Ira David Daniels

Dr. I. David Daniels is an occupational health and safety professional, thought leader, former public safety executive, and President/CEO of ID2 Solutions, LLC, a safety-focused solutions company specializing in helping organizations plan and execute psychosocial hazard mitigation strategies. He has been both a pioneer and a trailblazer in his both personal and professional endeavors.

Dr. Daniels is a native of Seattle, Washington, where he attended Garfield High School, was a member of the honor society, and two-sport athlete in football and wrestling. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Services Administration from Eastern Oregon University and a master’s degree in human resources management from Keller Graduate School of DeVry University in Atlanta. By completing a Ph.D. in Occupational Health and Safety from Capitol Technology University, Dr. Daniels becomes America’s first black Ph.D. in Occupational Health and Safety. He is also certified as a Safety Director, Violence Prevention Specialist, Emergency Management Specialist, Safety and Health Specialist, and certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Dr. Daniels served over 30 years in fire/rescue, emergency medical, and emergency management organizations in three states, including three appointments as a Fire Chief. His career began a few years out of high school in the Seattle Fire Department, where he served for 20 years before being appointed Fire Chief in Fulton County, Georgia. He is a life member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), served as the first safety representative on the IAFC Board of Directors, and was founding chair of the IAFC Safety, Health, and Survival Section. His career focus on safety was a primary reason he was inducted into the National Fire Heritage Center’s Hall of Legacies, Legends, and Leaders Class of 2021, the first living African American to have received this honor. Dr. Daniels serves as a member of the National Safety Council (NSC) Board of Directors, the 2021 Vice-Chair of the Delegates Committee, and a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sub Committee. He is also chair of the National Association of Black Compliance and Risk Management Professionals Safety and Security Workgroup. He was the founding chair of the NSC’s Government and Public-Sector Division. In 2021 he became only the third African American in history to receive the NSC’s highest honor when he became Distinguished Services to Safety Award winner of the award.

In addition to his focus on safety in his professional pursuits, Dr. Daniels is active in his community in suburban Atlanta. He serves as public safety advisory committee chair for his City of South Fulton, Georgia’s fourth Council district. Based partly on their concerns about workplace safety, he was asked by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 3920 to serve as a consultant and lead negotiator in pursuit of their first collective bargaining agreement, which is the first effort of its kind in Georgia state history. In 2021, His community efforts contributed to his induction into the inaugural class of the South Fulton County Hall of Fame.