b'STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE TWELVEElected officials at all levels of government and the public they serve, need to have appropriate information on funding necessary to match the fire and emergency services community expectations.Fire and emergency services must be classified as national critical infrastructure. There is an ongoing requirement to properly fund and maintain staffing, facilities, technologies, apparatus, equipment, and programs. In most communities, funding sources are insufficient to ensure the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of the range of services expected by constituents. BackgroundFire and emergency service agencies should conduct strategic planning that is data-driven to educate elected officials, citizens, and other stakeholders of the cost to support operations. Fire and emergency services leaders need to advocate for providing the appropriate funding to ensure sufficient resources for staffing, facilities, technologies, apparatus, equipment, and programs.19'