Two invitation-focused leadership events for senior fire service officials will return at the FDIC International in 2026, organisers have confirmed, offering dedicated spaces for chiefs and officers to exchange ideas and tackle challenges facing the sector.
The annual conference, scheduled to take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, will again feature the Metro Fire Officers Leadership & Innovation Summit and the Officers Club, both designed to encourage collaboration among senior emergency services leaders.
Organisers say the programmes aim to create focused environments where experienced fire officers can share strategies, explore operational solutions and build professional networks away from the main conference floor.
The Metro Fire Officers Leadership & Innovation Summit will run from April 20 to 21, a day earlier than in previous years. According to organisers, the change was made in response to feedback from attendees who wanted more time to participate in the wider conference after the summit concludes.
By moving the summit earlier in the week, participants can attend the specialised leadership sessions before exploring the rest of the event, which is widely considered North America’s largest annual gathering for the fire and rescue community.
The Metro Summit is restricted to chiefs and senior officers from metropolitan fire departments with more than 300 members. The programme includes peer-led “Tailboard Talk” presentations highlighting innovative initiatives developed within major departments, as well as roundtable discussions on complex operational issues.
Attendees will also take part in networking events intended to foster informal conversations and stronger professional connections among leaders facing similar operational pressures.
Meanwhile, the Officers Club will run from April 23 to 24 and is open to a broader group of senior fire and emergency medical services leaders from departments with more than 125 personnel, including both career and volunteer staff.
The initiative will provide a dedicated lounge and networking hub where officers can meet colleagues, exchange insights and take part in structured discussions between other conference activities.
The programme will include small-group breakfast roundtables focused on topics selected by participants, organised networking sessions designed to expand professional contacts and sponsor-hosted meet-and-greet opportunities.
Leadership for the Metro Summit will again include Dan Shaw, the former assistant chief of operations at Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Shaw will oversee programme development to ensure the content reflects emerging issues within large metropolitan departments.
Joining the leadership team is Amy Conover, who has been appointed summit director. Conover brings more than a decade of experience organising industry summits and developing professional communities.
The events are organised by Clarion Events, which also publishes Fire Engineering, a long-standing industry publication serving the global fire service sector.
Organisers say the leadership forums have built a strong reputation among fire service professionals, reporting attendee satisfaction rates of nearly 98 per cent across previous editions.
