Working with coordinators of two- and four-year academic fire and emergency medical services (EMS) degree programs, the U. S. Fire Administration's National Fire Academy (NFA) has established the FESHE network of emergency services-related education and training providers.

The FESHE mission is to establish an organization of post-secondary institutions to promote higher education and to enhance the recognition of the fire and emergency services as profession to reduce loss of life and property from fire and other hazards.

To accomplish this mission, NFA convenes annual:

• FESHE conferences on its campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Representatives from fire-related degrees programs, State and local fire service training agencies and national fire service organizations attend the three-day conference.
• Meetings of standing FESHE committees where model course outlines, conference agendas, recommendations and new initiatives are developed.

Through these conferences and meetings, FESHE members have made remarkable strides in developing the:

• National Professional Development Model and its practical application, the Matrix, for states to adopt and customize as they move from an often fragmented and stove-piped system of training, higher education and certification to one that is competency-based and completely integrated.
• Model course outlines for fire-related and EMS Management degree programs in partnership with fire-related publishers to write textbooks that support them.

FESHE and Professional Development

• What is the FESHE Program?
• FESHE Strategic Direction
• FESHE Model Curriculum
• Interoperability for Professional Development: The National Professional Development Model and Matrix
• State Professional Development Summits: A Call for Collaboration
• Annual FESHE Conference
• Degrees at a Distance Program
• Everyone Goes Home: Changing the Culture through FESHE
• FESHE Program/Professional Development Committees and Business Model

Tools and Resources

• Marketing Resources for Fire and Emergency Services Degree Programs
• Virtual LAMP-Post
• Find a Regionally Accredited School and Online Program
• Research Resources and Student Outcomes Assessment