The five Urban Fire Forum papers that may guide international fire leadership

Global chiefs gather at NFPA’s Urban Fire Forum

Read more: Urban Fire Forum 2025: Reviewing the five papers on safety and leadership

Fire chiefs from Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States met at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts on Wednesday 24 September 2025.

The purpose of the meeting was the annual Urban Fire Forum (UFF), which convenes leaders from large metropolitan fire departments.

According to NFPA, chiefs discussed a broad agenda including wildfire-driven urban conflagrations, lithium-ion battery hazards, data-driven emergency planning, mutual aid and the evolving role of fire service leadership in shaping public safety.

NFPA said the chiefs endorsed five position papers during the forum, creating official guidance for member departments.

Five position papers and a new bulletin

NFPA confirmed that the endorsed documents covered combating the assault on codes and standards, developing a national fire apparatus specification, advancing emergency services capabilities, supporting the reauthorisation of FirstNet, and confronting the risk of wildfire-initiated urban conflagrations.

A sixth endorsed deliverable was also announced.

NFPA said the forum backed an informational bulletin titled Enhanced Tactical Considerations for Fighting Lithium-Ion Battery Electric Vehicle (EV) Fires.

This bulletin will be released alongside the Fire Protection Research Foundation’s upcoming research report.

Otto Drozd III, Executive Secretary of the Metro Chiefs and UFF facilitator, said: “The position papers endorsed this year focus on strengthening leadership, advancing national coordination, standardising apparatus, and addressing emerging threats such as wildfire-driven urban conflagrations and lithium-ion battery hazards.

“These deliverables provide critical guidance for departments navigating an increasingly complex environment and highlight the need for collaboration across all levels of government and the private sector.”

Paper 1: Confronting the risk of wildfire-initiated urban conflagrations: Summary

The Urban Fire Forum paper highlights growing risks from wildfire-initiated urban conflagrations, intensified by climate change and expanding development into fire-prone zones.

It reviews historic disasters such as the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, alongside recent fires including the Tubbs, Camp, Woolsey, Lahaina, Palisades and Eaton incidents.

Research shows that ember ignition within the home ignition zone often leads to chain reactions of burning structures in densely built areas.

The paper calls for adoption of standards such as NFPA 1, NFPA 1140 and the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code to strengthen resilience.

It emphasises urgent needs for expanded training, protective equipment, and proactive measures like land-use planning, fuel management and community-level wildfire assessments.

Paper 2: Safeguarding communities – a fire service advocacy toolkit: Summary

The Urban Fire Forum paper warns of deliberate efforts to weaken safety codes and standards in several US states through deregulation.

Examples include laws reducing requirements for fire sprinklers, dual exit stairs, and enforcement mechanisms, alongside “self-certification” legislation for building professionals.

The report stresses that voluntary consensus standards, funded through copyright and licensing, remain central to affordable and independent public safety.

It cites cases such as the Grenfell Tower fire and Ghost Ship fire to show the deadly consequences of bypassing codes.

The toolkit outlines strategies for fire chiefs to lead advocacy, build coalitions, engage legislators, and support initiatives like the Pro Codes Act.

It concludes with a call to defend the system of safety through campaigns such as “A Code for Every Moment.”

Paper 3: Support for a national fire apparatus specification: Summary

The Urban Fire Forum paper identifies a procurement crisis affecting all fire departments, with escalating costs and delivery delays of up to four years.

It cites COVID-19 disruptions, EPA 2027 engine standards and industry consolidation as drivers of long lead times and rising apparatus prices.

The report highlights excessive customisation, with nearly 9,000 models purchased annually compared to 400 car models across the US market.

Fragmentation has led to inefficiency, inconsistent training, and inequitable access to apparatus between wealthier and smaller jurisdictions.

Recommendations include establishing a National Fire Apparatus Specification Task Group, developing modular tiered specifications, integrating procurement into cooperatives, and linking grants to adoption.

The paper concludes that national specifications would lower costs, accelerate delivery, and strengthen operational readiness across fire departments.

Paper 4: Support for advancing national fire and emergency services capabilities: Summary

The Urban Fire Forum paper outlines reductions in federal support, including closure of the Emergency Management and Response ISAC and limits on National Fire Academy programmes.

