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FCAMSECTREAS
- Wed, May 22, 2013, 6:49 A
IAFC seeking new members for Terrorism and Homeland Security Committee
Get Involved: Seeking Applicants for IAFC Committee
Deadline to Apply: Friday, June 7
Fairfax, Va., May 21, 2013- The IAFC seeks new members for its Terrorism and Homeland Security Committee. This is a policy-oriented committee that provides direction and subject matter expertise on the fire and emergency service role in homeland security matters. The committee monitors current trends, policies and directives at all levels of government to provide appropriate guidance to all stakeholders. The committee is tasked with identifying and implementing projects and programs that support the IAFC's continued reputation as a trusted resource - to the fire service and beyond - on homeland security issues.
Qualifications and Application
All committee members must meet specific professional qualifications pertinent to the appointment and are expected to play an active role in the committee's activities. The committee chair will review all applicants before passing recommendations to IAFC President Hank Clemmensen. In addition to appropriate work experience, all committees strive to achieve geographic balance and diversity among committee members.
If you're interested in being considered for appointment, please submit a letter of interest with a resume and complete contact information to Joelle Fishkin, component relations manager, no later than Friday, June 7. Please name the committee in your cover letter.
New committee members are expected to attend the committee meeting at FRI 2013 in Chicago and begin participating on teleconferences immediately. The IAFC does not provide financial assistance for committee members to attend FRI.
Please note it's possible there will be no further IAFC committee openings in 2013.
Posted by
FCAMSECTREAS
- Sat, May 11, 2013, 6:23 A
Impressing the Community and Rallying Key Support Webinar
Impressing the Community and Rallying Key Support Webinar
Join us on Tuesday, June 4 at 11 am ET, as the IAFC presents a Fire-Rescue International (FRI) session preview, Impressing the Community and Rallying Key Support, with Dr. Pat Lynch, president of Business Alignment Strategies, Inc.
To truly convince the public of the fire service’s effectiveness, its leaders must make the first sale to themselves and to their members. That is, they must be able to articulate clearly the value they provide, take ownership of it and then communicate it persuasively to decision-makers and the community.
This workshop preview tackles the issue of optimizing organizational effectiveness and communicating the value provided to the community. Also covered in the webinar are issues you can begin to address immediately so you can hit the ground running once you learn the techniques presented during the workshop:
Identify what you are selling, that is, the value your department provides
Frame that value so the community recognizes and supports it
Address some of the obstacles that accompany innovation and change
Presenter:
Dr. Pat Lynch is a consultant, coach, and speaker who helps first responders maximize their performance by ensuring that people, programs, and processes are aligned with the organization’s mission. She is President of Business Alignment Strategies, Inc., a management consulting company in Long Beach, California.
Posted by
FCAMSECTREAS
- Tue, Feb 26, 2013, 5:58 A
Image Task Force Issues Report, Discussion Guide and Toolkit in One
New IAFC Resource Helps Fire Departments
Take Control of Their Public Image
Image Task Force Issues Report, Discussion Guide and Toolkit in One
Fairfax, Va., Feb. 25, 2013- The IAFC has launched the much-anticipated Taking Responsibility for a Positive Public Perception (pdf, 2mb), the result of the association's Fire and Emergency Service Image Task Force. The document offers, in equal parts, a frank and straightforward discussion of the issues surrounding public perceptions of our industry, and tools and resources to support local action to promote a positive public image.
"The positive image of the fire and emergency service is something we can't take for granted anymore," said Hank Clemmensen, IAFC president and chairman of the board. "The truth is, the only ones who can ensure we continue to enjoy a positive public perception is us."
This resource and toolkit is a mix of existing and new resources from the IAFC, other fire service organizations, private industry and local model practices and SOPs. They range from simple, no-cost, common-sense solutions to those that are more resource-intensive. A companion discussion group has been established on IAFC KnowledgeNet to encourage members to discuss the issues in the document and continue to build a library of resources.
"From the outset, the members of the Image Task Force didn't want to just point out problems," said Chief Steve Westermann, task force chair and IAFC president 2007-2008. "We felt it was critical to create something that moved us from talk to action. We wanted to get a discussion going on the root issues of the challenges we're facing and, more important, to define action steps that we can take individually and collectively to ensure a positive public image."
Westermann cautioned that there may be some who find the discussion in the document uncomfortable—perhaps even get angry—but that's OK. "There's nothing in this document that we don't already know, even if we don't want to admit it," said Westermann. "The important thing is to get us moving in the right direction."
As operational and cultural leaders of fire departments, Taking Responsibility for a Positive Public Perception (pdf) has much to offer chief officers. However, preserving the image of the fire and emergency service is not the work of only a few. "Preserving a positive public image is not something we fix and forget about," continued Clemmensen. "It's a daily and ongoing process by everyone on the team. This resource is meant to help get everyone pulling in the same direction."
Posted by
FCAMSECTREAS
- Tue, Dec 18, 2012, 7:06 A
Regional Wildland Fire Risk Analysis Reports Now Available
Regional Wildland Fire Risk Analysis Reports Now Available
Stakeholder Engagement Encouraged in Final Phase of the Cohesive Strategy
Fairfax, Va., Dec. 17, 2012- Regional Risk Analysis Reports identifying regional strategies for addressing wildland fire management risk in the United States are now available. The reports are a foundational element in the continuing work surrounding the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy)—a collaborative process to seek national, all-lands solutions to wildland fire management issues—now in its final phase.
The Regional Risk Analysis Reports were completed by three Regional Strategy Committees (RSC), each comprised of representatives from federal, state, local and tribal governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in wildland fire management. They contain key elements that can be integrated into strategies for addressing the shared goals of the Cohesive Strategy:
Resilient landscapes
Fire-adapted communities
Response to wildland fire
“Wildland fire management challenges for our fire departments are formidable and growing more complex given the diversity of our landscapes, demographics, and social values,” said Chief Hank Clemmensen, IAFC president and chairman of the board. “These challenges present the need to unite stakeholders in comprehensively identifying strategies for the future of fire management and the cohesive strategy process has given us that opportunity”.
Across the United States, the Regional Risk Analysis Reports were developed through a collaborative public process and apply science data to explore regionally specific approaches and options for wildland fire management. They have been designed as practical decision-support tools for wildland fire management agencies including local fire departments, non-governmental organizations and local communities.
The reports suggest how key options can be integrated into a strategy, and include:
Examples of how to braid federal, state, local and private interests
Ideas on how projects and funds can be better aligned and leveraged
Profiles of success that have blended experience to build stronger collaborations
Next Steps: Input Needed on Action Plans
During this third and final phase of the Cohesive Strategy development, the three RSCs will work with fellow stakeholders and partners to construct Regional Action Plans, building on foundational elements and momentum of the regional reports. Action Plans will define and document the actions intended for implementation over the course of the next five years.
“The recommendations and strategies identified in these reports can make lasting improvements to the safety of our communities and health of our landscapes,” continued Clemmensen. “It’s important that local fire chiefs continue to take part in the cohesive strategy process.”
The IAFC’s Wildland Fire Policy Committee (WFPC) is leading the association’s participation in the Cohesive Strategy programs. For more information on how to get involved contact the WFPC staff liaison or reach out to the chair of the RSG in your region.
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- Wed, May 22, 2013, 6:49 A
