The Official Magazine of the International Association of Fire Chiefs The Trajectory of the American Fire Service Page 04 Officer Development Program Expansion Page 14 Community Risk Reduction Page 09 Report from Washington Page 16 And much more! Spring 2026Published For: INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS 8251 Greensboro Drive, Suite 650 McLean, VA 22102 Tel: 703.273.0911 www.iafc.org CEO and Executive Director Chief Donna Black Director of Marketing & Communications Olga Butler Published By: MATRIX GROUP PUBLISHING INC. 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Account Executives Ana Baez, Colleen Bell, Jackie Casburn, Chandler Cousins, Paolo Cruz, Rob Gibson, Wilma Gray-Rose, Jim Hamilton, Craig Hornell, Frank Kenyeres, Brendan Kidney, Sandra Kirby, Andrew Lee, Brian MacIntyre, Chad Morris, Lynn Murphy, Monique Simons Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design Cody Chomiak ©2026 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3 A Message from the IAFC President and Board Chair COVER STORY 4 The Trajectory of the American Fire Service FEATURES 7 Faster, Smarter Procurement for Fire-Rescue Leaders: A Practical 10-Step Guide 9 Community Risk Reduction: Literacy for Chief Officers 14 A New Way to Lead: IAFC and Columbia Southern University Expand Officer Development Program REPORT FROM WASHINGTON 16 Legislative Update: A Busy Agenda 18 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE IAFC 19 Meet Our New CEO 09 07 04 On the Cover: This issue’s main cover image features the City of Boulder’s new Fire Rescue, Station #3, a state-of-the-art fire station that was designed to improve response coverage to a rapidly growing community. Learn more from the architects, Davis Partnership Architects, at https:// davispartnership.com/projects/city-of- boulder-fire-station-3. Photo by Animish Kudalkar. The inset historic photo from 1985 shows a fire truck from Hahn Fire Apparatus, also known as Hahn Motors.Spring Fever... Comin’ In Hot! // A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT E very new season brings in challenges and opportunities. This is true for our fire and emergency services. New recruits, promotions, a change of organizational leadership — new can be exciting if you allow it to be. A new beginning does not mean leaving our traditions behind. It means building upon them to prepare the next generation to lead, educate, and serve. It means adapting to new ideas, new processes and, perhaps, new people. We have great expectations for our organization as we continue to move forward and upward. Collectively, our members represent the very best of fire and EMS leadership. As we turn the page and begin another chapter, we look A new beginning does not mean leaving our traditions behind. It means building upon them to prepare the next generation to lead, educate, and serve. forward to welcoming a new CEO, strengthening our infrastructure, and returning to a position of prominence and influence in the global fire service. This new chapter is about growth, relevancy, and speed. Our profession changes fast, and we need to catch up. It is about focused change that challenges us and helps shape a stronger future for our members and our communities. Together, we need to move forward, focused, united, and ready. Thank you for your leadership, your dedication, and your trust in the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The work ahead is important, and I am honored to lead it alongside you. Fire Chief Trisha Wolford IAFC President & Board ChairBy Jon Nevin, PhD, Deputy Fire Chief COVER STORY \\ The Trajectory of the American Fire Service: T he fire service holds a celebrated place in American communities. Whether staffed by volunteers, career personnel, or a combination, the United States has placed a unique level of reverence on these public servants. Half a century ago, America Burning, a landmark federal report on the severity of the nation’s fire problem, was released, and a call for action was delivered. In response, the fire service evolved into the modern institution familiar to Americans today, primarily focused on saving lives and property from fire. As fire prevention measures began to take hold, the proportion of fire calls started to decline. In its place was a widening of the scope to which the fire department began to respond. The fire service today is vastly different from 50 years ago, in terms of demands, costs, and outputs. How far have we shifted from the implied original objective of preserving and protecting life and property? Perhaps more importantly, where do current fire service leaders see us going? A CALL TO ACTION America Burning called out a fatal indifference to fire safety that had taken hold amongst citizens in the early 1970s; there were 12,000 fire-related deaths and organization. Seventy-three percent were from career organizations, and they represented organizations of all sizes, including 10 metropolitan agencies, 29 serving populations between 75,000 and 500,000, and the remainder serving agencies with populations under 75,000. The results of