. Assist the President and 1st Vice‐President in every way possible and assume their duties in
their absence.
b. Perform such duties as may be assigned by the President of the Executive Committee.
c. Chairperson for the Awards Committee.
2.4 The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
a. Perform Secretarial/Treasurer duties for the FSIO.
b. Perform other duties as may be assigned by the President of the Executive Committee.
c. Record the minutes of the meeting.
d. Maintain a register of the members of the FSIO.
e. Conduct such correspondence and issue notices of meetings as may be required or directed
by the President.
f. Be responsible for and authorized to issue minutes of proceedings of meetings for the FSIO
and of the Executive Committee.
2.5 The Secretary/Treasurer may:
a. Publish periodically and distribute to members bulletins containing information of interest
and value.
b. Duplicate periodically and distribute to members information published by others of interest
and value, subject to copyright laws.
Article 3 Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall consist of six (6) regional directors, elected by the general membership, one
director from each of six (6) regions of the state (Oklahoma City Metro, Tulsa Metro, Southeast, Northeast,
Southwest, and Northwest),
3.1 Duties of the Board of Directors:
a. Represent each region at the FSIO Executive Committee meetings.
b. Monitor the training needs to the Executive Committee.
c. Present regional training needs to the Executive Committee.
d. Coordinate FSIO training in each region.
3.2 Election of the Board of Directors shall be conducted in the same manner as the election of other
officers.
3.3 Each director shall serve a two (2) year term with the Southwest, Northwest, and Tulsa Metro
directors being elected on odd years and the Southeast, Northeast and Oklahoma City Metro directors
being elected on even years.
3.4 The director or each region should live within the region being represented.
3.5 Metro regional directors shall represent those departments that are commonly considered as Metro area departments. The areas representing the four quadrants of the state shall be divided by Interstate 35 east and west, Interstate 40 north and south.
Article 4 Awards
All nominees will be considered and evaluated by the Awards Committee annually. If criteria are met, recommendations for awards will be made.
4.1 Ray Davidson Instructor of the Year
The Ray Davidson Instructor of the year shall be voted on by the membership of the Fire Service Instructors of Oklahoma at the annual business meeting.
4.1.1 Qualifications:
a. Available to any Instructor who contributes to the Oklahoma Fire Service
b. Must be an active member in fire education
c. Must have made a major contribution in the current year of nomination.
d. Must have exemplified the Ray Davidson ideas.
e. Must be nominated by a member of FSIO.
f. Nominations must be received by the Awards Committee prior to September 1st
4.1.2 Procedure:
a. All state fire related organizations in Oklahoma are encouraged to submit a nomination along with any active member of the FSIO.
b. Each nominee shall be notified of his or her nomination 30 days prior to the Conference.
c. At the conference a ballot will be handed out to the active members.
d. All nominees will be recognized and their nomination letters read at the Banquet excluding the name of the person who nominates them.
e. The new Instructor of the year shall be announced at the annual banquet.
The plaque and jacket will be presented at a later time at the Instructor of the Year’s home department where he can be recognized by his department and local media.
Only one award presented annually. The recipient of the award is not eligible to receive the award again.
All recipients of the Ray Davidson Instructor of the Year Award may be nominated for the ISFSI Instructor of the Year Award to be presented at FDIC.
4.2 Instructor Honor Roll
a. FSIO membership not required.
b. Must be retired from the Fire Service.
c. Must be nominated by a member of FSIO
4.3 Special Awards
a. FSIO membership not required.
b. Fire Service membership not required.
c. Must have made a contribution to the fire service.
d. Must be nominated by a member of FSIO.
Article 5 Order of Business
5.1 The Order of Business at the annual meeting of the FSIO shall be determined by the President and
shall include the following:
Call to Order
Roll Call of Officers
Reading of Minutes
Treasurer’s Report
President’s Report
Secretary’s Report
Committee Reports
Unfinished Business
New Business
Election
Announcements
Adjournment
5.2 Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of the FSIO on all points not governed by the
Constitution and the By‐Laws. The Immediate Past‐President will be the Parliamentarian.
Article 6 Standing Committees
Standing Committees shall consist of the Nomination, Awards, and Program Committees and their
duties shall include:
6.1 Nomination Committee:
a. Solicit nominations from members.
b. Self‐nominations will be accepted.
c. Prepare ballot.
d. Count ballot.
6.2 Awards Committee:
a. Shall be chaired by the 2nd Vice‐President.
b. Solicit nominations for awards.
c. Review nominations for awards.
d. Select recipients.
6.3 Program Committee:
a. Shall be chaired by 1st Vice‐President.
b. Manager of Fire Service Training will serve on this committee.
c. Establish program for annual conference.
d. Establish other programs as directed by the Executive Committee.
