activities · 25
what they do
direct service · 15
- Administer recognition and awards programs State-Level Lifetime Achievement AwardsAnnually presents the Chief Bob Weber Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have made significant, long-term contributions to the Arizona fire service.
- Conduct specialized fire service conferences and events Emergency Services Professional Conferences & Training EventsOrganizes and hosts a range of specialized events including the Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference, International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference, AFSAP Seminar, Central Arizona Honor Guard Training Camp, and the Wildfire Conservancy Annual Research Symposium.
- Facilitate career development and job placement Association Job Board ServicesOperates a career center that allows member departments to post fire and EMS job openings for free and offers paid job posting services for non-members, supporting workforce development in the fire service.
- Host a career center for job postingsOperates a career center where members can post job openings for free and non-members can purchase job postings within the fire and emergency services sector.
- Host annual Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo Emergency Services Professional Conferences & Training EventsOrganizes and hosts the annual AFCA/AFDA Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo, a major event featuring general sessions, workshops, specialized tracks, and networking opportunities for fire and emergency services professionals.
- Host annual Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo Emergency Services Professional Conferences & Training EventsOrganizes and hosts the annual AFCA/AFDA Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo, a major event featuring general sessions, workshops, specialized tracks (e.g., fire marshals, administrative professionals), and networking opportunities for fire and emergency services leaders.
- Host specialized fire and emergency services conferences and events Emergency Services Professional Conferences & Training EventsOrganizes and hosts a range of specialized events including the Wildfire Conservancy Annual Research Symposium, Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference, International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference, AFSAP Seminar, and Central Arizona Honor Guard Training Camp.
- Manage councils and committees for fire and emergency services Fire & Emergency Services Training CoordinationOperates the Central Arizona Life Safety System Response Council (CALSSRC) and manages six council committees and several subcommittees focused on various aspects of fire and emergency services, including operations, fire prevention, EMS, and training.
- Manage fire service governance and coordination councils Fire & Emergency Services Training CoordinationOperates the Central Arizona Life Safety System Response Council (CALSSRC), composed of fire chiefs from Valley departments and districts, and manages six council committees and subcommittees focused on operations, fire prevention, EMS, communications, training, safety, and other critical areas of emergency services.
- Operate career center and community event calendarRuns a career center for job postings in fire and emergency services (free for members, fee-based for non-members) and maintains a public community calendar of events, some of which include online registration and ticketing.
- Organize specialized events and training camps Emergency Services Professional Conferences & Training EventsOrganizes and hosts specialized events such as The Wildfire Conservancy Annual Research Symposium, the Central Arizona Honor Guard Training Camp, and the AFSAP Seminar.
- Present lifetime achievement award to fire service leadersAnnually awards the Chief Bob Weber Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have made long-term, impactful contributions to the Arizona fire service.
- Present the Chief Bob Weber Lifetime Achievement Award State-Level Lifetime Achievement AwardsAnnually presents the Chief Bob Weber Lifetime Achievement Award to individuals who have dedicated their lives to the Arizona fire service.
- Support fire service leadership and coordination through council committees Fire & Emergency Services Training CoordinationManages six council committees and multiple subcommittees focused on key areas of fire and emergency services, including operations, fire prevention, EMS, communications, training, safety, and special teams, to promote coordination and best practices across Arizona.
- Support public and member event engagement Community Fire Safety EducationHosts a community calendar of events, some of which include online registration and ticketing, to promote participation in fire service-related activities and training.
advocacy · 1
- Advocate for fire service interests through legislative liaison First Responder Legislative AdvocacyMaintains a Legislative Liaison role to represent and advocate for the interests of Arizona fire chiefs at the state level.
research · 3
- Conduct wildland fire management research and publish guidance Wildfire Risk Mitigation & ResponseEngages in research and dissemination of best practices in wildland fire management, including publishing guidance documents such as the "Wildland Fire Management Direction & Transition Guidance - USWFS" on April 14, 2026.
