Chief Officer: Principles and Practice

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) are pleased to present you with the third edition of Chief Officer: Principles and Practice. The Third Edition addresses both Fire Officer III and Fire Officer IV levels of the 2020 Edition of NFPA 1021: Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications and is designed to help future chief officers as they transition from company officer and become problem-solving leaders for their organisation.

Good leadership is an essential element in the successful operational management of any organisation. Today’s chief officers must prepare themselves and the staff they lead to navigate powerful trends—including political, ethical, legal, and sociological—that are likely to shape the fire service, impacting department structures and roles in the community, and altering the demands placed not only on fire service leaders but also on the personnel they lead. The Third Edition features exceptional content to prepare today’s fire service leaders to develop the leadership skills necessary to excel in their position and motivate their department members to become an efficient, effective, and safe response force.

New to the Third Edition:

• A section on media relations programs that addresses communication methods, policy development, and crisis management
• A discussion of department risk management, including the importance of creating a risk management plan, taking an inventory of potential risks faced by department employees, and implementing control measures to correct deficiencies
• A section on preparing to deal with an active shooter or hostile event situation
• A discussion of the ways generational differences may influence a department member’s workplace expectations and preferences
• Expanded coverage of diversity policies and practices and consideration of LGBTQ rights to reflect the current workforce
• Information on long-range planning, including how to create a capital improvement plan and meet training needs
• The Third Edition features:
• A clear division of Fire Officer III and IV content
• After-Action Review sections that include detailed chapter summaries, key terms, and Chief Officer in Action case scenarios designed to reinforce chapter content
• New Deputy Chief and Fire Chief Activities that encourage students to take what they have learned about the Job Performance Requirements covered in the chapters and apply it to their own departments
• New case study continued from Fire Officer: Principles and Practice, Fourth Edition that addresses the progression of responsibility from Fire Officer I to Fire Officer IV