National Volunteer Fire Council

In-Person - Leadership for the Fire & Emergency Services and Incident Safety Officer Training
2025-12-06 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | New River Community College, 5251 College Drive, Dublin, VA, 24084, United States
Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services
Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
Incident Safety Officer
The NVFC’s Incident Safety Officer (ISO) training will give students an overview of the role of an ISO and cover communications and safety, as well as the practical application of this information. Please note, this is not an ISO certification program.

Roundtable Talk - From Search to Submission: Navigating the Grant Process
2025-12-11 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Grants can provide vital support for volunteer fire and EMS departments, helping to fund everything from training and equipment to community programs. However, finding the right opportunity and submitting a competitive application takes planning. In this NVFC Roundtable Talk, a panel of experts will share practical strategies, personal experiences, and lessons learned to help departments locate funding sources, understand requirements, and strengthen their overall grant approach. This roundtable talk is sponsored by Snap-tite Hose.

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2025-12-13 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Sedgewickville Station 1/Firehouse 1, 18645 State Highway EE, Sedgewickville, MO, 63781, United States
As the number of electric vehicles on the roadways increases, it is important for first responders to understand how a response involving these types of vehicles is different than those with an internal combustion engine. This awareness and fundamentals course will introduce first responders to hybrid and electric vehicles, share data and resources, and equip first responders with the knowledge and tools to respond more safely when a hybrid or electric vehicle is involved in an incident. This training will require space outside for a hands-on component with an electric vehicle.
Instructor: Jeff Romines

In-Person - Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success
2025-12-13 08:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Central Crossing FPD Headquarters, 23463 State Highway 39, Shell Knob, MO, 65747, United States
The NVFC published the textbook Volunteer Fire Service Culture – Essential Strategies for Success as a guide to fire service leaders who desire to change their department’s culture and attitude towards personal health and safety. This training delves into key points from the guide to reinforce the need for change and provide a roadmap to improve the health and safety of volunteer fire and EMS responders.
Instructor: Rob Ingram

In-Person - Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services & Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success
2025-12-13 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Wadesville Center Township VFD, 4200 Princeton Street, Wadesville, IN, 47638, United States
Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services: Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success: The NVFC published the textbook Volunteer Fire Service Culture – Essential Strategies for Success as a guide to fire service leaders who desire to change their department’s culture and attitude towards personal health and safety. This training delves into key points from the guide to reinforce the need for change and provide a roadmap to improve the health and safety of volunteer fire and EMS responders.
Instructor: Doug deBest

Essentials of Volunteer Retention & Recruitment & Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services
2025-12-13 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Blount County Multipurpose Center, 6700 Co Highway 1, Cleveland, AL, 35049, United States
Essentials of Volunteer Retention & Recruitment: Many fire and EMS departments across the nation are struggling to find new volunteer members and retain their current members. This session discusses the challenges of recruiting volunteers, presents valuable research collected as part of the NVFC’s Make Me A Firefighter campaign, and offers ideas to help overcome recruiting challenges. Potential retention solutions and the importance of leadership will also be covered.
Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services: Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
Instructor: Tiger Schmittendorf

Webinar - Professionalism and Public Trust in the Volunteer Fire Service
2025-12-18 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Public trust is the foundation of every successful volunteer fire department. While the Maltese Cross firefighters wear symbolizes courage, service, and sacrifice, it also carries responsibility. Every action, every word, and every choice a firefighter makes reflects not only on the individual, but on the entire fire service family. Join presenter Tom Merrill for this webinar on how professionalism is critical in building and shaping trust, and how every member plays a vital role protecting the department’s reputation and upholding a tradition of excellence.
Presenter: Tom Merrill

Roundtable Talk - Firefighter Cancer Awareness and Risk Reduction
2026-01-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Firefighters face a heightened risk of occupational cancer due to repeated exposure to carcinogens on the fireground, in apparatus, and within the station. This roundtable talk will raise awareness of these risks and provide practical strategies to reduce exposure through effective decontamination practices. The discussion will cover how carcinogens enter the body, where contamination commonly occurs, and what immediate and long-term steps departments can take to protect their members.
Designed for firefighters, officers, safety personnel, and department leaders, this session will offer clear, actionable guidance to help reduce cancer risks and support a healthier fire service.
Presenters: John Buckman, Kenny Fent, Frank Leeb, Kevin Shea, and Brian McQueen (Moderator)

In-Person - Incident Safety Officer Training; Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services; Surviving the Job - Cancer in the Fire Service
2026-01-10 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Ludington Fire Department, 918 East Tinkham Ave., Ludington, MI, 49431, United States
Incident Safety Officer Training Series (2 hours)
The NVFC’s Incident Safety Officer (ISO) training will give students an overview of the role of an ISO and cover communications and safety, as well as the practical application of this information. Please note, this is not an ISO certification program.
Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services (2 hours)
Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
Surviving the Job – Cancer in the Fire Service (2 hours)
Cancer is a serious threat facing today’s fire service, but there are easy and low-cost ways you can lower your risks. These include the 11 best practices for firefighter cancer prevention as outlined in the Lavender Ribbon Report. This course will explain how to incorporate these life-saving practices into your daily routines to reduce your exposure risks and protect yourself and your fellow firefighters from occupational cancer.
Instructor: Brian Focht

