WFCA Quarterly Newsletter 2025 | Q3

Published:September 24, 2025
Edited:September 24, 2025

Learn more about what the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) worked on during Q2 2025 and plans for Q3 2025 in this edition of the WFCA Quarterly Newsletter.

Vice President’s Message

The Western Fire Chiefs Association extends our deepest condolences and unwavering support to all those affected by the tragic shooting in Idaho last month. As public safety leaders, we feel these tragedies deeply — not only for the loss and fear they bring to our communities, but also for the impact they have on every first responder who answers the call when the unthinkable happens.

In that spirit, we look ahead to two important gatherings on our calendar: FORCE Conference and the IGNITE Symposium.The FORCE Conference will help carry this momentum forward by focusing on operational readiness, community resilience, and excellence in leadership. Following that, the IGNITE Symposium is where chiefs, officers, and industry partners come together to share innovative solutions, tackle emerging challenges, and build connections that make our fire service family stronger.

Both events offer timely opportunities to address the complex realities each of our department’s face — including the threats of violence, health impacts on responders, technological advancements and the need for robust community partnerships.

In times of tragedy and in times of progress, our strength is our unity. As we gather let’s honor those affected by senseless violence by doubling down on our commitment to each other, to our profession, and to the communities that trust us to be there when they need us most.

Finally, we’re excited to announce a new partnership with Stationwise, a trusted resource for supporting fire departments with interoperable staffing, scheduling, payroll, and health solutions. This collaboration will help our members streamline operations, enhance firefighter wellbeing, and keep their focus where it belongs — on serving their communities.

We’re excited to see you at IGNITE as we keep building momentum together. Attendance is limited, so reserve your spot today.

Fraternally,

Chief Jeremy Craft, Lehi Fire
WFCA Vice President

IGNITE Symposium| March 12-13, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV

Following a successful inaugural year, we’re excited to bring the WFCA IGNITE Symposium back to Las Vegas for its second annual event. Join us as we build upon the momentum, fostering innovation and leadership within the fire service community!

Building Public Safety Agency Capabilities with FirstNet through Sourcewell

TJ Kennedy
Former President, FirstNet
CEO, Fractional Source

Over 29,500 agencies now rely on FirstNet for secure, mission-critical communications. Designed specifically for public safety, FirstNet ensures nationwide interoperability, priority access, and preemption—supporting more than 7 million connections. Its ecosystem includes certified devices, a dedicated public safety app store, and support for emerging tech like IoT and drones, all backed by a U.S. Independent Authority focused on safety and reliability.

Having worked closely with public safety professionals across the country, I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is for agencies to have fast, reliable access to the tools and technology they need and deserve. That’s exactly what Sourcewell’s cooperative contracting capability delivers when it comes to FirstNet. Sourcewell is a government agency and national cooperative purchasing organization that serves more than 50,000 public sector agencies across the United States. Their contracts are competitively solicited and fully compliant, which means agencies can trust the process and avoid the headaches of lengthy traditional procurements.

At the end of the day, Sourcewell’s streamlined procurement process removes the barriers and delays that have traditionally challenged public safety agencies, empowering them to quickly and confidently purchase the equipment and services they need, including FirstNet. With Sourcewell’s streamlined procurement and FirstNet’s unmatched coverage and emergency response capabilities, public safety agencies can stay focused on protecting communities.

To learn more, visit AT&T wireless services through Sourcewell or email [email protected].

2025 Vision Summit | September 8-11, 2025 | Indianapolis, IN

The 2025 Vision Summit, the premier event for FirstNet end users, is quickly approaching. This is an opportunity to learn more about Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence, drones, NG9-1-1, and much more. Learn more about the single dedicated network for public safety – FirstNet!

WFCA’s Training Courses

In conjunction with the 2025 Vision Summit, WFCA is convening together fire service leaders to tackle the biggest challenges in first response. Join us as we build the relationships, systems, and technologies needed to protect our personnel and communities better than ever before.

Training options include:
All-Hazards Communications Unit Leader (COML) 4-Day Training
Information Technology Service Unit Leader (ITSL) 4-Day Training

Click here to book your hotel – room block closes August 22, 2025.

Newsletter Update

In Q2, the Daily Dispatch team made tremendous progress. At the end of Q1, we were distributing our National edition alongside 8 state-specific newsletters. Building on that momentum, the team pushed hard and successfully restored full publication by the end of the quarter. Their dedication, attention to detail, and consistency continue to elevate the quality of our daily publications.

We now publish 13 standalone state editions and 11 regional editions each weekday—delivering curated news from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, as well as a dedicated Wildland edition.

Important Note: Our National News-only edition will be retired starting August 16th. To continue receiving your fire service news, features, and announcements you rely on, please subscribe to your preferred State Daily Dispatch edition.

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