The Future of CFCA: Looking Towards the Next 125 Years

The California Fire Chiefs Association (CFCA) has undertaken a dedicated effort to streamline its organization by clarifying and aligning their relationship with all CFCA sections and their members under the umbrella of CFCA as the parent association. With CFCA's rich history spanning 125 years, each of its sections has evolved in parallel. It became evident that the time had come to reconfigure member services, fostering a unified voice within the fire ser-vice community. In recent months, CFCA's leadership, in collaboration with leaders from its various sections, engaged in extensive deliberations to enhance not only the support CFCA offers its sections but also to amplify the benefits bestowed upon all CFCA members. The outcome of their recent meeting is presented below, showcasing the finalized agreement that represents this significant step forward. 

September 6, 2023 California Fire Chiefs Association Reorganization and Alignment Meeting
Electronic

Sections in attendance, Fire Prevention Officers, Training Officers, Administrative Fire Services, Emergency Management, Fire Mechanics, Operations, Emergency Medical Services 
Sections not in attendance- Communications
CalChiefs Executive Board 

Final agreements

1. Agreed that Sections would align their existing bylaws not to be in conflict with CFCA bylaws.
   
   
2. Agreed that all Section Presidents would be sworn in at the CFCA Annual Conference, held in September or October (Sections may choose to have the full board sworn at that time if desired).
   
   
3. Agreed that dues payments will occur at the same time each year and that only one invoice from CFCA will be submitted to the Fire Agency and will include the section dues as well. (Fiscal year July 1 to June 30) annually.
   
   
4. Agreed that Section will each be allocated one 50-minute time slot during the educational portion of the CFCA annual conference not to exceed 8 sessions total. This will not occur in 2023 because the conference agenda has been set prior to this agreement.
   
   
5. Agreed that President orientation would occur at our pre-conference day at the CFCA annual conference beginning 2024.
   
   
6. Agreed that each Section would designate one spokesperson to interface with the CFCA Executive Committee and if a section has a north and south organization, they will determine who will be that one spokesperson for the section as a whole.
   
   
7. Agreed that CFCA will maintain a data base and collect dues for each Section, returning dues to those Sections that maintain separate tax identification status, and hold those dues for Sections that do not (Communications, Emergency Management and Operations).
   
   
8. Agreed that Sections that have non-profit status will be responsible for their own money, Federal and State tax payments, insurance, and maintenance of their non-profit status, including an employee identification number (EIN).
   
   
9. Agreed that Sections would link their website or maintain a page at their own expense to the CFCA website.
   
   
10. Agreed that Sections would designate a liaison to the CFCA to provide Subject Matter Expertise and the current CFCA liaison’s role would be eliminated currently assigned to Area Directors. 
    
    
11. Agreed that current Section members whose agency is not a member of CFCA would be deemed Associate members within the Sections and would not be eligible for CFCA membership benefits.
    
    
12. Agreed that a CFCA bylaw change would occur to include University Fire Marshals, who do not have Fire Chiefs positions.
    
    
13. Agreed that the CFCA President would develop a schedule to communicate with the designated Section spokesperson on a regular and consistent basis.