A line-of-duty death forever changes the fire department or agency and the community.
So where does a chief turn for support after this tragedy?
The Chief-to-Chief Network grew out of a need expressed by chiefs who had lost a firefighter in the line of duty. They said that they felt very isolated after the death of a firefighter, that they had no one to turn to for advice and support.
The Foundation has established a network of senior fire officers who have one thing in common. They have all experienced the death of a firefighter in the line of duty and understand what a department goes through.
How It Works
Immediately after learning about a line-of-duty death, the Foundation gathers information about the incident and the fire department.
Any Chief who would like to talk to a Network Chief can do so by completing the information request form below. A member of the Foundations team will be in touch within 24 hours to gather more information in order to match up an appropriate Chief. The Foundation will arrange for a Chief-to-Chief contact.
We then arrange for a chief-to-chief contact, matching chiefs by criteria such as department size and location, career or volunteer status and the nature of the incident.
Chief-to-Chief Support
Network members share information on issues:
- Incident follow-up and investigations
- Support for the fallen firefighter's family and coworkers
- Funeral and memorial service arrangements
- Requests for information from media and community
- Personal feelings of loss
All discussions are confidential.
Immediate Support: First 24 Hours
The Foundation also identifies a fire service officer or chaplain in a nearby area who can personally provide funeral guides and other resources within the first 24 hours. These officers have gone through training based on information gleaned by Chiefs who have been there.
Insights From Chiefs
Here are some insights from chief officers who have experienced the death of a firefighter under their command. Included are suggestions they would make to others facing a similar situation.
What other insights have you had?
What has helped you?
What actions have you taken since the death?
- What you do to make things better will be the benchmark you leave after a line-of-duty death. You must make changes for the better.
- Threw out the old standards and started from scratch.
- Implemented a department fitness program
- Pushed for presumptive findings Insisted that firefighters follow all safety protocols religiously
- Reached out to other chiefs after line-of-duty death
Request More Information
For more information, contact the Foundation using the form below.