- Disseminate wildland fire management guidance and research Wildfire Risk Mitigation & ResponsePublishes and shares news, guidance, and research on wildland fire management, including the "Wildland Fire Management Direction & Transition Guidance - USWFS" released in April 2026.
- Publish news and guidance on wildland fire management Wildfire Risk Mitigation & ResponseProvides and publishes news and guidance related to wildland fire management, including information from the USWFS.
capacity building · 6
- Organize conferences and expos for fire and EMS leadership Emergency Services Professional Conferences & Training EventsOrganizes and hosts an annual Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo, which includes general sessions, workshops, and specialized tracks. The organization also organizes other conferences such as the Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference and the International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference.
- Partner on fire service education and leadership development Fire Service Certification & Technical TrainingCollaborates with Arizona State University to deliver a nationally accredited Certified Public Manager® Program tailored for fire service professionals in Arizona.
- Provide fire service training programs Fire Service Certification & Technical TrainingOffers and hosts technical training courses for fire service professionals, including Fire Investigation: First Responders-F0770, Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting (F0610), Rope Rescue Skills - Technician Level, and Fire Engineer Academy, with multiple sessions conducted annually across Arizona.
- Provide fire service training programs Fire Service Certification & Technical TrainingOffers and hosts technical training courses for fire service personnel, including Fire Investigation: First Responders-F0770, Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting (F0610), Rope Rescue Skills - Technician Level, and Fire Engineer Academy, with multiple sessions conducted annually across Arizona.
- Provide professional development and training for fire and EMS personnel Fire Service Certification & Technical TrainingOffers and hosts a variety of training courses and academies for fire and EMS professionals, including Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting, Rope Rescue Skills (Technician Level), Fire Engineer Academy, and Fire Investigation for First Responders. This includes partnering with Arizona State University for a Certified Public Manager® Program.
- Support fire service education through academic partnerships Fire Service Certification & Technical TrainingPartners with Arizona State University to deliver a nationally accredited Certified Public Manager® Program tailored for fire service professionals in Arizona, enhancing leadership and management capabilities across the sector.
strategies · 13
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Automatic Aid System for Cross-Jurisdictional Response automatic aid systemThe organization utilizes an Automatic Aid System—an intergovernmental agreement among fire agencies—to ensure the closest available emergency resources respond regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, improving speed and effectiveness of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services.
- Automatic Aid System for Jurisdiction-Independent Emergency Response automatic aid systemThe organization utilizes an intergovernmental Automatic Aid System to ensure the closest available fire and emergency resources respond regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, improving response times and service effectiveness across regions.
- Collaborative Resource Coordination for Fiscal Efficiency and Service OptimizationBy promoting mutual collaboration, standardization, and coordinated use of resources among fire agencies, the organization aims to maximize service delivery to communities while maintaining fiscal responsibility and operational efficiency.
- Collaborative Resource Coordination for Fiscal Efficiency and Service Quality resource_coordinationThe organization promotes mutual collaboration among fire agencies to coordinate and standardize resources, enhance communication, and achieve high levels of emergency service delivery in a fiscally responsible manner, particularly within the Valley Fire Agencies.
- Facilitating inter-jurisdictional resource sharing for improved emergency response automatic_aid_systemBy establishing and supporting an Automatic Aid System, the organization enables the deployment of the closest available fire service resources across jurisdictional boundaries, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services.
- Fostering respectful labor-management relationsThe organization supports respectful labor/management relations within the fire service by adhering to a specific philosophy and principles designed to promote professional, honorable, and respectful interactions.
- Leadership Development and Ethical Standards Promotion ethical_leadership_developmentThe organization advances professional growth and leadership within the fire service by promoting ethical conduct, integrity, judicious resource use, and collaborative labor-management relations, guided by formal principles to strengthen public trust and organizational effectiveness.
