Editor’s note: Fire Chiefs Bob Horton and John Butler will present “Public Policy Advocacy: Is It Really Part of My Job?” at Fire-Rescue International on Wednesday, Aug. 13. Learn more and register today.
To truly protect our communities, fire chiefs must lead not only in emergencies but also in the conference rooms, legislative halls and rule-making meetings where decisions are made that affect how we prevent, respond to and recover from disasters. In today’s evolving landscape of wildfire risk, limited resources and increasingly complex policy environments, the role of the fire chief extends far beyond the fireline.
That leadership begins with understanding public policy — what it is, how it is made and where fire service professionals can make their voices heard.
Understanding the terrain: Policy, administration and politics
Public policy, at its core, is the set of decisions governments make to solve public problems. Whether it’s building codes in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), funding for fire suppression and mitigation, communications infrastructure or EMS funding, policies shape the landscape in which we operate.
Of course, policies do not implement themselves. That’s where public administration comes into play. Public administration includes the structures, budgets and agencies responsible for turning policy into action. Fire chiefs, as public administrators, have a role in the implementation and management of public programs using rules, procedures and expertise.
And then there is politics — the process through which power, values and competing interests shape what gets attention, who gets funded and which voices carry weight. Fire chiefs often avoid politics — or what they perceive to be politics — but understanding political processes is critical. Advocacy is not partisanship, it is leadership.
Why fire chiefs must engage in policy
In recent years, the fire service has faced enormous challenges: intensifying wildfires, stretched budgets, unfunded mandates and growing development in high-risk areas. Many of these problems are not operational; they are policy-driven.
Take Oregon’s wildfire risk map. Designed as a planning tool to reduce community exposure to wildfire, the map became a flashpoint for public concern, media scrutiny and political pushback. Narratives collided. Some saw it as a necessary step to increase safety while others viewed it as government overreach or a threat to individual property rights.
Fire chiefs were caught in the middle, responding to increased fire loads, fielding community questions and navigating unclear or changing guidance from agencies. Many realized that decisions were being made about them, without their input.
This is precisely why fire chiefs must become advocates — leaders who step into the policy arena to shape outcomes, not just react to them.
A window into policy change: Learning from policy process theory
To advocate effectively, it helps to understand how policy actually changes. Three key theories can guide that understanding:
- Multiple Streams Theory says policy change happens when three “streams” align: a clearly recognized problem, a workable solution and a favorable political climate. These are respectively referred to as the problem, policy and politics streams. These moments are rare, but when they happen, the window opens, and change becomes possible. Fire chiefs can be “policy entrepreneurs,” who are ready to act when that window opens, armed with data, stories, relationships and solutions.
- Advocacy Coalition Framework focuses on long-term coalitions of stakeholders (i.e., fire departments, landowners, insurers, community groups) who work together to influence outcomes based on shared beliefs. Fire chiefs can play a key role in these coalitions by providing technical credibility and linking operational realities with policy needs.
- Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) underscores that advocating for your policy agenda is not just a contest of facts, it is a contest of stories. It examines how narratives — complete with heroes, villains, victims and solutions — influence how people understand and respond to policy issues.
For example, in wildfire policy, the stories we tell matter deeply. Is the fire chief the protector of public safety or an enforcer of unpopular codes? Is the government a steward of community risk reduction or an overreaching bureaucrat? These are more than rhetorical questions; they shape how people vote, how media covers issues and how laws get written.
Fire chiefs have a unique advantage here. They are consistently among the most trusted public officials in the community. When they use their voice to tell a compelling story, rooted in data and lived experience, they have the power to shape narratives, not just respond to them.
Understanding these dynamics is more than academic, it is strategic. It helps fire leaders recognize when and how to intervene in ways that actually move the needle in public policy.
Advocacy, not lobbying: The chief as public leader
It’s important to clarify that advocacy is not the same as lobbying. Advocacy means using your position, knowledge and public trust to inform and influence policy for the good of the community. Lobbying is a narrow legal term referring to direct requests to legislators for specific bills, which can be done appropriately, within legal boundaries.
Most forms of advocacy — meeting with legislators, providing public testimony, writing op-eds, speaking to civic groups — are entirely appropriate, and often expected, from fire service leaders. Put simply: Advocacy is leadership in the policy arena.
A practical framework for fire chief advocacy
So how can fire chiefs turn this knowledge into action? Here’s a five-step framework tailored to the realities of fire service leadership:
- Define the issue: Use your data, experience and field insights to clearly articulate the problem. Be concise and tie it to public impact. Example: “We’ve seen a 60% increase in WUI incidents, but our approach has not changed in 10 years.”
- Build relationships: Identify and engage key stakeholders: city council members, legislators, agency staff, community leaders and others. Trust is built before it is needed. Tip: Join statewide fire chief associations and attend policy briefings or legislative days.
- Educate and inform: Use simple, clear language. Understand your narrative and combine stories with relevant data and evidence. Be a credible resource to decision-makers, not just a requester. Understand the opposition’s narrative as well. Ask “who is opposed to this policy issue?” Example: “Here’s how investing in mitigation now saves suppression costs later.”
- Mobilize support: Coordinate with others — homeowner associations, nonprofits, insurers and planning officials, for example. When coalitions speak with one voice, policymakers listen. Where is the power in your policy domain? Who has political capital to help you achieve your interests and how might you get them to join or lead the coalition? Example: “Partner with a local forest collaborative to advocate for shared stewardship funding.”
- Act and follow through: Testify at hearings, write letters, follow-up on commitments. Thank policymakers who support you. Know the process to engage, follow the established etiquette, and be open to compromise. Policy change is an iterative process, not a singular event. Example: “Once funding for FirstNet-compatible radios was approved, we coordinated with law enforcement and EMS to establish joint protocols and conducted a multi-agency communications drill to ensure operational readiness.”
Leading through complexity
Wildfire policy, building codes and emergency funding are all highly technical and deeply political. Fire chiefs must be comfortable navigating that complexity, not avoiding it.
Leading through this complexity requires balancing competing interests and values (e.g., economic development versus environmental protection or property rights versus community safety). It demands patience, strategic thinking and persistence. This means anticipating opposition, understanding competing values and preparing to communicate in a way that connects with diverse audiences from lawmakers to landowners. It also means accepting that not every win is immediate. Policy is long work and policy change is often incremental.
Final thoughts: From firehouse to statehouse
Fire chiefs are much more than operational leaders; they are strategic public safety executives. The future of fire service leadership lies not just in mastering fireground tactics but in mastering the policy landscape. A clear mantra in policy work is that “if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” The decisions being made in boardrooms and legislatures will shape the conditions under which the fire service operates for decades to come. Today’s fire chiefs must claim their seat and help set the agenda.
The stakes could not be higher; policies shape the environment in which fire departments function, determine their capacity to prevent disasters, create space to advance health and safety initiatives, and reduce overall risk to the community. The fire chief who understands this and embraces the role of policy advocate is poised to guide their department and community through an uncertain future with greater resilience and effectiveness.
By stepping into advocacy with clarity, integrity and determination, fire chiefs can ensure their communities are not just reacting to fire threats but also actively shaping safer, stronger communities for generations to come.
