Succession Planning at the USFA
Succession Planning at the United States Fire Administration. I’ve informed FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor and Fire Administrator Chief Keith Bryant of my intention to retire in January 2020. Their first term of office expires in January 2021, and this notice will provide them 18 months’ notice to recruit and select a replacement. It will also give candidates interested in the position time to assemble their executive core qualifications and prepare for the application process on USAJOBS.GOV.
This is an opportune time for a transition to a new Deputy Fire Administrator:
· The National Fire Academy (NFA) Superintendent and National Fire Program (NFP) Director positions have been filled with two remarkable fire service veterans - Chief Tonya Hoover and Chief Rick Patrick.
· The NFA Managing Officer program is successful beyond expectation. The Executive Fire Officer program is under complete revision to prepare the next generation of leaders. The EMS curriculum is firmly established. Course revisions and updates are underway in every curriculum area.
· More than 100 colleges and universities are using the standard Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) curricula, establishing once and for all what a fire degree means. NFAOnline is moving toward becoming the most advanced, cloud-based, multi-modal on-line training system in the government.
· The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is the largest in its 40-year history with 25,000 fire departments submitting 28 million incident reports last year. The NFIRS Data Warehouse with advanced analytic capabilities is up and running with participants from every state. Research staff continues to produce cutting-edge reports with several just completed or in progress.
· The NFP staff developed, tested and now distributes over 80 fire prevention/ fire safety pictographs (think the airplane safety card). This extraordinary innovation addresses one of the most difficult challenges the fire service today: getting the safety message to non-English speaking residents. Fire departments can download and use them as their own.
· The USFA continues its strong presence in the Wildland community, working in both the risk-reduction and response disciplines.
· Our IT, and Admissions staffs developed and implemented a secure, web-based, on-line application system for both the NFA and the Emergency Management Institute. We’re continuing to install solar panels and expect to be off the electric grid, backed up by both commercial power and generators.
Every one of these advances, improvements and accomplishments is compelling evidence of the gifted, devoted and enthusiastic USFA staff who go ‘above and beyond’ every day. From the newest program assistant to the most seasoned manager, working with and for all of them has been an inspiration. The next Deputy Administrator will need the right combination of energy, vision, determination, perseverance and leadership to bring them and the USFA to the next level of success.
This has been the greatest ride anyone could ever imagine: from chauffer / tillerman on the busiest ladder company in Jersey City to Chief; from crawling down inner-city tenement hallways to the White House; from Ground Zero on 9/12 to the beauty of every one of our 50 States and countries around the world. I thank my wife Jan; my immediate and extended family; the leaders and staff of the United States Fire Administration past and present; the officers and firefighters of the Jersey City Fire Department past and present; and many teachers, mentors and friends (and the G.I. Bill!) for all they have done for me.