IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Institute Available for Fifteenth Year

McLean, Va. ‐ For the 15th year, the IAFC has received a grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation (MSF) to fund another year of the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI). FSEDI is a program developed by the IAFC to provide new and aspiring chiefs with the tools they need to have a successful and productive tenure. Applications for 2027 are due by 5 PM ET on November Friday, November 13, 2026.

“FSEDI represents an important investment in the future of the fire service and the leaders who will guide it through the challenges ahead,” said IAFC President and Board Chair, Chief Steven Locke. “As a fire chief, I understand the demands and responsibilities that come with leading a department and serving a community. FSEDI provides new and aspiring chiefs with the leadership skills, knowledge, and relationships they need to succeed. Thanks to the continued support of the Motorola Solutions Foundation, this program is helping develop a strong network of fire service leaders who will make a lasting difference in their departments and communities. I encourage those ready to take the next step in their leadership journey to apply.”

The Motorola Solutions Foundation awards grants each year to organizations such as the IAFC to support advanced public safety programs that support enhanced relationships and understanding between fire service organizations and the citizens they serve. The FSEDI program is designed to identify and support the next generation of fire service leaders, which will help create safer towns, cities, and thriving communities.

The members of the previous fourteen sessions have been very successful in achieving promotions, fire chief positions, and appointments to regional, state, and national fire service committees and task groups. Almost one-half of the previous class of chief officers have achieved fire chief positions or promotion to higher executive levels. In recent years, FSEDI members have served in leadership positions at the IAFC as well as in regional, state, IAFC Division and other national organizations.

The year-long program is open to new and aspiring chiefs who have demonstrated a commitment to career advancement and enhancing the fire/EMS service through their leadership. During the year, the cohort members meet three times for sessions conducted in Maryland at a conference center near Baltimore-Washington Airport. Experts from the fire and emergency service and the private sector will cover topics such as ethics, leadership in the new era, emerging concepts in organizational design and delivery, effective use of science and data, budgeting and spend management, as well as labor-management relations, diversity and inclusion, and many more contemporary topics.

One member of a recent FSEDI cohort said, “There is hardly a day that goes by where I don't draw from either the experience or cohorts to help my decision‐making process. This program is impacting the fire service for future generations.” Members of the 2027 FSEDI cohort will have assignments to complete between sessions in addition to maintaining communications and networking via an online community. They will participate in mentoring and coaching opportunities. Members of the cohort will also be introduced to the members of the first fourteen cohorts as part of expanding their professional networks.

The program is limited to 20-24 members. The program looks to have a diverse group representing all U.S. and Canadian regions, from various sizes and types of fire/EMS departments. Chief officers accepted into the program are eligible for a scholarship that covers the cost of housing, meals, and activities for the on‐site sessions if their departments don’t have the funding. Successful applicants also will be expected to attend Fire‐Rescue International 2027 in Anaheim CA. All expenses related to attending FRI and travel expenses to the conference center are not covered by the scholarship.

To learn more and apply, visit. iafc.org/FSEDI. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Beth Michos at 571-926-4283 or mbmichos@iafc.org.