Establishing an Affiliate Chapter of the F.O.O.L.S. International
The F.O.O.L.S. International currently accepts affiliate chapter applications and reviews them for acceptance based on the needs of the local area in question. Affiliated chapters of the F.O.O.L.S. International are given a great deal of autonomy and the particular make-up of their membership is entirely up to them. They are given the right to accept or not accept new membership as they see fit as long as they maintain principles as reflected in the International Articles of Association. Further, it is not the desire of the International to maintain chapters or create new ones for the sake of numbers. Quality is desired over quantity and we would much rather strengthen and support our current chapters than form new ones. However, many members of the fire service who share our passionate desire to promote tradition, history, and pride in the fire service find themselves beyond the practical reach of a nearby chapter. Therefore, the International continues to support the affiliation of new chapters in areas where they are clearly needed. You can aid us in this process by locating any nearby chapters in your region with our “Locate A Chapter” tab on the International website at www.foolsinternational.com .*
In order to qualify for affiliation with the F.O.O.L.S. International, a prospective E-Board must be made up of career, volunteer or retired firefighters, not related as family members and be at least 5 in number. International membership can only be obtained through an affiliate chapter and is granted to any fire service member who serves as or retired from service as a firefighter or firefighter/ems. EMS or civilian positions within the department alone will not qualify.
To request affiliation with the F.O.O.L.S. International, the following information must be provided to the secretary of the International:
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Location of the fire department(s) that the E-board serves with (volunteer or paid, retired)
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Approximate distance to any nearby affiliated chapter of the F.O.O.L.S. International
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Accurate contact information
Please provide the information above to the following address via email or mail. We will return an answer to you as soon as practically possible.
Dave Dubowski
Secretary, F.O.O.L.S. International