Fire/EMS Committees & Work Groups

Structure The NOVA Fire Chiefs Committee is comprised of the fire chief or agency head from each fire department or agency, and reports to the Chief Administrative Officers Committee (CAO).  

NOVA Fire Chiefs Committee Roster

Responsibilities The NOVA Fire Chiefs Committee is primarily responsible for analyzing, evaluating, and providing policy recommendations concerning:

• Regional public safety issues related to fire and emergency medical services
• Hazardous materials emergencies
• Technical rescue
• Fire prevention and code enforcement
• Homeland security and infrastructure protection
• Emergency response to weapons of mass destruction and all hazards disaster response

  Specific Activities

• Develop recommendations concerning fire and emergency medical services issues common to the Northern Virginia Emergency Services Mutual Response Agreement
• Establish coordinated communications procedures among the 911 centers or public safety access points (PSAP's)
• Establish interoperable radio and CAD communications systems.
• Establish interoperable data systems to provide cross jurisdictional access to map and critical facility data for command and control of emergency incidents.
• Develop common incident management and command systems and procedures.
• Develop common operational and response procedures that provide for shared use of special emergency response teams, equipment assets and other regional resources.
• Standardize fire, EMS and emergency service policies, procedures, apparatus and equipment whenever and wherever feasible.
• Develop cooperative fire and EMS training programs that support regional procedures and programs.
• Develop cooperative partnerships and relationships with allied public agencies in the region including law enforcement, emergency management, transportation, public health, public works at the federal, state and local level.
• Evaluate and provide recommendations regarding federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives that may have potential effect regional fire, EMS and emergency service delivery.
• Establish partnerships with private sector entities and other stakeholders in the region that will allow for improved delivery of fire and medical emergency response.

Provide the regional Chief Administrative Officers (CAO) with policy briefings and recommendations concerning fire and EMS issues

NOVA Senior Operations Chiefs Committee Roster

Structure The Fire Operations Board has an equal representation from each of the departments that are signatories of the NOVA agreement. The Fire Operations Board receives direction from, and reports and makes recommendations to the Senior Operations Chiefs Committee and coordinates procedure implementation as directed.  

Fire Operations Board Roster

  Responsibilities The Fire Operations Board meets regularly to conduct business and has the authority to establish ad hoc workgroups to perform research and development of policy and procedures recommendations.   Specific Activities

• Develop and maintain a mechanism for regularly communicating mission critical information to all operational elements of the jurisdictions that are signatories to the NOVA Agreement
• Evaluate assignments received from the Senior Operations Chiefs and identify the resources needed to perform the task assignment as well as the timeline required to complete each assignment
• Appoint a member of the Board to serve as a facilitator for each workgroup established
• Approve drafts of written procedures for review by the Senior Operations Chiefs
• Review work developed by workgroups and attempt to resolve conflicts

Structure & Responsibilities Technical Writing Group Roster

High Threat Response Committee Roster

Structure & Responsibilities

• Report to Senior Operations Chiefs Committee
• Recommend training priorities
• Review training programs for regional training

  NOVA Training Committee Roster

Structure & Responsibilities

• Report to Senior Operations Chiefs Committee
• Recommend regional communications coordination Issues
• Recommend priority Issues
• Recommend coordinated regional communications protocols and procedures

  NOVA FIRE/EMS Communications Committee Roster

Structure & Responsibilities

• Report to the Senior Operations Chiefs Committee
• Recommend and assess regional EMS specific initiatives

  EMS Chiefs Committee Roster