NVFC Holds Training Summit in Salt Lake City

June 24, 2025

The National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) 2025 Training Summit took place on June 20-21 in Salt Lake City, UT. Since 2014, this signature fire and emergency services conference annually brings together volunteer responders and leaders from across the country to learn and exchange ideas.

Over 175 attendees from 44 states participated in classroom sessions, keynote presentations, and networking events. To help offset the costs of attendance, the NVFC provided travel stipends to 60 members. These stipends covered up to $800 toward transportation, hotel, and the conference registration fee.

The event focused on three training tracks – volunteer recruitment and retention, first responder health and safety, and emergency service leadership. Highlights from the event are as follows:

• Attendees could choose from 18 classroom sessions delivered by nationally-recognized subject matter experts; view the full agenda here.
• Firefighter and social media influencer Savannah Maddison gave a keynote presentation on how departments can best utilize social media for community engagement, recruitment, and more.
• Fire service leader Tom Merrill gave a keynote presentation on how leadership shapes department mission and culture.
• A reception was held on the evening of June 20, featuring 20 vendor tables and providing an opportunity for attendees to connect and network.
• Eighteen new NVFC instructors were trained through train-the-trainers on the NVFC’s leadership, culture, hazmat, and EV/AFV courses.

View photos from the event here:

Mark your calendar now for the 2026 NVFC Training Summit, which will take place June 26-27 in Arlington, VA. Sign up here to get updates as they are released, including the call for presentations, registration, and travel stipend application period.

The Training Summit and travel stipends are made possible thanks to a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant and a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The NVFC appreciates the support of the following sponsors and exhibitors: Adapt Management; AES Corporation; BK Technologies; Buxus, Developed by Sander Resources LLC; Cellblock FCS; Clarion Events – Fire & Rescue Group; Columbia Southern University; ESIP by McNeil & Co.; FirstNet®, Built with AT&T; HazmatIQ; International Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer and Combination Officers Section; National Firefighter Registry; NERIS; National Fallen Firefighters Foundation; National Fire Protection Association; North American Fire Training Directors; OnStar; Recovery Ways; Tesla; Utah State Firefighters’ Association; Wendell’s Mint.