The Fire & Life Safety Section (FLSS) of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) advances fire prevention, community risk reduction, and life safety through leadership, advocacy, education, research, and collaboration.
Our Mission
The mission of the Fire & Life Safety Section is to reduce injuries, loss of life, and property loss by advancing fire prevention and life safety and providing leadership and vision for fire safety professionals.
FLSS works toward a future where:
- Deaths from structure fires are reduced to zero and property damage is limited to the area of origin.
- Firefighter deaths resulting from fireground operations are reduced to zero.
- Fire departments make prevention, community risk reduction, and life safety fundamental organizational priorities.
- The public understands fire risks and the important role everyone plays in preventing fires, injuries, and deaths.
Our Priorities
Reduce Structure Fire Deaths and Property Loss
FLSS promotes a comprehensive approach to fire and life safety that combines community risk reduction, public education, fire protection systems, strong building and fire codes, and emerging technologies.
The Section advocates for effective layers of fire protection, including automatic fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, fire alarm and suppression systems, fire-resistant construction, and technologies that address leading causes of residential fires.
FLSS also supports fire safety research, participates in model code development, and builds partnerships with organizations that share its commitment to safer communities.
Reduce Firefighter Fireground Deaths
Effective fire prevention protects both the public and firefighters.
FLSS promotes an integrated, all-risk approach that combines prevention, built-in fire protection, community risk reduction, and emergency response to reduce firefighter exposure and operational risk.
The Section encourages suppression personnel to participate in prevention activities such as inspections, public education, home fire safety visits, and advocacy. It also supports safer building systems and better understanding of building performance to help firefighters make informed decisions during emergency operations.
Make Prevention a Fire Service Priority
FLSS works to strengthen a fire service culture in which prevention and life safety are essential components of every fire department’s mission.
The Section supports improved fire incident reporting and data, professional certification, accreditation, appropriate funding for prevention and education programs, and increased fire service participation in code-development processes.
By promoting research and data demonstrating the effectiveness of prevention programs, FLSS helps departments identify community risks and direct resources where they can have the greatest impact.
Empower the Public to Prevent Fires
Fire prevention is a shared responsibility. FLSS works to ensure communities understand their fire risks and have the knowledge and resources needed to reduce them.
The Section supports national fire-safety initiatives, community partnerships, public education campaigns, and resources that fire departments can use to engage residents and strengthen local prevention efforts.
Awards
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FLSS History
During Fire-Rescue International in 2002, members of the Fire Code Task Force undertook an effort to create a new IAFC section to focus on fire and life safety issues. The effort was successful, and the section was formalized in early 2003 under the name Fire & Life Safety Section. The first section chair was Chief Jackie Gibbs of the Marietta (GA) Fire Department; Chief Wayne Senter of Kitsap County (WA) Fire Department was the first vice chair.
In 2004 the section board petitioned the IAFC board to gain a seat on the IAFC board of directors. The first international director was Chief Jackie Gibbs.
The Fire and Life Safety Section of the IAFC aims to reduce injury, life loss and property loss by advancing the field of fire prevention and life safety with leadership and vision for fire safety professionals. The Fire and Life Safety Section vision is to promote innovation, education, and code development to create safe communities through the following priorities:
- To LEAD by being the preeminent global advocate for fire and life safety service, code development, and legislative advocacy and advancement.
- To EDUCATE current and future fire and life safety leaders by providing training, education, and professional development opportunities to meet the diverse needs of our membership and communities.
- To SERVE through active participation in providing relevant and timely services, products, and resources to our diverse membership, affiliates, and partners.
- Advocate for the installation of cost-effective building systems, processes and maintenance strategies in new and existing buildings that will reduce firefighter risk exposure during emergency operations.
- Create an environment where the public is aware of the fire problem and its role in fire prevention.
The Fire and Life Section comprises 17 board members representing Canada and the US Fire Service. We have members representing all areas of the country and all areas of the fire service, from public education, community risk reduction, code development, code enforcement, private industry, non-profit, and ranks from fire marshals to fire chiefs.
The FLSS launched a Community Risk Reduction Leadership conference in 2019. The Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Leadership Conference is geared specifically to the education and training needs of chief officers and fire service managers seeking to create, execute and evaluate measurably successful CRR platforms and programs. Participants benefit from the real-world wisdom of CRR trailblazers and innovative rising stars, all working together to pioneer the future of CRR in North America.
FLSS Governance
The FLSS Board consists of 17 members representing section leadership, IAFC divisions and specialized professional disciplines.
- 5 officers serving in leadership roles
- 6 at-large members elected to three-year terms, with two elected annually and no more than two from any IAFC division
- 3 specialty representatives from education, engineering and public safety, appointed annually with voting privileges
- 3 ex-officio advisors appointed annually to provide specialized expertise without voting privileges
Executive Committee
The executive committee includes the chair, vice chair, international director, secretary/treasurer and immediate past chair.
Appointments and Terms
Specialty representatives and ex-officio advisors are appointed by a majority vote of the board following the annual business meeting. Ex-officio advisors generally serve without section funding unless approved by the executive committee under extenuating circumstances.
Meet the FLSS Board
FLSS Corporate Partners
The FLSS corporate partnership program supplements membership dues to more fully develop important fire and life safety priorities and programs.
Our major funding priorities are to support section members who attend meetings vital to fire prevention matters. FLSS board members attend numerous technical meetings to voice their position on matters of importance to the fire service and FLSS members represent the IAFC on NFPA 13, NFPA 72, NFPA 1037, NFPA 1124 and NFPA 1730.
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