the survey showed the wide variety in different organizations and the communities they serve. When asked whether the respondents believed the fire service had shifted from its initial purpose of protecting life and property on a scale of 0 to 10 (0 meaning no, and 10 meaning yes), the most common answer was 0 (19%), as shown in Figure 1. However, the next most common answer was 7. Interestingly, those who had been in the fire service longer tended to answer more to the negative of whether we have drifted from our initial mission of protecting life and property. Respondents did show a bias towards believing that there had been a decrease in operational “readiness” for critical calls, due to the increase in call volume, as shown in Figure 2. Somewhat contrastingly, respondents strongly supported the “all-hazards” concept that the fire service has evolved into. More than half of respondents answered 8, 9, or 10 on the 0 to 10 scale (10 meaning yes). They overwhelmingly were against the opposite model in place in much of the rest of the developed world, where the fire service has a very narrow scope of what it provides. When asked whether it was the fire service’s responsibility to respond to low-acuity/non-emergency calls, there was no sense of agreement; those responding from larger departments generally responded that they did not believe it was the fire service’s responsibility. When asked about the number one change they would make to the fire service if they were able to, the a trend that won’t surprise anyone in the fire service. However, that is only one aspect of the overall change. The more significant, and often overlooked, transformation is in the growth of calls that fall into the “other” category, including false alarms. These two categories have seen a 700%+ growth in calls for service. These incidents, which can range from lift assists to non-emergency public service calls, have caused a huge draw on the system. The most important impact of these “other” calls for service is not the actual response itself, but the coverage gap that it causes thousands of times a day in communities across the United States. It is that gap in coverage that directly impacts the ability of the fire service to stand ready for its primary mission of responding to critical life and property-threatening emergencies. The fire service’s “can-do” attitude and desire to maintain an existential necessity has created the opportunity for substantial mission creep from the original objectives of only protecting life and property. Negative results of this may include the growth of firefighter mental health issues, financial challenges, and recruiting difficulties. Further, with the major role that the fire service now plays in prehospital emergency medicine, we also find ourselves entangled in an overwhelmed and often dysfunctional healthcare system. AT A CROSSROADS All of this begs the question, where are we going? The answer to this question is inevitably guided by today’s current fire service leaders. A recent survey of 88 current fire service leaders evaluated their perspectives on this topic. Of the respondents, the mean tenure in the fire service was 26.3 years, and 80% of the respondents were either fire chiefs or second in command of their over 300,000 injuries occurring annually. Adjusted for inflation, there was an estimated $20.53 billion in property loss and another $86.70 billion in associated direct and indirect costs being incurred annually. The report called for, and successfully achieved, a major decrease in these figures, the birth of modern fire prevention, and the development of the United States Fire Administration. This inflection point in the fire service was not occurring in a vacuum, either. A similar shift was occurring with the advent of modern EMS, and the development and proliferation of the 911 system. When the value of the fire service is evaluated, there are certain areas with undeniable return in value, while others are somewhat more difficult to identify. In general, these can be identified as those that are tied to fire prevention versus those that are tied to operational responses. The advent of the modern fire prevention movement, including fire code enforcement, inspections, and public education, has undeniably left its mark. Fifty years after the America Burning report, fire-related deaths per capita have dropped by 81.6%, and fire- related injuries per capita have fallen by 97.4%. Further, fires reported per capita have decreased by half. What hasn’t improved much is the cost of fire loss nationally. Adjusted for inflation and population growth, the estimated cost of fire loss has only decreased by 8.4%, despite the number of fires diminishing by half. Whether this is due to construction costs, fires burning hotter and faster, or response times lengthening, the question could be asked: Have we been successful in addressing the segment of the mission tasked with preserving property? BEYOND THE FIRE During these same five decades, EMS calls have risen by nearly 500%, Where Have We Come From and Where Are We Going?restoring public