Many of you may not have heard of the fire service’s Wingspread Conference. Up until this past year, this is a conference that has been held every 10 years since 1966. During the 2016 conference (the sixth such conference), it was decided that changes were occurring so rapidly that it should be held every five years. Therefore, the most recent conference, Wingspread VII, was in 2021.
The Wingspread Conference brings together fire service leaders from various size departments to identify broad issues facing the fire service and provide thoughts on the direction the fire service should take to address these issues.
How is the name “Wingspread” derived? It comes from the name of the location where the first conference was held as well as four of the six subsequent conferences. The Wingspread Conference Center, built in 1938 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is located in Racine, WI, and is owned by the Johnson Foundation. It was home for the Johnson Wax family until 1960, when it was converted into a conference center. The Center has hosted numerous conferences of national significance throughout its existence. The conference was a key factor in the establishment of the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Academy.
The Wingspread reports are all available online for anyone to read. It is most interesting to see the observations and thoughts in each report since the mid-1960s. Some of the challenges facing the fire service are more or less consistent through the decades. So, what are the key issues from the 2021 report?
The overarching theme of the report is that the fire and emergency services must be designated as critical infrastructure by the United States government. This is based on the ongoing problem of the loss of life and property due to fire on an annual basis. It is unfathomable to consider these losses in light of other developed nations across the globe. If the fire service can be considered critical infrastructure, then it is almost certain to start receiving the funding it needs to acquire new technology and staffing to better serve our customers.
As one would expect, the Wingspread VII Conference included discussion on the social issues confronting the nation and how they are directly related to the fire and emergency services. The buzzwords of inclusion, diversity, equity, and a sense of belonging are intertwined with the daily life of fire emergency responders. It extends from the internal customer (us) to our external customers. Please note that I use the term “internal customer.” This is a term coined by the late Chief (Ret.) Alan Brunacini from the Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department in his customer service writings and teachings. He keenly noted that if fire service organizations do not treat the internal customer (the members) right, then how could they possibly treat external customers to great customer service? There is no doubt in my mind that customer service has dwindled in all phases of life recently. The pandemic has had a lot to do with this, but I think the fire service needs a customer service “booster” shot.
The 2021 Conference had a focus on the wildland fire issue that has grown exponentially in recent years. This is also a global problem, and there are glaring needs that must be addressed. The participants stressed the need for more research and development. Public funding in this area for fire and emergency services is miniscule when taken in context with other agencies’ funding. While private funding in this area is also useful, it must be understood that private funding often has inherent biases built in the reports or intentionally left out of reports.
The report is interesting in that it addresses leadership education. So often our leaders have been brought up on the “fire service silo” and are not equipped to lead their organizations on the broader scale of community government and the business sector. A couple of other key areas of focus were technology and expanded community medical care.
The fire apparatus and emergency equipment community should be aware of the Wingspread report to provide them a “north star” in their strategic planning. It is anticipated that a copy of the 2021 report will be given to each member of Congress. The report was in final editing at deadline and should be available for public review soon.
ROBERT TUTTEROW retired as safety coordinator for the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department and is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. His 44-year career includes 10 as a volunteer. He has been very active in the National Fire Protection Association through service on the Fire Service Section Executive Board and technical committees involved with safety, apparatus, and personal protective equipment. He is a founding member and president of the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.).
