IAFC Board Update

*UPDATED* – The IAFC Board Update has been modified to render properly on all devices. Please see below.

The New England Division of the IAFC and the IAFC as a whole have endorsed the FirstNet Authority’s reauthorization. In partnership with the PSBTA (Public Safety Broadband Technology Association), a petition is being distributed to assist with the process within Congress. The reauthorization of the FirstNet is imperative to public safety, we are asking that you please sign the petition.

The Elections Committee consists of one representative from each IAFC division. The committee administers the elections process set forth in Section III of the IAFC Constitution and Bylaws, including onsite elections.

Meet your 2025 Candidates

Key Dates

April 23	Candidate platforms/profiles in member publication and election website
May 4	Proposed constitutional changes on elections website
May 15	Voting opens
May 17	Voting eligibility cut-off (new members & renewals)
June 10	Voting ends
June 25	Voting results received
June 26	Elections subcommittee reviews results
July 12	Unofficial results shared with membership
July 13	2026 candidates requesting booth space at FRI 2025 Candidates to be installed confirm eligibility for installations at General Session
August 12	Elections Committee reviews results
August 14	Official results presented at business meeting
August 15	Installation of officers (at General Session)

The National Fire Academy remains closed. In March, the Trump Administration temporarily closed the National Fire Academy (NFA) for in-person training to align the courses at the NFA with Trump Administration priorities. Please ask your Senators and Representatives to contact the White House and ask President Trump to reopen the NFA.

Many of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) staff were laid off. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began to undergo a major reorganization, resulting in the termination of many of the NIOSH staff. This action shut down the NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory. The National Firefighter Registry for Cancer also suffered from major layoffs, and firefighters could no longer submit their information to the portal. The World Trade Center Health program remained open for medical screening, but most of the research reportedly was curtailed.

What is going on with the FEMA Grants? The IAFC spent a few weeks trying to find the status of the Department of Homeland Security’s grant programs. At this point, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is conducting a manual review of grant disbursements from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S), and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. The reviews are meant to ensure that FEMA grant payments are aligned with the direction of DHS Secretary Noem.

The peer review process took place for the AFG grants funded by Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funds. However, no awards have been announced yet. In addition, the application period for the FY 2024 SAFER and FP&S grants has not started yet.

It is important to note that disbursements are through the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP). Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG), and Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) will be reviewed by DHS. Secretary Noem and FEMA decided that payments through these programs have a high likelihood of grant disbursements to non-governmental organizations with an immigration nexus and/or meet sanctuary jurisdiction restrictions. FEMA will conduct an assessment and provide recommendations to DHS on whether payments should be denied or approved. FEMA will use the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) list of sanctuary jurisdictions and note any jurisdictional restrictions.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to vote on H.R. 973, the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act. The bill would authorize the Consumer Product Safety Commission to set safety standards for lithium-ion batteries and their charging components in e-bikes and other micro-mobility devices.Representative Mike Carey (R-IN) introduced legislation (H.R. 2538) to create a pilot program so that Medicare would reimburse for Treatment in Place. The bill would allow the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reimburse EMS and fire-based EMS agencies for providing treatment to Medicare patients on scene, even if the patient was not transported to the hospital.

IAFC members who have communications infrastructure (e.g. radio systems, data systems, etc.) utilizing wireless frequencies in the 4.9 GHz spectrum band, must register their systems with the FCC.

As a reminder, the IAFC has been a strong advocate for better utilization of this spectrum, but we want to make sure that anyone already utilizing this spectrum (e.g. incumbents) is recognized and protected. If you are an incumbent license holder in the 4.9 GHz band, and your active license is under the radio service code PA, please follow the steps outlined below. The IAFC can assist with this FCC requirement.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established a deadline for granular data collection for public safety licenses using the 4.9 GHz band. Licensees must update their granular data in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) by June 9, 2025. To facilitate further use of the 4.9 GHz band, the FCC has outlined a process to collect information from public safety users of this radio spectrum.