trust, strengthening communities, and inspiring the next generation to serve.” The results of the survey were as varied as the organizations represented by the respondents, and the adage held true, that “If you’ve seen one fire department, you’ve seen one fire department.” However, there were some identifiable trends that provided discussion on the sustainability of the current trajectory of the American fire service. The need to devise and implement an evolution to what role the fire service plays in EMS, as well as low-acuity calls for service, was repeatedly mentioned. One of the largest obstacles to any large-scale solution is the dichotomy that the ability to produce a scalable answer generally needs to first occur at the local level. But it is exactly that adaptive change at the local level that has been so elusive for municipal governments to implement. This results in a stalemate when looking to the other end of the spectrum, with a regional or federal directive to drive this, as the American fire service has largely operated in silos, driven by local needs. Perhaps one of the highlights of the survey findings was to hear from current fire service leaders that the fire service has maintained a consistent mission throughout the years, regardless of whether the mission may have broadened over time. Ultimately, as the mission-driven profession and the service-focused professionals that we are, we will continue to find solutions to support our original mission of protecting life and property. The survey and its findings were undertaken as part of the capstone research project from the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy. Jon Nevin, Ph.D., currently serves as a Deputy Fire Chief for a Southern California fire department and is also an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy. He is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Southern California and is graduating from the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program in April of 2026. •“The perceived change (to our primary mission) is detrimental to our mission of protecting lives and property; however, with more education…both tactical and leadership abilities can be enhanced, and fulfilling the all-hazards model can become less of a burden on an organization.” •“The American fire service stands at a crossroads. Tradition has carried us far, but transformation will carry us further. Our mission must evolve beyond fire suppression — it has to include leadership development, mental wellness, and community engagement as core competencies… I believe the fire service can lead the way in most common answer was to stop or alter non-emergency responses. The next most common answer was the development of a separate entity for alternative EMS delivery, to integrate community paramedicine and social interventions, without burdening the response capabilities of the fire service. Respondents voiced that financial imitations and political pressure were the primary reasons that have prevented them from making these changes in their own organizations. Comments that accompanied the surveys were broad and varied, including: •“We need to be the hub of community service.” Figure 1 (top) and Figure 2 show results from a recent survey of 88 fire service leaders. Do you believe the fire service has shifted its initial purpose of protecting life and property? Survey Response (0=No, 10=Yes) Survey Response (0=No, 10=Yes) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Do you believe that the increase in call volume has resulted in a decrease in operational “readiness” for critical calls?Minnesota law and publishes comprehensive procurement records. That said, your agency must confirm that a chosen contract meets your state, county, city, and internal procurement requirements and — when grants are involved — any funding-specific rules. Note: Sourcewell is a local unit of government under Minnesota state statute and competitively solicits and awards contracts. Purchasing agencies are responsible for performing due diligence and ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as specific funding requirements, in consultation with their legal counsel. STEP 4: ENGAGE YOUR LOCAL DEALER/DISTRIBUTOR OR MANUFACTURER REP Many of Sourcewell’s public safety contracts are fulfilled through local dealers/distributors or other authorized representatives. This enables, for example: •Apparatus and vehicle specification development; •PPE fitting and sizing; To confirm whether your agency is already registered, use the Participating Agency Lookup to find your agency and account number (www.sourcewell-mn.gov/lookup). STEP 2: MAP YOUR NEED TO AN AWARDED CONTRACT Translate your requirement (for example, Type 1 pumper, station alerting, turnout gear) into a contract search. Search by category or supplier to find awarded contracts covering: •Fire apparatus; •PPE and uniforms; •Training and simulation; •Communications and alerting; •Software and technology; •And many more. Each contract listing includes the contract number, scope, terms, and documentation to simplify due diligence. You