The National Association of Emergency and Fire Officials (NAEFO) took a major step to amplify the voice of America’s special districts providing emergency services in Washington, D.C., with the establishment of a federal legislative and regulatory platform.

NAEFO’s Legislative Committee adopted on Tuesday, January 14, a slate of policy statements focused on general governance issues facing special emergency services districts. The NAEFO Policy Platform guides priorities on how the association will monitor and engage on federal legislative and regulatory issues for the nearly 7,000 special districts providing fire, ambulance, and 9-1-1 services.

Within the platform are eight core policy categories and themes NAEFO prioritizes for action, each with broader explanations:

• Increasing and Sustaining Funding for Major Federal Emergency Services Programs: Such as the Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Services (SAFER), and more.
• Rural Development and Related Issues: Supporting funding opportunities and advocating for full funding of critical rural emergency services such as the Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs (SIREN) program and relevant funding under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development. 
• Reimbursement and Revenue Supports: Making sure federally-funded reimbursement programs for emergency medical transport is solid and focusing in commonsense efforts, such as Treatment in Place.
• Forest Management & Wildland Urban Interface: NAEFO monitors and supports legislation and regulation that drives good management policies and fire response efforts on federal lands to protect nearby and adjacent communities.  
• Community Risk Reduction (CRR) and Hazard Mitigation: Supporting and maintaining important federal programs supporing important mitigation activities and making sure emergency services districts are factored into Hazard Mitigation Plans.
• Regulatory Needs: From the OSHA Emergency Response Standard to the broad implications of the PFAS hazardous substance designation – NAEFO is the local government voice for emergency services district to offer insights and solutions on major regulatory issues.
• Next Generation 9-1-1: NAEFO supports the nationwide adoption of Next Generation 911 and investments to advance America’s emergency communications and response networks. 
• Federal Recognition and Understanding of Special Districts: NAEFO strongly supports federal efforts to define “special district” and further efforts to ensure fire, ambulance, and 9-1-1 emergency communications districts are accurately accounted for and federally-recognized for their essential services.

Marvin Hill, NAEFO Vice President (representing Illinois) and Barrington Countryside (Ill.) Fire Protection District Trustee, chairs the NAEFO Legislative Committee.

The Committee will meet next on Tuesday, March 11, at Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT, to consider additional policy statements as amendments to the Platform and hear updates on relevant legislation and issues on the horizon for fire and ambulance districts.

Register here for the Legislative Meeting (Guests Welcome).

Legislative committee members are expected to consider at least three amendments:

1. Community Risk Reduction: Expansion of mobile integrated health units and mental health needs as a form of CRR.
2. Forest Management & Wildland Urban Interface: Addressing Water Infrastructure for Firefighting, focusing on WUI communities.
3. Forest Management & Wildland Urban Interface: Applied strategies for wildland fire suppression on federal lands and enhancing intergovernmental communications.

NAEFO Members interested to join committee membership, and anyone with any questions, may email Cole Arreola-Karr, NAEFO Policy Manager, at cole@naefo.org.