The path to becoming fire chief is often challenging and unpredictable. With that in mind, how can you best prepare to become a five-bugle chief? Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Chief Trisha Wolford and Prince William County (Virginia) Chief (Retired) Mary Beth Michos share their experiences and address key elements of preparation, including formal education/training; political and policy development skills and experience; public speaking and communication; work history and reputation; teachable potential, succession planning and job shadowing participation.
Chief Michos also discusses the IAFC's Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI), a program which prepares aspiring chiefs to apply for and go through promotion and chief position processes. Each month iCHIEFS Podcast co-hosts Tom Jenkins, Rogers, Arkansas fire chief and 2017-2018 IAFC president, and Sheldon Gilbert, ESCI chief executive officer, discuss hot-button issues with leaders in the fire and emergency service.