2025 Conference - October 28-30

Click here to subscribe KSAFC Forum. If you are a KSAFC Member and see no topics you will need to login to view posted topics.

KSAFC 2024 Conference Review

Greetings KSAFC Member,

What a conference!!!! WOW!!!

What an incredible conference we had this year! The energy was high, the conversations were inspiring, and it was truly gratifying to see such a significant turnout. Attendance was way up, and every discussion centered around moving our organization forward in meaningful ways.

We had the privilege of hosting Governor Kelly and Senator Moran—a testament to how far our reach and credibility have come. It was an honor to witness their recognition of our work and our shared mission. It’s clear that people are taking notice of the Kansas fire service and Kansas fire chiefs.

A special thank you goes out to the Manhattan Fire Department, especially Chief Almes and Wendy, for their stellar work in organizing the event. Their dedication ensured that every moment was purposeful, engaging, and a success from start to finish. The keynotes were thought-provoking, even surprising—who would have expected 90 Kansas fire chiefs meditating together at a conference? The Administrative Conference continues to grow in both relevance and participation, reflecting the diverse needs of our departments. The roundtable session offered a unique opportunity for collaborative insight, while the awards honored the outstanding work of multiple departments whose heroic rescues were nothing short of remarkable.

To everyone who helped plan, spoke, organized, and attended—thank you. Special thanks to our sponsors and vendors. This success would not have been possible without each of you. For those who couldn’t make it, I want to encourage you to prioritize next year’s conference in October in Manhattan. You won’t want to miss it, and it promises to be even bigger and better. This organization is on a positive, progressive path, and every member who engages strengthens us all.

We’re building something impactful here. If you aren’t taking part, you’re missing out on the opportunity to be part of something truly meaningful. Together, let’s continue driving the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs forward.

Looking forward to seeing each of you there next year!

Warm regards,

Chad Russell

President, KSAFC

Following a review of proposed changes to federal rules 29 CFR 1910.155 and 1915.156, the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs (KSAFC) has adopted a position of opposition to these changes. As the organization that represents chief officers from all the diverse mix of Kansas fire departments, the KSAFC is focused on the safety and health of the thousands of firefighters in our state. We applaud efforts to improve the environments and conditions which challenge our members and communities. However, if enacted as written, OSHA’s updated rule will have far reaching and potentially negative implications for how fire and related emergency services are delivered in Kansas.

Many of these proposed changes include the adoption by rule of certain National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards that are typically within the discretion of the local authority having jurisdiction. One example of the potential impact can be found in NFPA 1901, which is the Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (2016 Edition). NFPA 1901 calls for the replacement of fire apparatus that were either “not manufactured to the applicable NFPA fire apparatus standards or that are over 25 years old.” Many Kansas communities rely on older, but still functional fire apparatus and are not in a financial position to immediately purchase newer apparatus (nor is there likely available inventory to meet this sudden demand).

The potential fiscal and logistical challenge of updating fleets that are suddenly deemed obsolete is just one of the significant impacts of these proposed rule changes. Another is the need to provide NFPA specific medical physicals to all a department’s firefighters. Such physicals are not available in many Kansas communities and, again, the cost of such physicals may make this objective unreachable for some departments.

Again, the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs opposes the adoption of these proposed rule changes as written. We encourage the review committee to include alternative approaches within the ruleset that may represent a more practical and equally effective approach to the issues addressed. An example of this might be to include enhanced inspection processes for older fire apparatus versus the expectation for replacement once an arbitrary date is reached.

Respectfully,

Executive Board of the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs

KSAFC Supports GEMT Implementation in Kansas

The Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs (KSAFC) enthusiastically supports the implementation of the Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) Public EMS Supplemental Plan. We believe this initiative will greatly benefit our communities by alleviating financial burdens on emergency medical services (EMS) agencies across the state. All the states that border Kansas have either adopted or are pursuing implementation of GEMT programs so we have real, practical examples of how this program can work in our state. States have adopted various methodologies for administering GEMT programs and we advocate following Colorado’s model for cost reporting to ensure an equitable distribution of funds.  to all eligible agencies, regardless of size, availability of resources, or location. 

The KSAFC recognizes that the reimbursement under this program is intended to benefit public EMS transporting agencies. Even with this limitation, we advocate in favor of this program because we recognize the community-wide benefits of financially healthy EMS systems. Additionally, access to GEMT-based in some areas may free up budget dollars for other city or county agencies, including fire departments.

We are in lockstep with our statewide partners to ensure the successful implementation of the GEMT Program. Our commitment is to do what is best for the Kansas fire service and the communities we serve. We urge state authorities to swiftly implement and support this program, ensuring it operates efficiently and transparently. By doing so, we can enhance emergency medical response capabilities and ensure equitable distribution of resources that benefit all Kansans.

Respectfully, 

Executive Board of the Kansas Association of Fire Chiefs