The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) represents the leadership of firefighters and emergency
responders worldwide; our members are the world's leading experts in firefighting, emergency medical
services, terrorism response, hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, search and rescue, and public safety
policy. The goal is to provide an interactive, user-friendly, digital guide for delivering education, training, and
guidance on the administrative tasks associated with the volunteer fire service.
In 2015, the IAFC was awarded a grant from FEMA to help volunteer fire departments with recruitment. One
deliverable is the development of a handbook for the administrative guidance of a volunteer chief. The idea of a
printed “handbook” was quickly abandoned in favor of a site that allowed each particular fire officer to adapt
their needs into a plan. We have placed many of the resources needed to understand the non-operational
aspects of running a volunteer fire department. Our plan is to add to these periodically and continue to make
this site meet your needs.
Two Ways to Use the Site:
- Make your own login
- look through the all the resources
- choose those that will help you and your department
- add them to your plan
- come back to your plan to as often as you want to continue working on it
- check them off your plan as you finish with them
- View the resource library without a login
We hope you find this online “handbook” useful in understanding how important administration is to your
department and that you will contact us with questions, suggestions, and comments at
vws@iafc.org.