Fire Service Section membership tailors your NFPA benefits to your profession and puts you in direct contact with a broad array of peers, including incident scene operational personnel – from command level to hands-on firefighting – fire service occupational safety and health experts, training personnel, and code enforcers. Section membership also helps you stay current on changes to the National Fire Codes® and gives you streamlined access to the most current fire protection research, code revisions, investigations, and public fire safety programs. You'll also learn about the latest innovations in equipment, training, and firefighter safety.
Advance your career through CEUs, educational seminars, and professional development critical to your success on the job. Plus, Section leadership and publication opportunities help you build credentials and enhance your reputation as an expert in your field.
Section news
Stay up-to-date with what's happening with the Fire Service Section and participate in discussions by visiting NFPA's Xchange community (login required).
Section objectives
The Fire Service Section was authorized by the NFPA Board of Directors on December 12, 1972 and inaugurated in 1973.
Membership in the Fire Service Section shall be contingent upon membership in NFPA and shall be open to any member of NFPA who is:
- An active or retired member of a fire department providing public fire prevention, life safety education, emergency medical services, and fire suppression services to a state, county, province, municipality, or organized fire district.
- An active or retired member of a fire department providing fire prevention, life safety education, emergency medical services, and fire suppression services to airfields, industrial complexes, and military bases.
- Principally engaged in the training and education of fire department members including municipal, governmental, and industrial.
- A fire apparatus and equipment manufacturer or a vendor dealing in fire department equipment or services.
The objectives of the section as set forth in its constitution are as follows:
- Unite for mutual professional benefit those members of NFPA who are members of the fire service.
- Advance the interests of the profession in the field of fire protection, prevention, life safety education, and suppression.
- Stimulate awareness of the need for continually improving programs in management, training, and education within the profession.
- Encourage and assist its members in conducting meetings, conferences, seminars, and such other forums as may be practicable for the exchange of information and the encouragement of professionalism within the service.
- Encourage participation by its members on the technical committees of the Association consistent with NFPA Regulations Governing Committee Projects.
- Advance and encourage the development of improved fire suppression equipment, apparatus, and all related facilities.
- Encourage public authorities to specify and purchase fire protection equipment that meets appropriate performance standards.
- Bring to the attention of its members such matters of legislation and regulations as would be of interest.
- Promote cooperation within the fire service and between the fire service and other fire protection practitioners.
- Promote community life safety education and awareness.
- Promote cultural diversity within the fire service.
- Promote interaction among other NFPA sections by sponsoring joint educational venues at NFPA meetings.
Stay involved
Here are some ideas on how you can stay involved with your Section's activities.