The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) announced that Deputy Chief Josh Jessup has been accepted into the Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI). Josh competed with applicants from across the country and Canada to become a member of the 2026 cohort program.
Deputy Chief Josh Jessup began his career at Champaign Fire in 2005. Josh held the ranks of Firefighter, Engineer, Lieutenant and Captain before being appointed Deputy Fire Chief in February 2024.
The Fire Service Executive Development Institute is a year-long leadership program created by the IAFC to prepare new and aspiring fire chiefs for successful and effective tenures. The upcoming cohort will meet four times throughout the year, beginning the week of February 16–20, 2026. This cohort marks the fourteenth year the Motorola Solutions Foundation has supported the program through a grant to the IAFC.
Chief Tyler Funk said, “Over 20 years, Deputy Chief Jessup has served our department with distinction and has consistently demonstrated extraordinary leadership, critical strategic thinking, and a passion for professional development.”
The IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Program has become the premier career- and leadership-development program in the fire and rescue services thanks to the generous support of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. Numerous chief officers from the previous cohort programs have been successful in achieving fire chief positions and serving as officers in several fire service organizations.