It notes the shift of World Fire Congress leadership to IAFC and NFPA, with Metro joining on the Executive Steering Committee.

The Fire Service One Voice initiative, launched in 2022, is highlighted as a successful example of unified advocacy on firefighter health, EMS, recruitment and battery safety.

The position paper stresses the importance of coordinated messaging under the expanded theme “One Mission, One Message, Many Voices.”

Recommendations include restoring federal support, increasing collaboration with research institutions, and advancing firefighter health and diversity initiatives.

The Forum calls for chiefs to actively engage in advocacy and policy to sustain national capabilities and operational effectiveness.

Paper 5: Statement in support of reauthorization of FirstNet: Summary

The Urban Fire Forum paper describes FirstNet as a nationwide broadband network for emergency responders, created in response to the 9/11 Commission Report.

It explains that the FirstNet Authority provides governance, oversees contracts with AT&T, and reinvests revenue to sustain network development.

Capabilities include always-on priority, ruthless preemption, and deployable assets supporting 2.99 million square miles of coverage across the US.

The report states that FirstNet now supports more than 7 million connections across 30,000 public safety agencies nationwide.

It warns that the Authority will sunset in February 2027 without Congressional reauthorisation, threatening oversight and innovation.

Recommendations include federal engagement, state and local advocacy, and coordination across fire, EMS, law enforcement and emergency management associations.

NFPA highlights collaboration and inclusivity

NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said: “Through initiatives like the Urban Fire Forum and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, we bring together leaders to address today’s fire and life safety challenges.

“The insights and resources generated from these collaborations are designed to benefit not only large metropolitan departments but also smaller and rural organisations that may face their own unique challenges.

“Our goal is to ensure that every fire service – regardless of size or capacity – has access to the guidance needed to protect their communities effectively.”

NFPA said international leaders also addressed the forum, including representatives from the United States Fire Administration, AFAC National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, the Mexican Fire Chiefs Association, the Federation of European Fire Officers, the UK Government and CTIF – International Fire & Rescue Services.

Chiefs and experts participate in discussions

NFPA reported that the Metro Chiefs Executive Board formed the core of the UFF group.

This included chiefs from departments in Boston, Fairfax County, Mesa, Calgary, Phoenix, Chicago, Palm Beach County, Montreal, Indianapolis, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Colorado Springs, Tucson, Anchorage, Philadelphia and Oklahoma City.

According to NFPA, presentations were also delivered by academic researchers, NFPA staff and subject matter specialists, including representatives from the University of Arizona, UL Fire Safety Research Institute, the NFPA Research Foundation and the Energy Security Agency.

NFPA said the event ensures that chiefs share deliverables and information with officers globally.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

The endorsed position papers provide new frameworks on fire apparatus specifications, national coordination and codes and standards that may affect procurement officers and senior fire service leaders.

The informational bulletin on lithium-ion electric vehicle fires offers tactical considerations for operational commanders and training officers preparing response strategies.

Wildfire-driven urban conflagration risks, included in the position papers, are relevant for emergency planners, risk assessors and government departments responsible for community protection.

The UFF’s focus on codes and standards has implications for fire engineering consultants, system installers and certification bodies who depend on consistent technical requirements.

By including perspectives from large metropolitan departments and smaller rural services, NFPA said the deliverables are intended to guide a wide range of organisations managing different scales of fire risk.

NFPA Forum highlights global fire service leadership and safety collaboration: Summary

Fire chiefs from Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States met on Wednesday 24 September 2025 at the National Fire Protection Association headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts for the annual Urban Fire Forum.

The chiefs endorsed five position papers covering codes and standards, national fire apparatus specification, advancing fire and emergency services capabilities, reauthorisation of FirstNet and wildfire-initiated urban conflagrations.

A sixth endorsed deliverable announced at the forum was an informational bulletin on tactical considerations for lithium-ion electric vehicle fires, which will accompany a forthcoming Fire Protection Research Foundation report.

NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said the forum aimed to support both large metropolitan and smaller rural services, while Metro Chiefs facilitator Otto Drozd III said the deliverables provided critical guidance for increasingly complex challenges.

The forum included presentations from international fire leaders and technical experts, with participants representing major urban fire departments across North America and beyond.

This article contains information from the following source: NFPA