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The American Fire Service with Heather Burford
TOPIC: The American Fire Service – Proud History & Innovative Future
SPEAKER: Heather Burford
From Benjamin Franklin co-founding the Country’s first volunteer fire company in 1736, through today’s migration to electric fire engines, the American Fire Service has evolved tremendously throughout history. Ever evolving, the fire service has undergone remarkable transformation, adapting to changing environments, embracing technology and innovation, and expanding its role beyond traditional firefighting.
This presentation will guide the audience through a short history of the fire service and discuss impactful advancements being made to better serve communities across our nation. The discussion will also touch on some of the lesser-known facts about the fire service such as why Dalmatians were the dog of choice for fire departments, and the impact that COVID has had on the profession of firefighting.
BIOGRAPHY
Heather Burford has a 35-year history with the American fire service. Soon after graduating from Iowa State University, Heather joined the Wilton Fire Department in Connecticut as a volunteer firefighter and fell in love with public safety services. In 1993, Heather was hired as the first female Firefighter in Manchester, Connecticut where she spent 13 years working her way up through the ranks of the department. She became the Fire Chief of the Ridgefield Connecticut Fire Department in 2006 and in 2014 she was appointed Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management for the City of Seminole in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area of Florida.
Heather holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Connecticut, is recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence® as a Chief Fire Officer and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.
Heather has a long history of community involvement and volunteering. She is an active member of Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian and disaster recover organization; she serves as a board member for the South Carolina Firefighters Burned Children’s Fund; and she currently serves as a member of the Indian Land Consolidated Fire Protection District Commission. Heather resides in South Carolina, where she is close to her parents and extended family.
