Company Officers Section - IAFC

10/02/2026

🚨Applications for the National Fire Academy’s NEW Managing Officer Program open November 2!

This is a great professional development opportunity for current and aspiring company officers looking to take the next step in their leadership journey.

Applications will be accepted through November 30 or until 500 applications are received. Check out the details below and start preparing now! 🚒

The National Fire Academy’s NEW Managing Officer Program will accept applications November 2 – November 30, 2026 or when 500 applications are received.
For full eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit our program webpage at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/programs/managing-officer/

09/15/2026

The Company Officers Section continues to stay engaged, learn, and help move the fire service forward.

Board Member Joe Flick is representing the Section at the U.S. Fire Administration Summit on Fire Prevention and Control, presenting on firefighter safety and health.

Also on campus this week is Board Secretary Ashley Engler, who is continuing her professional development by attending a course at the National Fire Academy.

Whether presenting, learning, or simply sitting down with others for a conversation, your CO Section Board continues to be proactive in making the fire service better. We believe progress comes from staying involved, sharing experiences, listening to others, and bringing those lessons back to the company officers we serve.

If you see Joe or Ashley this week, take a moment to say hello and start a conversation. That is how connections are made, ideas are shared, and our fire service continues to grow.

09/09/2026

Looking for free recruitment resources for your department?

IDEX Fire & Safety has developed a free recruitment toolkit with resources and materials designed to help fire departments strengthen their recruitment efforts and connect with the next generation of firefighters.

It’s great to see organizations within the fire service recognize the recruitment challenges departments are facing and step up with practical resources that departments can put to use.

Check out the toolkit and see what resources may work for your department!

Fire departments can't protect communities without people to answer the call.

Departments across the country are working hard to recruit the next generation of firefighters, EMTs, and volunteers.

That challenge affects every community they serve.

At IDEX Fire & Safety, we're committed to supporting the fire service beyond the emergency scene.

That's why we've developed a free Recruitment Toolkit filled with resources to help departments attract and retain the talent they need.

Because the future of the fire service depends on the people willing to serve.

Explore the toolkit at the link below.
🔗 https://ow.ly/xo3l50ZIfLK

08/18/2026

Congrats, Chief Steve Locke !

🎉 Congratulations to Chief Steven Locke of the South Burlington Fire Department (VT) on being installed as the 150th President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs during Fire-Rescue International 2026 in Kansas City.

Joining him on the IAFC Executive Committee are Chief Ernest Malone (Indianapolis, IN), First Vice President, and Chief Mike Snider (Lee's Summit, MO), Second Vice President. We also extend our sincere thanks to Immediate Past President Chief Trisha Wolford for her exceptional leadership and service.

📖 Read the official press release: https://www.iafc.org

08/16/2026

was an incredible experience!

The team at the IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs did an amazing job putting together another outstanding Fire-Rescue International. A huge thank you to everyone behind the scenes who made it happen, and to Kansas City Fire Chief Craig N. Buckley for being such a great host to everyone in attendance.

It was also a BIG year for company officers! This year’s conference featured 20 company officer-focused educational sessions, with several COS board members and members presenting, including sessions within the Officer Development Program (ODP).

🏆 We also had an incredible night recognizing Lt. Al Green as the Company Officer of the Year, followed by another unforgettable FailFest!

HUGE thank you to our sponsors and partners who helped make the Company Officer of the Year celebration and FailFest possible:

US Digital Designs, Inc. | Honeywell Technologies | General Motors / OnStar
And a special thank you to GAME Apparel for creating a classic, American-made custom jacket; Mike Jaffa for the absolutely mind-blowing custom belt buckle; and Custom Helmet Shields for the handmade helmet shield presented to Lt. Green.

We also welcomed four new members to the Company Officers Section Board! We have a great group of people committed to supporting and developing company officers, and we are really excited about what this team has ahead of us.

FRI continues to be one of the best opportunities in the fire service to learn, reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and invest in the future of our profession. As a reminder, you don't need to be a chief to be part of the IAFC!!

Already looking forward to !

08/13/2026

Several of the Company Officers Section - IAFC members presented at FireRecue International 2026 this year. Here, Battalion Chief Sean Cummings is presenting on GIS for the Right Front Seat with Mike Cox and Esri. Great job, Sean!

08/11/2026

🔥 The Company Officers Section is BUSY at FRI!

Our Board members have been hard at work since Saturday—meeting, connecting, sharing ideas, and getting things done for company officers across the fire service.

🎥 Keep an eye out for Chair Brian Morrison, Secretary Ashley Engler, and Board Member Jesse Schilling on IAFC TV as they talk about what’s happening within the Company Officers Section and what’s ahead!

If you’re at FRI, make sure you stop by the Company Officers Section booth and say hello. And if you see one of our Board members in the hallway, at a session, on the Expo floor, or anywhere during your FRI travels—stop us and have a conversation!

FRI is about more than classes and the Expo. It’s about connections, conversations, and bringing ideas back home that make us better company officers and better leaders.

🔥 Stop by. Say hello. Get connected. Get involved.

08/10/2026

🚒 FIREFIGHTERS & COMPANY OFFICERS — MAKE THE MOST OF FRI 2026! 🚒

Heading to Fire-Rescue International 2026? The IAFC Company Officers Section Company Officer Task Book is your guide to getting more out of your FRI experience.

https://fri2026.eventscribe.net/aaStatic.asp?SFP=UUZHRlRWTUdAMjc0MzdAQ29tcGFueSBPZmZpY2VyIFRhc2tib29r&fbclid=IwY2xjawTmtN9wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6ECjPODMcg93lBkMRad8AZ4nNXjWmP2xtcvmudMppjui0lO32Oq3S-GHIGDQ_aem_qrFPglYJRaz94jIGM68naw

📘 WHAT IS THE COMPANY OFFICER TASK BOOK?

Designed specifically for Firefighters and Company Officers attending FRI 2026, the Task Book helps you navigate the conference and steer your experience toward courses, education, and professional development opportunities that fit your rank and your future in the fire service.

🔥 COMPLETE THE TASK BOOK — EARN FREE IAFC MEMBERSHIP!

Participants who successfully complete the Company Officer Task Book will receive:

✅ FREE International Association of Fire Chiefs Affiliate Membership through December 2026

✅ FREE membership in the IAFC Company Officers Section through December 2026

This is your opportunity to turn your FRI experience into more than just a conference. Build your knowledge. Expand your network. Invest in your leadership development. And become part of the IAFC community.

👨‍🚒 Firefighter today.
🚒 Company Officer tomorrow.
🔥 Fire service leader for the future.

Take the challenge. Complete the Task Book. Join the IAFC.

Learn more about the FRI 2026 Company Officer Task Book:
Company Officer Task Book – FRI 2026

https://fri2026.eventscribe.net/aaStatic.asp?SFP=UUZHRlRWTUdAMjc0MzdAQ29tcGFueSBPZmZpY2VyIFRhc2tib29r&fbclid=IwY2xjawTmtN9wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6ECjPODMcg93lBkMRad8AZ4nNXjWmP2xtcvmudMppjui0lO32Oq3S-GHIGDQ_aem_qrFPglYJRaz94jIGM68naw

08/06/2026

Check out the article on page 10 in this edition of the IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs iChiefs Magazine entitled "Holistic Succession in the Fire Service" from our very own board member, Jesse Schilling! Great read, and well done Jesse!