Leadership

May 17, 2013

Article

Fire Chief

How public-safety consolidation affects budgets, service

Public-safety consolidation has garnered greater attention as municipalities struggle with fiscal constraints. Will this lead to the end of fire services or an improved public-safety model where everyone speaks the same language?...More
May 16, 2013

Commentary

Chief of the Year Awards present opportunities to share good news

Bad news spreads faster than good news — and thanks to social media, it spreads in nano seconds. Whether a fire chief is accused of altering drug prescriptions, driving teens to prom on a fire truck or failing to perform during crisis response, millions know about it in the blink of an eye. But the fire and emergency service also is filled with good news and inspirational stories that I wish more people heard....More
May 16, 2013

Commentary

No-confidence vote in Boston fire chief shows cultural divide 2

Is it better to promote within to meet the cultural demands of a fire department, or should cities feel free to bring in outside people for new ideas?...More
May 16, 2013

Commentary

Successful succession is no accident

Business literature has numerous examples of successful businesses built on the model of visionary chief executive officer who drove the organization to high performance but neglected succession as part of his or her vision and responsibilities. These companies often floundered if not outright failed....More
May 15, 2013

Article

Fire Chief

Congress introduces Fire Police Fairness Act

H.R. 1828 clarifies that fire-police officers who perform traffic incident management duties as officially recognized or designated members of a legally organized public-safety agency qualify for the Public Safety Officers Benefit (PSOB)....More
May 14, 2013

News

Fire Chief

2013 Fire Chief of the Year nominations now open

FIRE CHIEF magazine is calling for nominations for its annual Fire Chief of the Year Awards. Established in 1996 and sponsored by Pierce Mfg., the awards recognize one volunteer fire chief and one career fire chief....More
May 14, 2013

Commentary

Fire Chief

Know your occupancies

Whenever a public assembly is standing-room only, there is the possibility of overcrowding -- and that can be either a real inconvenience or a total disaster....More
May 14, 2013

Commentary

Fire Chief

Taking the subjectivity out of psychological testing

Psychological testing can be valuable, and the use of standardized tests is important. But like any professionals, psychologists, can draw different conclusions from the same evidence....More
May 9, 2013

Commentary

Wish you were here

A sea of navy-and-gold uniforms filled the lobby of the Washington Hilton. Fire chiefs and officers gathered small groups to prepare for their meetings on the Hill with congressional leaders. There was an amazing buzz, as chiefs checked their notes and schedules before departing in taxis or shuttles....More
May 9, 2013

Article

Fire Chief

IAFC, IBHS call on Congress to pass Safe Building Code Incentive Act

This bill would provide qualifying states with an additional 4% of Stafford Act grant funding available for post-disaster assistance if builders and contractors use nationally recognized model building codes....More