I am happy to announce the launch of the inaugural edition of the official magazine of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. We are calling it iCHIEFS (PDF). This print magazine was revealed at Fire-Rescue International, Atlanta, and should be hitting mailboxes in the coming weeks.
Longtime members recall when we referred to the IAFC as iCHIEFS. We’ve dusted off the iCHIEFS brand to apply it not to the association but to official publications presented by the IAFC, including this magazine, the new digital newsletters and iCHIEFS Podcasts. You may be wondering, “Why a printed magazine?” It’s true that digital communications vehicles have many advantages over a print product — they are more timely, less expensive and often more convenient for the reader.
However, there are still advantages to a print publication. First, a well-written, glossy magazine is a tangible record of what was going on in the fire and emergency service and the IAFC at the time of publication. Second, a print magazine offers opportunities for more in-depth coverage of important issues affecting our industry. Third, sometimes don’t you just want to silence your phone, grab some coffee and a book or magazine and find a quiet place to read? Another advantage of a print magazine is it can be shared and passed around the firehouse.
Make no mistake, producing and mailing a magazine to 10,000 IAFC members is a laborious and expensive endeavor. The IAFC has entered into a partnership with Matrix Group Publishing Inc. This magazine is 100% funded by our generous advertisers. Please pay attention to our advertisers in these pages and let them know their commitment to the IAFC is appreciated.
Thank you to the companies that have committed to advertise in our magazine. Thank you to Matrix Group Publishing Inc. for producing such an attractive magazine. Thank you to IAFC leaders, members and staff who contributed to the inaugural edition of iCHIEFS. And thank you to all members and partners for all that you do each day for the fire and emergency service.
Chief Dan Eggelston is the 2019 IAFC President and Chairman of the Board