The Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP) is an initiative of the United States Fire Administration/National Fire Academy designed to provide senior officers and others in key leadership roles with:
An understanding of:
the need to transform fire and emergency services organizations from being
reactive to proactive; with an emphasis on leadership development, prevention,
and risk-reduction;
transforming fire and emergency services organizations to reflect the
diversity of America's communities;
the value of research and its application to the profession; and
the value of lifelong learning.
Enhanced executive-level knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to lead
these transformations, conduct research, and engage in lifelong learning.
The officers enhance their professional development through a unique series of four graduate and upper-division-baccalaureate equivalent courses. The EFOP spans a 4-year period with 4 core courses. Each course is 2 weeks in length.
EFOP participant must complete an Applied Research Project (ARP) that relates to their organization within 6 months after the completion of each of the four courses. A certificate of completion for the entire EFOP is awarded only after the successful completion of the final research project.
NOTE: Completion of the ARP is a prerequisite for attending the next course in the sequence of the program.