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Executive Fire Officer Program

The Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program is the pinnacle of the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) commitment to support the needs of fire and emergency medical services (EMS) agencies in preparing executive officers to meet the ever-changing demands of the dynamic communities in which they serve. Consequently, the USFA is focused on supplementing, not duplicating, existing programs of training, technology and research, data collection and analysis, and public education.

EFO Program application period suspended

The open application period for acceptance into the EFO Program is suspended until further notice. To meet the needs of existing students and catch up on scheduling delays due to COVID-19, we do not anticipate accepting applications prior to Fall 2022. We will post application instructions when the suspension is lifted.

EFO Program Handbook

Capstone Guidelines

Legacy to 2021 Program

Highlights of the new EFO Program

The current EFO Program structure is a direct result of extensive feedback collected from EFO Program graduates, students, instructors and various stakeholders. By offering a combination of residential courses and blended online learning, students may move through the coursework at their own pace. Students have up to 4 years to complete the program but can complete the program in as little as 2 years if scheduling permits.

The culminating portion of the EFO Program is comprised of 3 capstone pillars to demonstrate bold and imaginative solutions to critical issues cultivated by the executive throughout the program. Students integrate, synthesize and apply the knowledge, skills and perspectives acquired throughout the EFO Program and demonstrate mastery of all program elements during an online, instructor-led course and a resident course.

All components of the capstone project are graded assignments. The capstone pillars are:

A portfolio of artifacts that is compiled throughout the program and serves as a valuable reference that students can access and build upon far into the future. The portfolio demonstrates the affective as well as cognitive learning domains by integrating program deliverables with a reflection paper that discusses how students receive, respond, apply and value the lessons learned throughout the EFO Program.
A capstone research paper is the culmination of theory and application where the executive displays both the vision and competencies highlighted throughout the EFO Program. The paper incorporates complex problem identification and exploration, research, data, and the ability to author solutions to multifaceted problems while presenting the information in a convincing, logical and academically sound format. Details can be found in the Capstone Research Guide.
A presentation in the final resident course mirrors a real-life event, such as a town hall, council meeting or catastrophic incident. This essential experience is designed to provide a complex and dynamic environment with both peer and expert feedback that uniquely informs each student’s professional and personal insight.

EFO students are allowed up to 3 stipend trips per year to the NFA.