Second VP Candidate Chief Steven Locke

Candidate Profile

Steven Locke currently serves as the Fire Chief for the City of South Burlington, Vermont. Chief Locke began his fire service career over 35 years ago as a volunteer in his hometown. In 1992 he was appointed a full-time firefighter/EMT for the Town of Hartford, being promoted to Fire Chief in 2008. In 2016, after 24 years of service in Hartford, Locke was appointed the Fire Chief for the City of Burlington, the largest department in the State of Vermont. In 2022 Locke moved across town to South Burlington to help rebuild a fire department looking to modernize.

Chief Locke was elected to represent Vermont on the New England Division of the IAFC Board of Directors in 2009, and in 2015 began his term as President. The following year, Chief Locke was elected to a three-year term as the International Director to the IAFC Board representing the New England Division.

In 2019 Chief Locke was sworn in as the Treasurer of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The position of treasurer is for a three-year term and Locke was re-elected in 2022. Locke currently is one of the most senior members of the IAFC Board of Directors and brings extensive institutional knowledge.

Chief Locke is a strong believer in fire service excellence taking his department through the accreditation process with the Commission of Fire Service Accreditation (CFAI) and remains a team leader assessing other agencies going through the process. Finally, he served as chair of the Commission of Professional Credentialing and remains a team leader for CFAI. Chief Locke holds a master’s degree in executive fire service leadership, is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program and is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Candidate Platform

Serving on the IAFC Board of Directors since 2016 and the Treasurer since 2019 makes Chief Locke uniquely qualified to hold the position of 2nd Vice-President. Chief Locke believes it is the Divisions, Sections and Committees that are the heart of the Association, and that the principal officers along with the remaining members of the Board of Directors are responsible for advocating and supporting the membership. Additionally, the IAFC spent considerable time engaging stakeholders in the development of a comprehensive strategic plan, and it is imperative that the elected officers support the continued implementation of this plan as a priority.

Chief Locke has led through some of the most challenging financial times the IAFC has faced in recent memory. Shortly after being elected Treasurer, it was discovered that for the previous two fiscal years, the Association’s combined expenses had exceeded its revenues by approximately 3.5 million dollars. While there was no malfeasance, this overspending depleted most of the IAFC’s reserves and the established line of credit which was supposed to be used for managing cash flow was maxed out. Working with the new CEO, Locke presented a financial plan to the Board of Directors that would restore IAFC’s assets and ensure the Association remained strong. As of December 2023, all the above-mentioned losses have been restored and an additional million dollars has been placed in a Board designated reserve fund to support new initiatives for our members. Chief Locke will continue to lead the IAFC the same way he has served as a IAFC Board member, Fire Chief and labor leader; always willing to listen, have tough conversations and a willingness to make difficult decisions. Serving the IAFC is an honor and a privilege, and the focus must always be on the members. Thank you for your support.

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