Why Darley says firefighting and family business have more in common than you think

Internship programme central to company update

Darley has reported on its internship programme and family business strategy in the September–October edition of its Inside Darley video.

According to Darley, the business hosted about a dozen interns during 2025, who were given purposeful work and later presented reports to managers.

The company stated that past interns have gone on to senior roles, including Shane Sullivan, now head of engineering in Chippewa Falls, and Peter Capulli, now a key figure in the defence division.

Paul Darley, chief executive officer, said the programme will continue to be a priority for developing future employees.

Darley added that similar schemes in other companies have contributed to long-term growth.

Reference to other business models

Darley explained that its focus on internships is mirrored in discussions with partners, including Gallagher Insurance, which it described as an $80 billion publicly traded company that still operates with a family business ethos.

Paul Darley said: “Recently, I was speaking with Pat Gallagher, the CEO of Gallagher Insurance. They happen to be our insurance broker and an $80 billion publicly traded company, but still really a family business in many respects.

“He credits their internship program as being one of their keys to success and their growth.

“We’re going to continue that program here at Darley.”

The company linked its own approach to lessons from other family businesses.

Steps to maintain family ownership

According to Darley, the business studies practices that help improve continuity into later generations.

Paul Darley said the statistical chance of a family business reaching the fourth or fifth generation is less than 1%.

He added that Darley has adopted measures such as a family constitution, an outside board of directors, a family council, and structured family meetings.

The company confirmed that in August it held a family meeting in northern Wisconsin attended by over 80 family members alongside senior company officers.

It reported that the meeting addressed business and family issues and included contributions from a chief financial officer, a chief legal officer, and a clinical psychologist.

Tools for family business planning

Darley said it has shared resources from Family Business Consulting Group and Mercer Capital to help assess family business practices.

The Family Business Consulting Group checklist covers measures such as constitutions and participation policies.

The Mercer Capital benchmarking list is intended to allow family businesses to compare their structures with others.

Darley reported that these tools reflect the methods it is applying internally.

Comparison with firefighting and military traditions

Darley explained that the values of family business extend into its main customer groups in defence and firefighting.

Paul Darley said: “We talk a lot about family business, but most of the customers we serve are in the military or firefighting communities, and those are very similar to family businesses.

“When you look at the Department of Defense, roughly 80% of all people entering the military have had a relative in the military.

“You look at the fire service, it’s very similar.

“Roughly 50% of all firefighters entering the fire service have had a family member involved, and even higher in volunteer areas.”

The company said these patterns show continuity across generations.

Principles guiding Darley

Paul Darley added: “We’ve got a lot of areas where we can assist you. And I think a lot of the secrets to success are simply living by the Golden Rule and treating others as you’d like to be treated.

“That’s what we like to do here at Darley.

“Thanks for tuning into this issue of Inside Darley. If there’s anything we can be doing to support you, we hope you’ll reach out to us.”

The company said this reflects the core principles of its operations.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

The Darley update connects business continuity planning with operational sectors where family tradition is strong, including firefighting.

Internship programmes may be of interest to organisations seeking to retain knowledge and attract new talent into the fire and safety sector.

Family meeting practices and structured governance models outlined by Darley also demonstrate how continuity can be supported through policy frameworks.

The comparison to fire service traditions highlights the shared challenges of maintaining long-term commitment across generations.

Darley highlights internship programme and family business continuity: Summary

Darley has reported on its September–October 2025 Inside Darley video.

The company confirmed it hosted about a dozen interns this year.

It stated that past interns have gone on to senior roles.

Darley said the programme will continue.

The company linked its work to Gallagher Insurance’s internship model.

Paul Darley said family businesses rarely continue beyond three generations.

The company reported measures such as a constitution, outside board, council, and family meetings.

It confirmed over 80 family members joined an August meeting.

Darley shared checklists and benchmarking lists for family businesses.

It compared family business continuity to military and fire service traditions.

The company reported that 80% of military entrants have a relative in service.

It said about 50% of firefighters also have family links.

Darley stated its guiding principle is the Golden Rule.

It confirmed it aims to continue supporting its customers.