2026 LAAFCA Desert Conference

October 6-9-2026

“One Mission, Many Voices: Building the Future of the Fire Service”

The demands placed on today’s fire service have never been greater. Our communities look to us not just for fire, rescue, and EMS, but as leaders across an increasingly complex and evolving landscape. Meeting that challenge requires what it has always required: collaboration, unity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

These are the principles at the heart of LAAFCA’s mission. They are what make us a force multiplier and what drives us to honor the tradition we’ve inherited while building the legacy we’ll leave behind.

The LAAFCA Desert Conference brings together fire service leaders and exceptional presenters for meaningful conversations, shared learning, and the kind of connection that can only happen when we come together at this annual conference.

Below are the wonderful sponsors that support and make possible this outstanding conference. Please take the time to visit their websites and get to know more about their services and support for the fire service.

Thank you.

Fire Chief Sponsorship

Deputy Chief Sponsorship

Assistant Chief Sponsorship

Division Chief Sponsorship

Battalion Chief Sponsorship

Captain II Sponsorship

Captain I Sponsorship

FIRE/EMS NEWS

After hour 8: When fireground rehab becomes incident sustainment

October 9, 2026

When an incident stretches across meals, weather changes, crew rotations and operational periods, the larger challenge becomes sustaining the entire response

Mass. firehouses close as sick leave drives OT costs toward $5M

October 9, 2026

Two Lowell fire stations closed after firefighters took 527 sick days in the first 77 days of fiscal 2027, pushing overtime toward nearly $5 million

N.C. firefighter dies battling structure fire, two others injured

October 8, 2026

The Durham Fire Department confirmed a firefighter died and two otherss were injured while fighting a fire near South Miami Boulevard

Your 360: The skills firefighters wish got more training time

October 8, 2026

Readers named everything from fireground basics to size-up and SCBA discipline, with many arguing that fundamentals and fire-reading skills get too little attention

USA vs. Australia: What each fire service does better

October 8, 2026

After separate trips down under, Chief Caughey and Zam break down what Australian departments are ahead on, where they struggle and what U.S. firefighters can borrow

CYBER

Hack The Box Launches AI Range Enterprise Edition to Measure AI Agent Competence in Cybersecurity - Cybersecurity Insiders

October 11, 2026

Hack The Box Launches AI Range Enterprise Edition to Measure AI Agent Competence in Cybersecurity Cybersecurity Insiders

How to Close the DevSecOps Gap for SAP Environments - Cybersecurity Insiders

October 11, 2026

How to Close the DevSecOps Gap for SAP Environments Cybersecurity Insiders

Why Security Leaders Should Keep a Close Eye on “Trusted” Platforms - Cybersecurity Insiders

October 11, 2026

Why Security Leaders Should Keep a Close Eye on “Trusted” Platforms Cybersecurity Insiders

IOC cyber abuse protection service to debut at Dakar 2026 - Inside The Games

October 11, 2026

IOC cyber abuse protection service to debut at Dakar 2026 Inside The Games

Copy of Anthropic Launches Free AI Security Scanner To Help Open-Source Projects Find and Fix Vulnerabilities - LinkedIn

October 11, 2026

Copy of Anthropic Launches Free AI Security Scanner To Help Open-Source Projects Find and Fix Vulnerabilities LinkedIn

APPLY FOR ACCESS

LAAFCA.org is a resource of useful information, documents, and links for fire service leaders in the Los Angeles region. Consistent with the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association (LAAFCA) Regional Fire Service Training Strategic Plan, LAAFCA.org provides easy access to news, documents, and other useful information aimed at improving the region’s preparedness for human-caused and natural disasters, and for general situational awareness.