IAFC Responds to Challenges With Collaborative Skills Training

How do modern fire departments develop the cohesive teams needed to protect and serve the community? International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the organization of leadership representing firefighters and emergency responders, needed a learning solution to train both paid and volunteer firefighters and first responders with the necessary skills to handle an increase in incidents and service call volume in their communities, all while maintaining elevated service standards.

The training had to prepare fire department personnel with the skill set needed to transition to combination teams, when necessary; build a collaborative team culture to effectively work together to protect and serve; and develop the interpersonal leadership skills to successfully conduct community outreach. The three learning solutions created had to be versatile and adaptable enough to be customizable, so that learners could choose to take courses as needed.

• Reduce the time it takes to transition from a volunteer department to a “combination” department
• Improve collaboration and bond between paid staff and volunteers
• Build a positive staff culture
• Increase the retention and recruiting fire personnel
• Increase the value and trust of IAFC among fire departments
• Increase the number of requests for training and consultation
• Increase the number of IAFC membership