Urban Fire Forum

Each September, the Urban Fire Forum meets, and fire chiefs from around the world endorse important documents for today’s fire service.

2023 Urban Fire Forum

Five documents were endorsed for today's fire service:

• Climate Change
• Support for Increasing Efforts on Mental Health & Wellbeing
• First-In Responders Providing Neuroprotective ("Heads up") CPR as the Standard of Care for Emergency Medical Services Systems
• Establishing Prehospital Transfusion of Blood Products as Standard of Care for Emergency Medical Services Systems
• Support for Research on Firefighter Reproductive Health

Presentations

• Update from USFA
• Fire Safety Research Institute Update
• Impacts of Climate Change
• Pre-incident Planning - The Metro Chiefs Perspective
• Enhancing Fire Service Resilience: Implementing Comprehensive Behavioral Health Programs
• Firefighter Reproductive Health
• Fire Protection Research Foundation: Update
• Recruitment and Retention
• Artificial Intelligence in the Fire Service

2022 Urban Fire Forum

Five documents were endorsed for today's fire service:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Fire & Rescue Service: A Roadmap for Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (DEI FIRE)
• Ambulance Patient Offload Time (APOT)
• Technological Advancements Push the Boundaries of All Hazards and the Fire Service Emergency Response System
• Support for the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study
• Support for the National Firefighter Registry

Presentations

• A Prepared and resilient Fire and Emergency Medical Service
• Update Europe
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Fire & Rescue Service: A Roadmap for Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (DEI FIRE)
• Ambulance Patient Offload Time (APOT)
• Mitigating the Climate Impact on Emergency Response Systems (Preparedness and Resilience)
• FSRI Update
• Updates from the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study (FFCCS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Determination that Occupational Exposure as a Firefighter Causes Cancer
• National Firefighter Registry: Status Report
• Fire Protection Research Foundation Update

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2021 Urban Fire forum

Four documents were endorsed for today's fire service:

• Data and the Modernization of the Fire Service (PDF)
• Mitigating the Impact of COVID-Long in the Fire Service (PDF)
• Effect of Crew Size on Firefighter Health and Safety (PDF)
• High Threat Briefing (PDF)

Presentations

• Data Analytics, Technology and the Modernization of the Fire Service (PDF)
• COVID-19 Demobilization and Return to Normal (PDF)
• Long COVID (PDF)
• Effects of Crew Size on Firefighter Health and Safety (PDF)
• FEU Federation of EUropean fire officers (PDF)
• Fire Protection Research Foundation: Update (PDF)
• The National Firefighter Registry Progress Update (PDF)
• Evolving the FSRI Mission (PDF)
• U.S. Fire Administration - A Prepared and Resilient Fire and Emergency Medical Services (PDF)
• Winter Storm Uri - Impact, Response and Lessons Learned (PDF)

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2020 Urban Fire Forum

WATCH THE PRESENTATIONS - PART 1

 

 

WATCH THE PRESENTATIONS - PART 2

 

WATCH THE PRESENTATIONS - PART 3 

WATCH THE PRESENTATIONS - PART 4

 

Due to the sensitive material in speaker Mike Rogers, CEO Critical Response Group’s presentation, please contact Russ Sanders to request a recorded copy of the webinar.

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2019 Urban Fire Forum

The group endorsed six important documents as official UFF-Metro Chiefs position papers:

• Hot Work Safety (PDF)
• The Economic Impact of Fire Fighter Injuries (PDF) 
• Suicide Prevention (PDF)
• Support for the National Firefighter Registry (PDF)
• Data Analyst/Chief Information Officer (NFPA Standard) (PDF)
• Support for the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (PDF)

