Building the Case for an Inclusive and Diverse Emergency Services Organization

In 2018 the United States is home to more than 200 different racial, ethnic, class, spiritual, gender and social identity groups. As our communities become increasingly diverse, so then must our fire and emergency departments evolve. A paradigm shift is required in the organizational culture of the fire service: from cultural diversity viewed as a problem to be managed – to a recognition of the “value-added” to our service by that diversity. This session will begin with an overview, a 360° size-up, of the daily impact of racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia on our personnel and customer service. To equip them to lead their organizations through this “diversity terrain,” Chief Officers will engage in small group, mission-focused activities to build business, customer service, recruiting and retention, health and safety, prevention, operations, reputation management, disaster preparedness, and ethical, moral cases for an inclusive and diverse emergency service organization.

For more information on this session and the FRI education program visit: IAFC.org/FRI