IAFC Unveils New Technology Council Initiative
The International Association of Fire Chiefs has created the IAFC Technology Council, the vision of which is to advance the fire and emergency services and allied agencies to be on the leading edge of technological adaptation. It will serve as a knowledge base for technological developments that affect the fire and emergency services.
The council will work to promote an environment that encourages and supports innovation to drive the adoption, adaptation and acceptance of technological solutions within a standards-based, interoperable framework. Development funding was provided by ESRI, Inc.
The council, while serving the needs of the fire and emergency service foremost, will provide a forum for information and knowledge exchange among many different stakeholders, including fire chiefs and their staff, public-safety organizations and vendors.
"As I travel the country speaking with fire chiefs, technology and how to use it is an issue that we consistently face," said IAFC President Chief Steven P. Westermann, CFO. "The council will bring answers to the fire service."
The council will be chaired by Fire Chief Charles L. Werner, EFO/CFO of Charlottesville, Va. Council members come from a diverse background of departments, regions and talents, officials said.
"I'm looking forward to the council's continued growth," said Chief Werner. "The council is working hard to meet the needs of the fire service by engaging with manufacturers, research and development agencies and every fire-service organization."
The work of the council will be divided among subcouncils, with the following goals:
- National policy: to support the adoption of standardized policies and procedures.
Model framework: to support the development and refinement of standards. - Best practices: to be an information source on current and emerging technologies and their applications.
- Education and training: to support the creation of a national training curriculum.
- Outreach and advocacy: to educate the fire and emergency service to a higher level of understanding.