can search awarded contracts online (www.sourcewell-mn. gov/contract-search). STEP 3: VALIDATE COMPLIANCE (DOCUMENT ONCE, REUSE OFTEN) Sourcewell competitively solicits and awards contracts under F ire-rescue leaders juggle urgent operational needs with rigorous procurement rules. One proven way to deliver on both is to use competitively solicited cooperative contracts stewarded by a government entity. Sourcewell is such an entity. It is a Minnesota service cooperative established by statute as a local unit of government, authorized to solicit, evaluate, and award contracts that agencies across the United States and Canada can use. As a hub for government-to-government solutions, Sourcewell support 50,000+ government agencies annually to purchase a wide variety of products and services through more than 900 competitively awarded contracts (with more than 200 of these contracts specific to public safety), covering everything from office supplies to fire apparatus, accessible to government, education, and many non- profit organizations. For fire chiefs, city managers, and procurement officials who need to move fast without compromising compliance or transparency, here is a 10-step, education-first process you can apply immediately. STEP 1: CONFIRM YOUR AGENCY’S ELIGIBILITY Access to Sourcewell by fire/EMS agencies is broad and free. Government entities, education institutions, and many nonprofits can register at no cost and no obligation to purchase. // FEATURE Faster, Smarter Procurement for Fire-Rescue Leaders: By Sourcewell A Practical 10-Step Guidecompare configurations, delivery timelines, warranty and service, and lifecycle cost and value This preserves competition and choice while maintaining a clear audit trail. STEP 7: REFERENCE THE CONTRACT AT PURCHASE When your governing body authorizes the purchase, ensure the Sourcewell contract number appears on the PO and award memo. This anchors your file to the competitive record for future audits. STEP 8: PLAN DELIVERY, INTEGRATION, AND TRAINING Coordinate with your dealer/ distributor and internal teams as applicable on: •Lead times and production schedules; •Installation/delivery; •Acceptance testing; •System integration; and •Training for operators and administrators. STEP 9: CAPTURE OUTCOMES (TIME, EFFICIENCY, COST) Track procurement days saved, avoided bid costs, and relevant price advantages from contract pricing. These metrics support after-action reviews and demonstrate stewardship to councils, supervisors, boards of directors, and the community. STEP 10: INSTITUTIONALIZE THE WORKFLOW Adopt a simple decision gate: 1.Check for an existing competitively awarded cooperative contract. 2.If a suitable contract exists, use it. 3.If not, proceed with your own solicitation or monitor upcoming cooperative bids. This approach shortens purchasing timelines and optimizes staff efficiency while maintaining compliance and transparency. Learn more at www.sourcewell- mn.gov/public-safety/fire-rescue, or contact their team directly with questions via phone 877-585-9706 or email at service@sourcewell-mn.gov. •Needs statement, specifications, and approvals; or •Compliance exhibits (statute references, grant clauses if applicable). These documents are readily available on Sourcewell’s website and significantly reduce effort on future procurements. STEP 6: COMPARE AWARDED OPTIONS FOR BEST OVERALL VALUE When multiple suppliers are awarded within a category, you may request contract-based quotes to •System installation (communications technologies, software, alerting); and •Ongoing service and warranty support. STEP 5: BUILD A DEFENSIBLE PROCUREMENT FILE Create a standardized procurement packet that can be reused, such as •Sourcewell master agreement (contract number, term, scope); •Supplier quote referencing the Sourcewell contract;drive efficient community safety initiatives, one might wonder why adoption of strategic CRR has been slow. WHY CRR STILL STRUGGLES FOR FULL ADOPTION In many spaces, CRR sits as a specialized, siloed program where it should be positioned as an essential skill for leaders in emergency services. A shift is evident. CRR is embedded throughout the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and is now a major technical competency in the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s Chief Fire Officer M odern emergency services agencies face an ongoing cascade of exciting innovations. Chief officers are challenged to sift through the noise and distinguish between industry trends that deserve attention and those that will become yesterday’s faded buzzword. Community Risk Reduction (CRR) has been knocking at the doors of fire departments for well over a decade and has integrated with varying levels of success throughout many public safety agencies. Positioned as a tool to boost impact of interventions, protect first responders, and // FEATURE Community Risk Reduction: Literacy for Chief Officers By Landon A. Churchill and Karen Berard-Reed Continued on page 12 Karen Berard-Reed, M.Ed., National Fire Protection Association Landon Churchill, Harris County ESD No. 7Next >