• Review your current 4.9 GHz licenses and file the detailed requested information with the FCC’s ULS.
• Data must be filed under one of the two new radio service codes:
  • Download and review the FCC’s Public Notice which provides detailed instructions on how public safety license holders can update their licenses.
  • PB using the Schedule D and H form. Licensees utilizing 4.9 GHz for base/mobile, mobile-only or temporary fixed operations.
  • PF (fixed link users) using Schedule I form. Licensees utilizing 4.9 GHz for fixed point to point, or point-to-multi-point operations.
• After the required information is submitted, you will be issued a new radio service code (PB or PF) for your 4.9 GHz license. Subsequently, if you do not cancel your active PA license, the FCC will automatically cancel them after June 9, 2025.

The IAFC Frequency Coordination Office-(PSCA) is available to process your license updates.

 This required process will allow the FCC to proceed with the selection of a 4.9 GHz band manager, which will enter a nationwide overlay license with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). The 4.9 GHz band manager will use this granular data to identify underutilized areas in the 4.9 GHz band.

One volunteer and one career chief to be honored at FRI 2025 in Orlando, Florida

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Fire Chief of the Year Awards. Since 1996, this prestigious award has recognized one volunteer and one career fire chief for their leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, public service, and contributions to the fire service.

The IAFC presents the Fire Chief of the Year award in proud partnership with Pierce Manufacturing. The program’s media partner is FireRescue1 by Lexipol.

The full scope of a nominee’s fire service activities and accomplishments will be considered during the selection process; special emphasis will be placed on the period from 2022 through 2024. A nominee’s command role at a specific incident, while relevant, will not be enough to place that individual into contention for the award.

For the purposes of this program, a volunteer fire chief is defined as one who earns his or her principal livelihood by some means other than serving as a fire chief, even if the position of chief carries some compensation. A career fire chief is one who earns his or her principal livelihood as a fire chief.

Nominations will be accepted through the online nomination form from any division, section or member of the IAFC. In addition, nominations will be accepted from members of any state association of fire chiefs and other designated fire service organizations. For a complete list of authorized nominating organizations and other award criteria information, visit the IAFC’s Fire Chief of the Year webpage. All nominations are reviewed by a committee of IAFC members.

The 2025 nomination period closes May 9, at 11:59 PM ET. Winner and regret notifications will be issued in July.

The winners will be announced Monday, August 11, and honored onstage at the 2025 Fire-Rescue International conference in Orlando, Florida.For more information, please contact Olga Butler, Director of Communications at (571) 647-6930 or obutler@iafc.org.

IAFC’s most prestigious award recognizes spirit of service, courage, and heroism within the fire and emergency service.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Ben Franklin Award for Valor. This program is named for one of the first fire chiefs in the United States, Benjamin Franklin. An inventor, statesman and humanitarian, Mr. Franklin was a prime contributor to the wealth of tradition that symbolizes the fire and emergency service worldwide.

Presented annually at Fire-Rescue International (FRI) by the IAFC and Motorola Solutions, the award honors a firefighter(s) for their expert training, professional service and dedication to duty displayed via actions that saved human life. Equally importantly, the program helps raise public awareness and support for the fire and emergency service.

“Motorola Solutions is proud to sponsor the esteemed 2025 IAFC Ben Franklin Award for Valor. The bravery, commitment, and heroic actions highlighted in these stories of service and protection are unparalleled,” said Frank Galvin, President of Central Region Sales at Motorola Solutions. “We are honored to be involved in recognizing such an extraordinary individual with this award.”

All active firefighters, career or volunteer, are eligible for award consideration, whether the event occurred while on or off duty. They must be nominated by their fire chief during the time of the incident.

An individual or a team of up to four may be nominated. The chief must submit the nomination via the nomination link. The incident must have occurred between April 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, to qualify for consideration. All nominations are reviewed by a committee of IAFC members.

The 2025 nomination period closes May 9, at 11:59 PM ET. Winner and regret notifications will be issued in July.

The winners will be announced Monday, August 1, 2025, and honored on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at Fire-Rescue International in Orlando, Florida. For more information, please contact Olga Butler, Director of Communications at (571) 647-6930 or obutler@iafc.org.

1. Fire-Rescue Med is May 5-7 in Las Vegas: https://frm2025.eventscribe.net/index.asp?launcher=1

2. Community Risk Reduction is May 13-15 in Glendale: https://crrl2025.eventscribe.net/

1. NEAFC EXPO Mohegan Sun, CT October 29-31