Presentations

• Social Media Model Policy (PDF)
• Economic Impact of Firefighter Injuries (PDF)
• Mesa Fire and Medical Department Emergency Response (PDF)
• Firefighter and Cancer: The National Firefighter Registry (PDF)
• Effect of Crew Size on Firefighter Health and Safety (pptx)
• Fire Protection Technology (PDF)
• Big Countries; Small World (PDF)
• Hot Work: Hazard Awareness and Safe Practices (PDF)
• NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem Assessment Tool (PDF)
• Social Media and the Fire Chief (PDF)
• National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (PDF)
• IAFF Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery (PDF)

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2018 Urban Fire Forum

Five documents were endorsed for today's fire service:

• Active Shooter and Mass Casualty Terrorist Events (PDF)
• Addressing Line of Duty Deaths and Injuries Post Incident (AKA After Action Reports) (PDF)
• Community Risk Assessment/Threat Assessment Checklist (PDF)
• Smart Cities and ISO 37120 (PDF)
• Fire Department Operational Performance Measures (PDF)
  • Fire Department Response Capability, Performance, and System Resilience (PDF)

Presentations

• Active Assailant and Terrorist Events (PDF)
• Active Shooter – Hostile event Response (PDF)
• Counting Calls - Telling the story: Fire Department Response Capability, Performance, and System Resilience (PDF)
• Review of Foundation Research on Economic Impact of Fire (PDF)
• Fire Risk Assessment Tool for high rise buildings with combustible facades (PDF)
• How Smart is Your City? (PDF)
• Community Risk Assessment/Threat Assessment Checklist (PDF)
• The Cost of Fire – a UK Perspective (PDF)
• UL FSRI – Research with the Fire Service (PDF)

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2017 Urban Fire Forum

Four documents were endorsed for today's fire service:

• Preparedness and Unified Response to Hostile Events (PDF)
• Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Education and Prevention (PDF)
• Implementation of Comprehensive Exposure Prevention and Decontamination Programs (PDF)
  • SOP Decon Policy (PDF)
  • Reduce Risk to Carcinogens (PDF)
• Responding to Opioid Crisis (PDF)
  • IAB First Responder PPE and Decontamination Recommendations for Fentanyl (PDF)
  • Fentanyl Guide Fire EMS - June 2017 (PDF)

Presentations

• Fire Fighter Cancer Awareness Education and Prevention (PDF)
• Grenfell Tower Fire (PDF), Roy Wilsher, Chair, National Fire Council
• Hurricane Irma Response (PDF), Orange County Fire Rescue
• The Opioid Crisis (PDF), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
• Fire Service Contamination Control Research (PDF), Casey Grant, NFPA
• Fire Service Training Update (PDF), Gary Keith, Vice President, FM Global
• NFPA Update (PDF), NFPA President Jim Pauley
• High-Rise Buildings -What's Going On? (PDF) Robert Solomon, NFPA
• Exposure Risks: Carcinogens (PDF), International Association of Firefighters
• Raising Awareness of Emergency Vehicles in Traffic Using Connected Vehicle Technologies (PDF), Larry Head, University of Arizona
• Preparedness and Unified Response to Hostile Events (PDF)
• On-Scene Decon (PDF), Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby

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2016 Urban Fire Forum

Three documents were endorsed for today’s fire service: 

• Civil Unrest White Paper (PDF) and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) (PDF)
• Behavioral Health Programs and Policies (PDF)
• Fire Service Application for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (PDF)

2015 Urban Fire Forum

Three documents were endorsed for today’s fire service: 

• Warehouse Fires and Pre-Fire Planning (PDF, 271 KB)
• Fire Community Assessment, Response Evaluation System (FireCARES) (PDF, 268 KB)
• National Fire Operations Reporting System (N-FORS) (PDF, 268 KB)

NEWS RELEASE Fire Chiefs endorse position papers on warehouse fires, FireCARES and N-FORS

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2014 Urban Fire Forum

Three documents were endorsed for today’s fire service: 

Position Statement: Fire Behavior and Tactical Considerations (PDF, 262 KB)
Structure fires today are different from those faced by prior generations of firefighters, and they hold significant challenges for firefighter safety. Because of the changes to the modern fire environment, traditional firefighting methods may not always be the safest and most effective. Increased risks in the fire environment include larger homes, different home geometries, increased synthetic fuel loads, and new construction materials. Additionally, new materials have decreased the failure time of wall linings, windows and interior doors, which can speed the rate of fire growth. These changes can speed up the stages of fire development, creating an increased potential for ventilation-limited — or oxygen-starved —fires.

