Fairfax, Va. – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Foundation today announced it has received a $75,000 grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation. The IAFC Foundation provides first responders with educational opportunities they need to lead the fire service and to serve and protect our citizens.
The Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc., supports safety education and training programs for first responders, their families and the general public in the United States and Canada.
Through the grant, the IAFC Foundation will expand the reach of its Future Leaders Scholarship Programs and the IAFC’s Officer Development Programs (ODP), including the Company Officer Leadership Symposia (COLS), Chief Officer Leadership Symposia and Executive Chief Officer Leadership Symposia.
This is the second consecutive year that the IAFC Foundation will provide leadership training regionally to current and future fire service leaders thanks to the generous support of the Motorola Solutions Foundation.
In 2014, the IAFC Foundation partnered with the Henrico County Division of Fire and the Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department to offer ODP courses in Central Virginia and the Greater Atlanta areas, respectively. The sessions are providing leadership training to approximately 200 company officers.
The IAFC’s ODP-COLS is the first of it kind to provide leadership courses specifically created for developing fire and EMS leaders. Now in its ninth year, the program has trained more than 1,100 company officers, with many since becoming chief officers and fire chiefs.
In addition to regional officer-development training, the grant will contribute to the expansion of the Foundation’s Future Leaders program by awarding eight scholarships to first responders to help them continue their educational pursuits.
“We thank Motorola for its continued commitment to the IAFC Foundation’s initiatives to train the next generation of fire service leaders. With many departments having been forced to cut continuing education and tuition reimbursements from their operating budget, the ability to expand scholarships and to provide officer development training on a regional basis is more important than ever,” stated Anthony P. Campisi, president of the IAFC Foundation and president and CEO of Glatfelter Insurance Group.
He continued, “The Foundation is proud to be able to give back to the fire service and our local communities by financially supporting the future fire service leaders as they work to become well versed in the areas of human resources, finance and budgeting, strategic planning, leadership and management.”
“Motorola Solutions is dedicated to helping people be their best in the moments that matter,” said Matt Blakely, director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “The Motorola Solutions Foundation aligns itself with this mission by supporting programs like the IAFC Foundation that train future first-responder leadership on how to keep their communities safe in the most effective manner. We are proud to see these valuable programs make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work.”
Through its grants to public-safety charities, the Motorola Solutions Foundation serves as an investor, convener and supporter of issues that affect the public safety of communities worldwide, providing leadership to drive innovation and grow and engage the network of those interested in these issues.
The Motorola Solutions Foundation provides grants around the world with an emphasis on programming in communities where Motorola Solutions has a significant presence. For 85 years, Motorola has worked side-by-side with law enforcement to develop the solutions that support its mission. Since 2007, the foundation has provided over $25 million in grants to public safety organizations in the U.S and Canada.