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-01-10 08:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Lake Hamilton Fire, 1111 Hwy 290, Hot Springs, AR, 71913, United States
As the number of electric vehicles on the roadways increases, it is important for first responders to understand how a response involving these types of vehicles is different than those with an internal combustion engine. This awareness and fundamentals course will introduce first responders to hybrid and electric vehicles, share data and resources, and equip first responders with the knowledge and tools to respond more safely when a hybrid or electric vehicle is involved in an incident. This training will require space outside for a hands-on component with an electric vehicle.
Instructor – Rob Ingram

Webinar - Turning Fireground Knowledge into Community Safety: Research-Based Public Education for Volunteers
2026-01-13 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Fire departments often rely on modern fire dynamics research to guide training and operations, yet this same information is often underused in community education. This webinar will help volunteers translate research-based fireground knowledge into clear, actionable public safety messages. Participants will learn how to update outdated outreach, explain modern fire behavior in simple terms, and teach residents practical steps that reduce risk, slow fire growth, and support firefighter safety. This session is ideal for firefighters, officers, instructors, and anyone involved in public education. This webinar is sponsored by UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute.
Presenters: Nicole Sanders and Jennifer Williams

Webinar - Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Prevention: Inside the “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!” Campaign
2026-01-15 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly linked to fires across communities nationwide, especially in the waste and recycling system. To address the risk of improperly discarded batteries, the National Waste & Recycling Foundation (NWRF), in partnership with industry leaders and with the USDA Forest Service’s Woodsy Owl, launched the “Skip the Bin! Turn Your Batteries In!” public service announcement (PSA) campaign. This webinar highlights early results from the campaign, community engagement efforts, and how education and prevention can help reduce battery-related fire risks nationwide. Learn how to leverage consistent messaging, trusted messengers, and local partnerships to help reduce battery-related fires before they start – and how the campaign is scaling nationally in 2026.
Presenter: Genevieve O’Sullivan

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-01-17 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Camden County Regional Emergency Training Center, 420 Woodbury Turnersville Rd, Blackwood, NJ, 08012, United States
As the number of electric vehicles on the roadways increases, it is important for first responders to understand how a response involving these types of vehicles is different than those with an internal combustion engine. This awareness and fundamentals course will introduce first responders to hybrid and electric vehicles, share data and resources, and equip first responders with the knowledge and tools to respond more safely when a hybrid or electric vehicle is involved in an incident. This training will require space outside for a hands-on component with an electric vehicle.
Instructor: Brian Focht

Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success & Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services
2026-01-17 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Juneau) | Cooper Landing Community Club, 18511 Bean Creek Road, Cooper Landing, AK, 99572, United States
Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success: The NVFC published the textbook Volunteer Fire Service Culture – Essential Strategies for Success as a guide to fire service leaders who desire to change their department’s culture and attitude towards personal health and safety. This training delves into key points from the guide to reinforce the need for change and provide a roadmap to improve the health and safety of volunteer fire and EMS responders.
Incident Safety Officer Training: The NVFC’s Incident Safety Officer (ISO) training will give students an overview of the role of an ISO and cover communications and safety, as well as the practical application of this information. Please note, this is not an ISO certification program.
Instructor: Virginia McMichael

R&R Coffee Talk - Fire Training for High School Students
2026-01-22 19:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | IA
Join Dr. Candice McDonald and Chief Joel Cerny, along with guests Richard Parker, Frank Dellucky, and Keesler Fly, for an interactive discussion on fire training for high school students. This 30-minute session will include audience Q&A.

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-01-24 09:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Treadway Volunteer Fire Department, 189 Hwy 131, Thorn Hill, TN, 37881, United States

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-01-31 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Irondale Fire Protection District, 203 S Oak, Irondale, MO, 63648, United States

Webinar - How Mattering Can Buffer Against Burnout in the Fire Service
2026-02-03 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Join New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Wallace and former North Charleston Fire Chief Greg Bulanow for a compelling virtual conversation on how mattering can be a valuable force to combat burnout in the fire and emergency services, inspired by Jennifer’s forthcoming book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose. Drawing on Jennifer’s research and her time embedded with Greg’s department – where small, intentional practices to affirm value transformed morale, retention, and well-being – this 60-minute session blends story and science to illuminate why mattering – feeling valued and having the opportunity to add value to the world around us – is not a luxury, but a core human need that protects mental health, strengthens purpose, and sustains resilience. Together, Jennifer and Greg will explore how reconnecting to our impact can counter burnout, alongside practical, actionable tools leaders and firefighters can use to foster trust, connection, and a renewed sense of purpose across their departments.
Presenters: Gregory Bulanow & Jennifer Wallace

