NFPA hosted fire chiefs from Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States in Quincy, Massachusetts, last week for the annual Urban Fire Forum.
The 2025 event brought together leaders from some of the world’s largest metropolitan departments to advance international collaboration and address the most urgent issues shaping today’s fire and emergency services.
The two-day forum explored challenges such as wildfire-driven urban conflagrations, lithium-ion battery hazards, data-driven planning and national mutual aid. Chiefs also discussed the evolving role of fire service leadership in shaping safety policy and public confidence.
Delegates formally endorsed five position papers that now stand as official UFF-Metropolitan Fire Chiefs guidance, providing frameworks to strengthen firefighter safety, enhance national coordination and defend the integrity of codes and standards.
In addition, the forum approved an informational bulletin offering tactical considerations for tackling lithium-ion battery electric vehicle fires, produced in collaboration with the Fire Protection Research Foundation.
NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley praised the event’s outcomes, stressing the association’s mission to ensure departments of all sizes can access the latest guidance to protect their communities.
Distinguished speakers included representatives from the United States Fire Administration, the AFAC National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, the Federation of European Fire Officers, the UK Government and the International Fire & Rescue Services.
The chiefs emphasised the importance of unity in addressing global threats, pointing to the rise of large-scale disasters and new hazards that demand shared strategies.
Otto Drozd III, Executive Secretary of the Metro Chiefs and facilitator of the forum, said the endorsed deliverables show the fire service is focused on leadership, standardisation and emerging risks such as wildfire conflagrations and lithium-ion fires.
The forum also highlighted contributions from researchers and technical experts in firefighter health, community risk reduction and fire safety science.
Collectively, the event underlined the critical need for collaboration across government, industry and academia to support safer, more resilient communities worldwide.
