During a recent meeting, the board of directors of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, in conjunction with the Volunteer & Combination Officers Section, voiced its support for firefighters who serving in multiple organizations, capacities and communities. IAFC went on to say that these individuals should not be forced by any organization to choose one specific avenue, or that these organizations restrict membership based on multiple service.

"When the exercise of the responsibility to serve a community involves choosing the fire and emergency service, the IAFC supports the rights of each individual to choose to serve in any capacity, whether in a volunteer, paid, or paid-on-call position," the IAFC wrote in its statement. "We further believe that individuals should have the right to engage in secondary employment, single or multiple volunteer activities, or a combination thereof on their own time so long as they do so in accordance with applicable laws…. When conflicts arise, we encourage fire and EMS departments — and other affected organizations — to work together in a constructive manner to resolve these conflicts at the local level. It is essential that those in the fire and emergency service maintain working relationships with individuals and organizations that protect our communities, even when there are differences of opinion or approach. It is equally important that we continue to collaborate and provide a united voice for the fire and emergency service. The IAFC encourages the entire fire and emergency service community to focus on our first priority, which is to provide for the safety and security of our citizens."