29/02/2024
To All VCOS Members:
Please allow me a few minutes to introduce myself, my name is Tim Whitham, Fire Chief of the Edwardsville (KS) Fire Department in the Kansas City Metro Area. I am writing to seek your support and vote for the position of International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) at-large board member.
We must be one voice. I am running because I want to give back to the section that has given me many tools to do my job effectively. In my 18 years serving as a Fire Chief of combination fire departments, and also serving as a chief and chief officer of volunteer organizations, I have always been able to reach out and rely upon VCOS to identify and provide training, education and guidance on a variety of topics that affect the volunteer and combination officer. My experiences have given me an understanding of the complex issues we are facing in the volunteer and combination agencies today.
Many times, volunteer and combination chiefs attempt to do the best that they can with not only limited resources and staffing, but more importantly limited funding. My mantra is to believe in and practice servant leadership. When we put more into those that we serve, the better they become, and in turn, they make our agencies better. I also believe that character, integrity and humility are essential traits for leadership positions, especially those that will put the needs of others above their own self-interests. My voice for you on the board is one that will be based on these principles and values that will move the section forward.
I have never passed up an opportunity to represent the interests of the VCOS section, numerous times I have brought our interests and needs to those relevant committee objectives. These include serving numerous years as a peer reviewer for AFG grants, serving as the VCOS representative on the Affordable Care Act task force, serving on the VCOS Toolkit for Chiefs Dealing with Federal Regulators committee, as well as serving several years as your VCOS representative to the Fire Rescue International planning committee.
Many of our issues facing the volunteer and combination officer are the same as those who serve career departments. We just need to help them establish that bridge to make the connection that the IAFC is there for all chief’s and that section is a leader, the voice for concerns that face our agencies.
These relevant experiences, as well as serving as an adjunct NFA instructor has allowed me to create numerous contacts in the fire service. Having delivered programs all over the United States, I have stayed abreast of the issues that are affecting the combination and volunteer fire departments. I have also had the opportunity to address legislative bodies and committees on concerns facing the fire and emergency services on behalf of combination and volunteer agencies.
Some of the issues I have heard from you that I will address as your board member include:
Increased dialog with volunteer fire chiefs and addressing their concerns.
Recruitment and retention incentives and programs.
Increased opportunities for fire service training at little to no cost to the individuals or departments.
Increased health and wellness programs including pursuing legislation to fund these programs, mental health benefits and presumptive cancer benefits.
Maintaining AFG, SAFER and Fire Prevention Grant funding.
Reimbursable funding for fire-based EMS transport and First Response services.
The only way a section does better, is to be better. That is by listening to you, and the needs of your agency. As a member of the VCOS board I will push for more interaction of the VCOS section to the state chief’s associations as not only a recruitment and development tool for chief officers, but also to highlight what VCOS can do for them.
We can make our voice heard, and we can bring the necessary change to make our individual organizations better by being proactive in highlighting the needs and concerns of the volunteer and combination fire departments across the United States. But we will need your help. We must take every opportunity to highlight our needs and concerns at every level from the local level to the federal level. As one strong voice, we can influence and change the environment we are in. I promise to be available to any member of the VCOS section to listen to your concerns, address your needs and provide guidance within VCOS to elevate the nations volunteer and combination fire departments.
Volunteer and combination agencies serve every aspect of America from the rural jurisdictions and small towns to the suburbs of major cities. I humbly ask for your support and vote as a VCOS at-large board member in the upcoming election. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me at your convenience.
Tim Whitham
913-461-0300
[email protected]