Webinar - Hazmat Incidents: Using Risk-Based Response to Increase Firefighter and Community Safety
2026-02-05 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
Decades ago, it was not uncommon for emergency responders to be killed or injured during hazmat incidents. Born from analysis of these tragic incidents was the concept of risk-based response, which uses facts, science, and circumstances of an incident to determine the best course of action and to increase the safety of the responders and public. In this webinar, learn the history of risk-based response and how to apply it to hazmat incidents and other significant events.
Presenter: Rick Edinger

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-02-07 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | East Thompson Volunteer Fire Department, 530 East Thompson Rd, Thompson, CT, 06277, United States

In-Person - Wildland Fire Assessment Program
2026-02-07 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | North Lakes Fire & Rescue – Madawaska Lake, 1636 New Sweden Rd, Stockholm, ME, 04736, United States
The NVFC, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, offers an in-person training course to teach fire service volunteers how to properly conduct safety assessments for homes located in the wildland-urban interface and provide recommendations to residents to protect their property from wildfires.
Instructor: Art Howe & Josh Nigro

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-02-07 09:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Susquehanna County Public Safety Building, 210 Public Way, Suite 2, New Milford, PA, 18834, United States
As the number of electric vehicles on the roadways increases, it is important for first responders to understand how a response involving these types of vehicles is different than those with an internal combustion engine. This awareness and fundamentals course will introduce first responders to hybrid and electric vehicles, share data and resources, and equip first responders with the knowledge and tools to respond more safely when a hybrid or electric vehicle is involved in an incident. This training will require space outside for a hands-on component with an electric vehicle.
Instructor: Ralph McNemar

In-Person - Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services
2026-02-10 08:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Fonner Park, 700 E Stolley Park Rd, Grand Island, NE, 68801, United States
Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
Instructor: Doug deBest
To register email Taylor Moore at taylor@nsvfa.org or call 402-761-2211.

Roundtable Talk - New Challenges, New Tactics: Responding to Contemporary Mid-Rise and Multi-Dwelling Buildings
2026-02-10 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | IA
As communities grow and housing density increases, volunteer fire departments are increasingly responding to contemporary mid-rise and multi-dwelling buildings that present unique operational challenges. Modern construction methods, lightweight materials, complex layouts, and mixed occupancies can significantly impact fire behavior, access, and firefighter safety.
This Roundtable Talk will explore how today’s mid-rise and multi-dwelling structures differ from legacy buildings and what those differences mean for response planning, size-up, air management, search, and extended operations. Panelists will discuss practical considerations departments can address now to prepare for incidents in these evolving structures.
Presenters: Jimmy Davis, Mike Dugan, Clark Lamping, and Tom Merrill (Moderator)

In-Person - Building a Healthy and High-Performing Fire Department
2026-02-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Woodstock Fire Department, 121 W Court Street, Woodstock, VA, 22664, United States
This course from the National Volunteer Fire Council and the American Psychological Association’s Center for Organizational Excellence is designed to empower fire department leadership to promote and support healthy, high-performing fire/EMS departments. Based on the framework from the Psychologically Healthy Fire Departments initiative, this course focuses on six key practices – member involvement, health and safety, member growth and development, work-life-volunteer balance, member recognition, and effective communication – to facilitate member well-being and department functioning.
Instructor: Dave Lewis

In-Person - EV/AFV Incident Management: Safety and Response Techniques
2026-02-21 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Blount County Multipurpose Center, 6700 Co Highway 1, Cleveland, AL, 35049, United States
As the number of electric vehicles on the roadways increases, it is important for first responders to understand how a response involving these types of vehicles is different than those with an internal combustion engine. This awareness and fundamentals course will introduce first responders to hybrid and electric vehicles, share data and resources, and equip first responders with the knowledge and tools to respond more safely when a hybrid or electric vehicle is involved in an incident. This training will require space outside for a hands-on component with an electric vehicle.

R&R Coffee Talk - Mentoring
2026-02-26 19:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | IA
Join Dr. Candice McDonald and Chief Joel Cerny, along with guests Doug Cline and Dave Lewis, for an interactive discussion on mentoring in the fire service. This 30-minute session will include audience Q&A.

In-Person - Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services & Incident Safety Officer Training
2026-02-28 08:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department, 837 N. State Route 101, Tiffin, OH, 44883, United States
Leadership for the Fire and Emergency Services: Quality leadership is essential for the fire and emergency services to accomplish the mission, improve member satisfaction, and best serve the community. This course examines leadership styles, qualities, ethics, and best practices to help your department function at a high level and avoid fire and emergency services leadership pitfalls. Retention research will also be discussed to help leaders understand retention concerns and identify solutions.
Incident Safety Officer Training: The NVFC’s Incident Safety Officer (ISO) training will give students an overview of the role of an ISO and cover communications and safety, as well as the practical application of this information. Please note, this is not an ISO certification program.
Instructor: Dave Lewis

NVFC 2026 Membership Meeting
2026-03-11 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | IA
NVFC members are invited to the annual membership meeting, taking place via Zoom. This meeting is open to all state, individual, and corporate members of the NVFC. Attendees will hear reports on the NVFC’s business and financial operations. State member representatives may vote on matters raised at the meeting. Register.
