IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Institute Available for 11th Year

UPDATE: The 2023 FSEDI application period is closed. Applicants will be notified in the near future.

Chantilly, Va. ‐ For the eleventh year, the IAFC received a grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation (MSF) to fund another year of the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI). FSEDI is a program developed by the IAFC to provide new and aspiring chiefs with the tools they need to have a successful and productive tenure.

Applications for the 2023 cohort program are due no later than 5 PM ET on January 19, 2023.

The Motorola Solutions Foundations awards grants each year to organizations such as the IAFC to support advanced public safety programs that support enhanced relationships and understanding between fire service organizations and the citizens they serve. The FSEDI program is designed to identify and support the next generation of fire service leaders which will help create safer towns, cities, and thriving communities.

“The Motorola Solutions Foundation is proud to partner with organizations like the IAFC that share our values and passion for driving positive change in the community,” said Karem Perez, executive director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “We believe in the work that the IAFC is doing and look forward to seeing their continued impact.”

The members of the previous ten sessions have been very successful in achieving promotions, fire chief positions, and appointments to regional, state and national fire service committees and task groups. Approximately one‐third of the previous class chief officers have achieved fire department fire chief positions or promotion to higher executive levels.

The year-long program is open to new (a year or less in the position) and aspiring (currently applying for chief positions or in the department's succession plan) chiefs who have demonstrated a commitment to career advancement and enhancing the fire‐EMS service through their leadership.

During the year, the members of the cohort meet three times for sessions conducted at a conference center in the Washington DC Metropolitan region. Experts from the fire and emergency service and the private sector cover topics such as ethics, leadership, emerging concepts in organizational design and delivery, effective use of science and data, budgeting and spend management, labor–management relations, diversity and inclusion and more. This program differs from other executive-level programs in the fire service in that the focus is on real-world and emerging issues on the subjects presented. There is also an emphasis on developing the individuals in the program as executives and creating professional networks.

One member of a recent FSEDI cohort said, “There is hardly a day that goes by where I don't draw from either the experience or cohorts to help my decision‐making process. This program is impacting the fire service for future generations.”

Members of the 2023 FSEDI cohort will have assignments to complete between sessions in addition to maintaining communications and networking via an online community. They will participate in mentoring and coaching opportunities. Members of the cohort will also be introduced to the members of the first ten programs as part of expanding their professional networks.