Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association

10/01/2026

09/23/2026

Proud to have been part of the conversation at . As Metro Chiefs, we know that no community faces these challenges alone. Collaboration and shared learning across borders make us all stronger.

World Fire Congress 2026 brought together fire and life safety leaders from 61 countries together to tackle shared challenges - from climate driven wildfires to lithium-ion battery risks and exploring how AI, digital tools and innovation can strengthen prevention and response. Read on to see the key...

09/21/2026

Pleased to share a special episode of the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s Flames of Knowledge podcast commemorating the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and reflecting on its lasting impact on the fire and emergency services.

The episode features Dr. Denis Onieal, who served as Superintendent of the National Fire Academy on September 11 and later played a role in the federal response and support provided to the FDNY. Denis has also provided many years of dedicated service to the Metro, generously sharing his leadership, experience, and counsel with our organization and its members.

In this episode, he offers his firsthand perspective on that historic day, the lessons learned over the past 25 years, and the importance of carrying those lessons forward to future generations.

New York City Fire Department (FDNY)

Flames of Knowledge · Episode

09/17/2026

The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association is honored to be recognized as a 2026 National Firefighter Registry for Cancer Champion.

More than 50,000 firefighters have enrolled in the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer. Their participation is already supporting published research, ongoing analyses, and resources that help the fire service better understand and address occupational cancer.

The more firefighters who enroll, the more researchers can learn. The Metro encourages active and retired firefighters, with or without a cancer diagnosis, to add their experience to this important national effort.

Fire departments can also help by sharing NFR information, providing firefighters with time and assistance to enroll, and using available communication materials to promote participation.

Every enrollment strengthens the research and helps move the fire service closer to understanding and reducing the impact of cancer.

Learn more and enroll: https://nfr.cdc.gov/
NFR outreach materials: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/registry/nfrcomm.html

09/17/2026

Great video representative of the host National Fire Chiefs Council - NFCC but also echos the themes of the World Fire Congress - coming together to address the same or similar hazards and challenges across diverse cultures and geographies.

09/16/2026

We are incredibly proud of our Metro Chiefs President, Chief Trisha Wolford, on her service as Vice Chair of the FirstNet Authority Board.

Congratulations, Trisha, on this well-deserved opportunity to serve and lead. We are honored to see your experience, perspective, and commitment to the fire service helping shape the important work of the FirstNet Authority.

We couldn’t be prouder to have the Metro Chiefs perspective represented at this level. Congratulations, Trisha! 👏🧑🏻‍🚒

We are proud to announce Chief Trisha Wolford as the new Vice Chair of the FirstNet Authority Board. Chief Wolford, AACoFD Station 8, brings over 20 years of experience and leadership in public safety including serving as president of IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs. firstnet.gov/about/board

09/12/2026

Twenty-five years ago, our nation witnessed an act of unimaginable terror and the world witnessed something else: firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel, and ordinary citizens choosing courage in the face of extraordinary danger.

For the fire service, September 11, 2001, is more than a date in history. It is a permanent part of our profession’s conscience.

We remember the 343 firefighters and the many other members of the fire and emergency services who made the ultimate sacrifice at the World Trade Center. We remember the emergency responders at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. We remember those who survived that day and carry its physical and invisible scars for all the years that follow.

As Metropolitan Fire Chiefs, we remember another responsibility: to lead with the knowledge that every alarm can change a life forever.

The men and women who responded on September 11 did not know what awaited them. They only knew that people needed help, and they went.

That legacy challenges us still. It calls us to prepare more rigorously, lead more courageously, protect our people more fiercely, appreciate each call we come home from, and to ensure that the lessons written in sacrifice are never forgotten.

The towers are gone, but the courage of those who charged toward danger remains.

We remember their names.
We honor their families.
We support those still carrying the burden.
And we pledge to carry their legacy forward.

Today, we stand together in solemn remembrance and enduring gratitude.

New York City Fire Department (FDNY)

09/10/2026

We are humbled to be able to be part of the World Fire Congress. The value has proven encompassing and impactful and we look forward to welcoming representation from more or new nations to gain their perspectives and expand the collaborative network to combat fire and safety issues. As we move forward, we hope to better support access, allowing less resourced nations to be able to participate.

Thank you to Steven Locke and John Butler for serving as our 2026 delegation representing the United States!

We are also proud and grateful for our Metro members and partners who have been part of this ongoing effort: National Fire Chiefs Council - NFCC, ASOCIACION MEXICANA DE JEFES DE BOMBEROS, AFAC News, FEU - Federation of European Fire Officers, CTIF Fire & Rescue News, Organizacion de Bomberos Americanos - OBA, IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Fire Safety Research Institute

09/09/2026

It’s been an overwhelmingly successful and productive Congress over the past two days! Excited for what the 2028 United Arab Emirates Congress will bring.

The closes in London tonight, with the gavel and Founding Principles passed from the UK to the United Arab Emirates, host of the 2028 Congress. Two days of discussion, from wildfire response to firefighter health and community resilience, close with a commitment to keep workin...