IAFC Welcomes Executive Fire Officers as Official Section

Fairfax, Va. – The organization formerly known as the National Society of Executive Fire Officers (NSEFO) has received unanimous approval from the IAFC board of directors to become an official section of the IAFC. IAFC sections provide specialized opportunities for members to network and share information with those of similar fire service interests and strengthen the collective voice of the IAFC.

The Executive Fire Officers (EFO) Section will work to create a professionally recognized leadership environment in which all executive fire officers possess the appropriate combination of formal higher education, on-the-job experience and nationally, regionally and locally recognized credentials so they can lead the fire service through an ever-changing emergency-response environment.

According to EFO Section Chair Patrick Kelly (fire director and chief, Cherry Hill (N.J.) Fire Department), the EFO Section will work with elected and appointed officials to help educate them on the need for professional and contemporary executive leadership as they develop their local fire/EMS departmental management teams.

"On behalf of the board of directors of NSEFO, I want to thank the IAFC board of directors for working with us on our application to become the new Executive Fire Officers Section," Kelly said. "We look forward to a long and productive relationship where we can raise up the requirements and expectations set forth for current and future executive fire officers."

"This has been a challenging but rewarding two-year initiative that has been wholeheartedly supported by our membership," Kelly continued. "Now that the foundation has been laid and this new section created, we look forward to working together to realize our mission as we begin to formulate the relationships and programs required to make the EFO Section successful."

IAFC President and Chairman of the Board Bill Metcalf welcomed EFO as a new IAFC section. "Having executive fire officers as an official IAFC section strengthens our voice inside and outside the fire service and will help us achieve our mission, which is to provide leadership throughout the United States and the international community through information, education, services and representation," Metcalf said.

Now that the EFO Section is officially established, NSEFO as an organization no longer exists.

Learn more about EFO Section membership online or contact IAFC Member Services at 1-866-385-9110 or membership@iafc.org.

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