The IAFC Safety, Health & Survival Section (SHSS) brings together fire service leaders committed to ensuring every firefighter has the opportunity for a healthy career and a safe return home. Through leadership, advocacy, education, and resources, the section advances firefighter safety, health, wellness, and survival across the fire and emergency services. Our goal is to make safety and health more than initiatives—they should be fundamental to fire service culture and a way of life for every firefighter.
Mission
To support and provide leadership for the advancement of occupational safety and health within the fire service and the greater emergency response community.
At the heart of that mission is a simple commitment: do everything within our power to help bring every firefighter home safely from every alarm.
Turning Safety Into Culture
The SHSS recognizes that lasting change requires more than policies and programs. Departments must build organizational cultures where safety, physical health, behavioral wellness, and risk reduction are embedded in everyday decisions and operations.
Through collaboration with fire service organizations, researchers, strategic partners, and its members, SHSS works to translate research and best practices into practical solutions departments can use to better protect their personnel.
Coffee with SHSS – Monthly Engaging Webinars
Candid Conversations Around the World’s Largest Kitchen Table
Grab your coffee and join the IAFC Safety, Health & Survival (SHS) Section Board and special guests for monthly conversations about the issues that matter most to firefighters. Whether you’re a firefighter, company officer, chief, or fire service professional, your perspective matters.
From emerging research and firefighter wellness to real-world experiences and lessons learned from close calls, no topic is off the table. Coffee with SHS provides an open, welcoming space to share perspectives, ask questions, and explore issues affecting firefighter safety, physical health, and mental well-being.
- When: Third Thursday of every month, unless otherwise announced
- Time: 11 AM ET / 8 AM PT
- Where: Online via Zoom
- Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
- Recordings: Available on demand following each session
Expert Insights
Hear from guest speakers who share research, professional expertise, and firsthand experiences related to each month’s discussion topic.
Open Conversations
Ask questions, share experiences, and participate in respectful discussions with guest speakers and fellow fire service professionals.
Real-World Perspectives
Connect with firefighters, company officers, fire chiefs, and other emergency service professionals from departments of all sizes and backgrounds.
Flexible Participation
Join individually or participate with your crew. Can’t attend live? Watch the unedited session recordings at your convenience.
Coffee with SHS is free to attend and open to everyone, regardless of IAFC or SHS Section membership.
- Register for each session: Advance registration is required, and a new registration link is provided for each monthly discussion.
- Stay informed: Upcoming sessions are announced on this page, through IAFC and SHS social media, and in member email communications.
- Watch past conversations: Explore previous Coffee with SHS recordings at your convenience.
Please note: Registration is session-specific. Registering for one discussion does not automatically register you for future sessions.
Coffee with SHS is intended to foster respectful, constructive conversations. Disrespectful comments or behavior directed toward guest speakers, SHS Section Board members, IAFC staff, or other participants will not be tolerated.
Individuals engaging in inappropriate or disrespectful behavior will be removed from the session and prohibited from participating in future Coffee with SHS discussions.
SHSS Awards
Garry Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award
Celebrate dedication to firefighter well-being with the Garry Briese IAFC Safety Performance Award, sponsored by NTA Life, a Horace Mann Company.
Alan Brunacini Fire Service Executive Safety Award
Honor outstanding health and safety leadership in the fire service with the Alan Brunacini Award, sponsored by MSA Safety. Discover more here.
Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award
Celebrate exceptional health and survival programs with the Billy Goldfeder Fire Service Organizational Safety Award, sponsored by VFIS.
About SHSS
The SHSS board includes five executive officers (section chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, international director) who serve two-year terms, plus nine at-large directors who serve three-year terms. The international director is chosen by the sitting executive officers, all other board members are elected by active and life section members. The annual call for candidates is announced in the Spring.
The IAFC Safety, Health & Survival Section’s 2022–2025 Strategic Plan outlines six key initiatives designed to advance firefighter health, wellness, safety, and survival. Guided by the vision “Saving lives – one firefighter at a time,” the plan emphasizes collaboration, preventive healthcare, physical and behavioral wellness, and stronger safety practices across the fire and emergency services.
The strategic plan identifies priorities for improving firefighter access to annual medical evaluations, expanding comprehensive health and wellness programs, strengthening partnerships, and advocating for occupational safety standards.
Key Strategic Priorities
- Firefighter Health and Safety Collaboration: Strengthen partnerships and advocate for an international alliance focused on firefighter health, wellness, and survival.
- Annual Medical Evaluations: Improve access to annual physical assessments aligned with NFPA 1582 and address barriers to preventive healthcare.
- Member Engagement: Expand resources, educational opportunities, and professional connections for Safety, Health & Survival Section members.
- Communication and Outreach: Increase awareness of firefighter safety initiatives, resources, and best practices throughout the fire service.
- Physical and Behavioral Wellness: Promote comprehensive wellness programs addressing physical fitness, behavioral health, and workplace safety.
- Occupational Safety Standards: Advocate for the adoption of NFPA 1500 and strengthen the role of health and safety officers within fire departments.
Who Benefits from This Resource?
This strategic plan is a valuable reference for fire chiefs, company officers, safety officers, health and wellness coordinators, and fire service leaders seeking to strengthen their departments’ approach to occupational health and safety.
It provides a framework for identifying safety priorities, evaluating wellness programs, encouraging preventive medical care, and supporting a culture where firefighter health and survival are organizational priorities.
Sponsors
The SHS Section Board thanks FireCompanies.com for generously hosting our section website for years! The SHSS website has transitioned back to the IAFC website in an effort to streamline access for section members, but we recognize and greatly appreciate FireCompanies.com for hosting the website and providing their support for the section’s efforts over the last few years.