- Leadership Development and Ethical Standards PromotionThe organization advances professional growth and public trust by guiding members toward ethical conduct, integrity, responsible resource use, and collaborative leadership, aligning with its mission to serve, develop, and lead the fire service.
- Membership Structure to Unify and Represent Diverse Fire Service StakeholdersThe organization builds a comprehensive network through tiered membership—regular, associate, and corporate—to include operational leaders, government officials, educators, and industry partners, fostering broad engagement and representation across Arizona’s fire service ecosystem.
- Membership Structure to Unify and Represent the Fire Service Ecosystem inclusive_membership_modelThe organization offers tiered membership (regular, associate, corporate) to unify chief officers, public officials, fire department personnel, educators, and private sector partners, fostering broad representation and engagement across the fire and emergency services ecosystem in Arizona.
- Promoting ethical conduct and professional growth within the fire serviceThe organization guides its members towards ethical conduct, integrity, and professional growth by emphasizing public trust, judicious use of resources, avoiding personal gain, and supporting collaborative effort.
- Recognizing significant contributions to the fire service mission-aligned_recognitionThe organization recognizes individuals whose lifelong contributions have broadly impacted fire service delivery, aligning with its mission to acknowledge and support advancements in the field.
- Support for Respectful Labor-Management Relations in Fire ServiceThe organization promotes professional and honorable labor-management relations by adhering to established principles that foster mutual respect, collaboration, and fairness between labor and management within Arizona fire agencies.
named programs · 2
what they call their work
Leadership Conference
An annual event where the annual business meeting and elections are usually conducted.
Regional Meetings
Meetings arranged by the Board or Regional Directors to allow discussion and possible solutions of mutual problems among members.
relationships · 51
who they work with
- AFDA Partner — Co-hosts the Annual Fire & EMS Leadership Conference and Expo.
- AFDA Partner — Co-hosts the Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo and includes AFDA statutory presentations at the conference.
- Arizona Fire District Association Partner — Co-hosts the Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo.
- Arizona State University’s Bob Ramsey Executive Education Partner — Partners to provide a nationally accredited Certified Public Manager® Program in Arizona.
- Bob Weber Partner — Namesake of the Chief Bob Weber Lifetime Achievement Award; former President and Executive Director of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association.
- Buckeye Fire-Medical-Rescue Department Partner — Jake Rhoades, the President of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, is the Fire Chief of this department.
- CORE Construction Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Cave Creek Fire and Medical Department Partner — Jim Ford, the Executive Director of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, is the Fire Chief of this department.
- Center for Local Government Education and Innovation Partner — Partners to provide a nationally accredited Certified Public Manager® Program in Arizona.
- Central Arizona Life Safety System Response Council (CALSSRC) Partner — Comprised of Chiefs from Valley Fire Departments and Fire Districts who participate in the CALSSRC Automatic Aid System.
- Chasse Building Team Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- Chasse Building Team Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- FCI Constructors, Inc. Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- Fire Chiefs of Iowa Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Fire Department Partner — Eddie Smith, the Legislative Liaison for the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, is the Fire Chief of this department.
- Greer Fire District Partner — Hosts the "Rope Rescue Skills - Technician Level" event.
- Kitchell Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- Kitchell Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- NFPA Partner — Co-hosts the NFPA Conference & Expo.
- National CPM Consortium Partner — The Certified Public Manager® Program offered through ASU is accredited by this consortium.
- National Fire Research Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Nationwide Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Nationwide Retirement Solutions Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- Paradigm Traffic Systems Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Perlman Architects of Arizona Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Perlman Architects of Arizona, Inc Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- Pro-Sales Partner — Listed as an AFCA Partner.
- Professional Sales and Service Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- RT-Emergency Partner — Corporate partner of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
- Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel and Spa Partner — Host hotel for the 2026 Fire & EMS Leadership Conference & Expo.
+ 21 more