The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is pleased to announce that Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska will serve as the chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus for the 117th Congress. Since joining the U.S. Senate in 2002, Senator Murkowski has been a strong advocate for our nation’s fire and emergency services. In 2019, Senator Murkowski was named CFSI’s Legislator of the Year in recognition of her work on behalf of our nation’s firefighters and emergency services personnel. 

“Throughout my time as a U.S. Senator, I’ve developed relationships with some of Alaska’s bravest men and women: our Fire Chiefs and firefighters. I’ve worked on a number of initiatives at the federal level of great importance to the fire service. In recent years, as communities across Alaska have faced record-high fire seasons, I met with firefighters—career and volunteer—and saw firsthand the dedication and grit it takes to do their job. And in spite of COVID-19, our fire services have never faltered; they adjusted operations as needed and continued toward their mission to protect their respective communities and each other,” said Senator Murkowski. “I’m proud to chair the Congressional Fire Services Caucus in the 117th Congress in support of firefighters who face disasters head-on, with great courage and commitment. I will continue to advocate for the health and safety of our fire service members, empowering them to serve and protect the public to the best of their abilities.”

“Senator Murkowski has worked tirelessly in the Senate in support of initiatives to help the fire and emergency services. Her commitment to advancing public safety through bipartisanship makes her well-prepared to lead the Congressional Fire Services Caucus in the 117th Congress,” said Bill Webb, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute. “CFSI looks forward to working with her to expand the membership of the caucus in the coming years and ensure that Congress is well-educated on the needs of our nation’s first responders.” 

Formed in 1987, the Congressional Fire Services Caucus was established to educate members of Congress about work of the fire and emergency services, which goes far beyond simply fighting fires. Today, the fire and emergency services respond to calls pertaining to fires, medical incidents, hazardous materials incidents, natural disasters, and much more. The Fire Caucus was created to be a bipartisan group where Republicans and Democrats could work together to learn about our nation’s fire and emergency services, improve the readiness of local first responders, and jointly recognize their valor and dedication. A current list of Fire Caucus members can be found on CFSI’s website.