Fairfax, Va. – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) announced the names of the individuals who have been accepted into the fourth year program of the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI). Once Again Motorola Solutions Foundation has provided the IAFC with a grant to fund the program.
FSEDI is a year-long leadership-development program developed by the IAFC to provide new and aspiring chiefs with the tools they need to have successful and productive tenures. The members of the cohort will meet in March for their first six-day session in addition to two other sessions six months apart. The group will communicate between sessions using an online community.
“Motorola Solutions Foundation recognizes the how these challenging times require a new breed of leader to head our local fire departments and national fire service,” said Matt Blakely, director of Motorola Solutions Foundation. “The foundation is dedicated to helping support the education of these leaders to ensure they have the skills necessary to meet these complex and emerging issues confronting our communities.”
Those accepted into the program are:
- Deputy Chief Gregory Barton, Beverly Hills (Calif.) Fire Department
- Chief Andrew Baxter, Charlottesville (Va.) Fire Department
- Deputy Chief William Boos, City of Bend (Ore.) Fire Department
- Asst. Chief Pierre Brewton, City of Spartanburg (S.C.) Fire Department
- Chief Scott Bush, Hendersonville (Tenn.) Fire Department
- Chief John Butler, Howard County (Md.) Department of Fire & Rescue Services
- Executive Asst. Chief David Coble, Fort Worth (Texas) Fire Department
- Interim Chief Thomas Dwiggins, Chandler (Ariz.) Fire, Health and Medical
- Batt. Chief Dena Foose, Lompoc (Calif.) Fire Department
- Bureau Chief Connie Forster, Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Mounds View (SBM) (Minn.) Fire Department
- Chief Sam Greif, Plano (Texas) Fire-Rescue
- Chief David Haboush, Carmel (Ind.) Fire Department
- Asst. Chief Eric Hall, Des Peres (Mo.) Department of Public Safety
- Deputy Chief Stephanie Harpring, Decatur (Ga.) Fire Department
- Deputy Chief William Hyde, IL, Rogers (Ark.) Fire Department
- Deputy Chief David Jones, Addison (Texas) Fire Department
- Division Chief Matthew Knott, Rockford (Ill.) Fire Department
- Chief Jeremy Moore, Broken Arrow (Okla.) Fire Department
- Deputy Chief Christian Schmidt, Winnipeg (Canada) Fire Paramedic Service
- Capt. John Vanatta, Clinton Township (Mich.) Fire, Rescue, EMS
- Chief Dean Wrobbel, St. Cloud (Minn.) Fire Department
“Thanks to the generosity of the Motorola Solutions Foundation and the success of the first three years of the program, the IAFC is proud to make the Fire Service Executive Development Institute available to another group of emerging leaders,” said Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr, IAFC president and chair of the board. “Many who have completed the program have been successful in obtaining fire chief positions and contributing to the fire and emergency service at the national level.”
About the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
The IAFC represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency responders worldwide. IAFC members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety legislation. Since 1873, the IAFC has provided a forum for its members to exchange ideas, develop professionally and uncover the latest products and services available to first responders.
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