Additional resources

• Dynamic Risk Assesment (PDF, 39 KB), Cleveland Division of Fire
• Near Miss - Mayday Reporting (PDF, 26 KB), Cleveland Division of Fire
• Near Miss/Mayday Report Form (DOCX, 87 KB)
• Transitional Attack Definition (PDF, 17 KB), Cleveland Division of Fire
• Fire in a Structure (PDF, 123 KB), Cleveland Division of Fire
• Behavior resources with links (DOCX 21 KB), Los Angeles County Fire Department
• Door Control (PDF, 4 MB), Los Angeles County Fire Department
• Wind Driven Structure Fires (PDF, 6 MB), Los Angeles County Fire Department
• Los Angeles County Fire Department Responding To Structure Fires (PDF, 79 KB)
• Search Rescue in Today's Fire Environment (PDF, 9 MB), Los Angeles County Fire Department
• The Science of Fire Fighting (PDF, 873 KB), Daniel Madrzykowski

Position Statement: Fire and Smoke as a Weapon (PDF, 277 KB)
Given the threat, fire departments and law enforcement agencies, regardless of size or capacity, should find ways to coordinate appropriate and effective responses to these events. Local fire departments and law enforcement agencies should educate first responders and establish standard operating procedures to deal with these unusual, highly volatile, and extraordinarily dangerous scenarios. Education materials and standard operating procedures should include at a minimum the following information and objectives.

Additional resources

• Terrorist Interest in Using Fire as a Weapon (PDF, 1 MB), Department of Homeland Security

Position Statement: Fire-Based Community Healthcare Provider Programs (PDF, 262 KB)
The Urban Fire Forum supports Community Healthcare Provider programs necessary to protect and/or enhance fire-based EMS systems.  Inasmuch, as the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the associated regulations are driving change in traditional fire-based EMS systems, firefighter/EMTs and Paramedics should be included in community healthcare programs. 

2014 Urban Fire Forum presentations

• Research Foundation Update (PPT, 15 MB), Casey Grant  VIDEO - Firefighter glass explorer story
• Training Today's Firefighters for Today's Fires (PPT, 31 MB), Chief Daryl L. Osby VIDEO - Training video
• Trends in On-Duty Firefighter Deaths and Injuries (PPT, 6 MB), Rita F. Fahy
• Complex Terror Attacks - Fire as a Weapon (PPT, 4 MB), AC Joseph W. Pfeifer and DC Thomas Currao
• Fire Service-Based EMS (PPT, 4 MB)
• The New Reality (PDF, 13 MB), Daniel Madrzykowski
• Top 20 Tactical Considerations from Firefighter Research (PDF, 8 MB), Steve Kerber, PE

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2013 Urban Fire Forum

NEWS RELEASE Fire chiefs endorse documents on active shooter response, community risk assessment - NFPA hosts Urban Fire Forum
See the documents.

• Rescue Task Force (PDF, 15 MB)
• Multiphase Study on Firefighter Safety and the Deployment of Resources (PPT, 6 MB)
• PPACA Brief Overview (PPT, 488 KB)
• Active Shooter - A National Perspective (PPT, 3 MB)
• A new Consensus Approach to Firefighter Behavioral Health (PPT, 3.6 MB)
• Metrolink Train 111 Collision/Derailment September 12, 2008 (PDF, 14 MB)
• Rising to New Challenges (PDF, 2 MB)
• Active Shooter Response (PPT, 6.3 MB)
• Fire Protection Research Foundation Update (PPT, 3 MB)
• IAFF/IAFC Wellness Fitness Initiative Behavioral Health Update (PPT, 577 KB)