Annual Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Conference

Every year, USFA hosts the annual Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Conference on its campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Representatives from fire-related degrees programs, State and local fire service training agencies, and national fire service organizations attend the three-day conference. There are significant products from these conferences resulting from the group work by the participants and presentations by national leaders and experts. Participation at the FESHE conferences is by invitation only to those in the target audiences.

11th Annual Conference
The 11th annual Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Conference will be held May 30 – June 1, 2009 at the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA) National Fire Academy (NFA) campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland. A preliminary agenda for the upcoming conference will be posted in February.

Costs and Enrollment Information
Lodging and Meals
As in the past, travel and meals ($97.25) are borne by the attendees; however, USFA will provide lodging at no charge and scheduled bus transportation to and from a regional airport. Do not book your travel plans until confirmation of your acceptance is received from our Admissions Office.

Lodging on campus is limited. One other representative from your institution or agency may attend the conference provided he/she submits a separate application; however, depending on room availability, additional representatives from your organization may need to stay off campus at their own expense.

Selection Criteria
Priority No. 1
Those active in fire service professional development, including official representatives of regionally accredited academic fire programs, State and local fire service training, national and State fire associations, and those responsible for developing fire and emergency service personnel. Candidates within this audience will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Priority No. 2
Those with interest in the field of fire and emergency services professional development. Candidates within this audience will be reviewed for acceptance after the application closing date.

Go to: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/higher_ed/feshe/feshe_conf.shtm for more info

FESHE Web Site;
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/higher_ed/index.shtm

What is the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) Program?
Working with coordinators of two- and four-year academic fire and emergency medical services (EMS) degree programs, the U. S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy (NFA) has established the FESHE network of emergency services-related education and training providers. The FESHE mission is to:

Establish an organization of post-secondary institutions to promote higher education and to enhance the recognition of the fire and emergency services as profession to reduce loss of life and property from fire and other hazards.

To accomplish this mission, NFA convenes annual:

FESHE conferences on its campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Representatives from fire-related degrees programs, State and local fire service training agencies and national fire service organizations attend the three-day conference.
Meetings of standing FESHE committees where model course outlines, conference agendas, recommendations and new initiatives are developed.
Through these conferences and meetings, FESHE members have made remarkable strides in developing the:

National Professional Development Model and its practical application, the Matrix, for states to adopt and customize as they move from an often fragmented and stove-piped system of training, higher education and certification to one that is competency-based and completely integrated.
Model course outlines for fire-related and EMS Management degree programs in partnership with fire-related publishers to write textbooks that support them.
Fostering culture change in Line of Duty Death prevention through a partnership between the FESHE community and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Promoting academic research and scholarship and the development of students’ research skills.

Development and adoption of a national program mark. At the 2004 conference, the FESHE Program Mark was unveiled to the attendees. It represents the idea that within the ivory towers of higher education, firefighters and fire officers, armed with the knowledge and a college degree, can reduce the human and economic impact of fires in their communities. This mark is public domain and may be used freely.