The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association — a section of both the International Association of Fire Chiefs and National Fire Protection Association— held its 2011 annual conference in Charlotte, N.C., last week. At the meeting, the association passed a resolution against federal funding cuts for fire and emergency service-related programs within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including the AFG and SAFER programs, the Urban Areas Security Initiative, the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Metropolitan Medical Response System.

They also passed the NFPA fire sprinkler initiative and Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, the National Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation and the allocation of the D Block communications spectrum to public safety in order to create of a national public safety broadband network.

The IAFC also recognized Chief Richard "Smokey" Dyer of the Kansas City (Kan.) Fire Department with the Metropolitan Fire Chief of the Year Award and Chief Glenn Gaines, USFA acting administrator, with the Lifetime Achievement Award.