Ten Resources You Don't Want to Miss
- Taking Responsibility for a Positive Public Perception (PDF) is a frank discussion and toolkit on the issues surrounding the image of the fire service.
- The Ready, Set, Go! (RSG) program completed a successful grant program that distributed more than $36,000 to 35 fire departments to help them implement RSG in their communities. The program also released the Spanish-language translation of its National Wildfire Action Guide.
- The Fire and Life Safety Section issued Protecting Life and Property and Reducing Injuries, From Fires Originating on Home Ranges (PDF).
- The IAFC launched Stand Up for Safety as part of the Safety Support System, coordinated by the Safety, Health and Survival Section. The purpose of this campaign is to encourage fire departments to take concrete steps to increase awareness of a high number of recent firefighter fatalities and focus on situational awareness.
- The IAFC debuted Bugle Brief, a new leadership and management-themed electronic newsletter.
- The introduction of the IAFC mentoring program offers company-officer members the opportunity to be mentored by one or more experienced chief officers.
- The Fire Service Executive Development Institute was implemented with a grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation. A cohort of 20 students was selected and attended a six-day residency-in-leadership training, followed by a rigorous yearlong self-study program.
- The IAFC hosted a record number of webinars in 2013. Topics varied from wildland and home-fire preparedness to crisis decision making and social media applications. IAFC webinar archives are downloadable from IAFC.org > Education and Development > eLearning.
- The Training for Regional Collaboration (TReC) program delivered 20 training sessions across the country, training nearly 500 participants from multiple public-safety disciplines, the private sector, government and nonprofits.
- Fire departments in Connecticut and Virginia recruited more than 300 new members through the IAFC-managed Volunteer Workforce Solutions programs in partnership with state chiefs associations. The lessons learned from these programs will help others achieve their recruitment goals.
Seven Ways the IAFC Has Made Your Voice Heard
Active Shooters/Gun Violence – IAFC leadership participated in a White House conference on Creating Model Emergency Management Plans. The program discussed gun-violence events and featured several IAFC members as presenters. Additionally, the IAFC partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police and federal agencies to host a results-driven meeting on responding to gun violence. The meeting identified several action items and issues that law and fire must work together to address.
National Drug Shortage – The EMS Section has actively engaged the Government Accountability Office and the Food and Drug Administration on finding solutions to the national drug shortage.
Medical Exams – The Safety, Health and Survival Section proposed and supported the successful passage of a temporary interim amendment to the NFPA 1001 Technical Committee on Firefighter Training. The measure ensures that candidates participating in an NFPA 1001-compliant training program are physically capable of doing so through the completion of an NFPA 1582 medical exam.
Homeland Security Preparedness – The chair of the IAFC Homeland Security Committee testified before the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Homeland Security. The hearing covered issues relating to the nation's preparedness for acts of terrorism and other hazards.
Growing Threat of Wildland Fire – A member of the IAFC Wildland Fire Policy Committee testified before the Congressional Bicameral Climate Change Task Force on the potential connection between climate change and increased wildland fire.
Emergency Communications – The IAFC submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to a notice about indoor location technology for 9-1-1 calls. The IAFC recommended that the FCC issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to update existing regulations on indoor location and that location technology must be readily deployable, easy to use and cost-effective for public-safety to use.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – The IAFC called on the Internal Revenue Service to express concerns and press for answers on unanswered questions about the impact of shared-responsibly provision on volunteer departments. IAFC President Bill Metcalf also formed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Task Force to examine the impact of the PPACA on the fire and emergency service.
What People Are Saying
"The [FRI 2013] workshops and programs were excellent! Also enjoyed the opportunity to meet with many of the sponsors and tour the exhibit area."
"A very happy [140th] birthday to all my colleagues around the world … This is a marvelous organization that has helped me to grow on a daily basis."
"My [IAFC] mentor and I have set educational goals and he is helping me as I prepare for my fire officer credentialing … Thank you for such a great program."
"I am happy to report that our local board of education has decided to use one of their two staff development days later this month for emergency management training. We will be providing instructors from fire and police to deliver an ICS refresher, then conduct a short tabletop exercise. I believe this is a result of the TReC program [training]."
"As a member of the IAFC for over 10 years now, I want to complement the IAFC […] for providing me as a fire chief a credible, current and detailed resource, as we all struggle to move the fire service over the coming years."
"[The IAFC board of directors] basically summarized the key points my organization are working on as we move forward. It was well written and organized very nicely and I have shared it with my city management team. Keep up the great work!"
—Reaction to the board of directors' findings in the On Scene article, "Defining Relevance for the Fire and Emergency Service in 2013"