A recent article in the Chicago Tribune featured the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Not far from Little Rock, the public can visit the park and dig among the field for real diamonds, keeping what they find. The area is churned up every so often to allow potential prospectors the chance to find a real gem. While some finds are fairly small, once in awhile a good-size diamond is discovered.

I'm fascinated by this state park and thought about its diamond fields frequently last month. The recent deaths of Frank Brannigan, Ed McCormack Jr. and Tom Brennan were each accompanied by some valuable memories and insight. Each man forged his path through words and actions, and each was responsible for producing some real gems for firefighters and emergency responders.

Each man dug in and invested in the future of the fire service. Brannigan, while an engineer, had a lifelong commitment to reducing fireground fatalities through education and the written word. McCormack, a former fire chief and creator of the Massachusetts Fire Academy, was a visionary who knew no boundaries. He jump-started many careers while he was executive director of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and the Fire Department Instructors' Conference. Brennan, former firefighter and editor of Fire Engineering, shared lessons learned by the fire service with the fire service.

A new generation of leaders is maturing. Under development for over two decades, the fruits of that labor are obvious. The Executive Fire Officer Program has become the preeminent professional development program for senior fire executives. Recently expanded to a four-year program, this is one of the precious diamonds at the National Fire Academy.

The annual Executive Fire Officer Symposium is more than just a reunion of the over 3,000 EFO graduates, it's an invitation to come home for a weekend of seminars, networking and challenges. A sort of exercise program for the brain, last month 180 chiefs and senior fire officers from across the country gathered at the National Fire Academy to hear carefully selected presentations designed to reawaken brain cells.

I had the opportunity to visit the 18th annual symposium, and the presentations were more dynamic than I expected. Honestly, I really wasn't prepared for some of what I found. EFO Director Chuck Burkell, NFA Superintendent Denis Onieal and Dr. Burton Clark definitely know how to prod the returning graduates into looking forward and prepare for the future.

If you haven't participated in the Executive Fire Officer Program, don't stop reading just yet. This year's symposium offered a blend of personal development, leadership-skill challenges and updates on new technology that were an insightful peek into the future.

The Executive Fire Officer Program might pose challenges to attend, whether financial restrictions, time constraints or other reasons. However, that doesn't mean that you can't ask your state training institutions or chief officers association for some higher-level programs. Pair up with a local college or university and tap into the future. Knowledge has no boundaries, and life should be an educational process.

There will never be enough money to fund the National Fire Academy, the state fire academies or your own department. So what's new? As I warned in an editorial several years ago when the FIRE Grant program began, stop looking to the government for handouts. Bill and Melinda Gates are more likely to donate several million dollars for more long-distance training at the National Fire Academy than the federal government.

According to the Crater of Diamonds State Park Web site, you can't always tell right away if you've found a diamond. It takes a lot of digging, hard-work and an expert eye. The Executive Fire Officer Program is an excellent blueprint for unearthing diamonds.