b'TRANSMITTAL LETTER Dear Fire & Emergency Services Stakeholders: It is with great pleasure and pride that we present the Wingspread VII Conference Report. Before delving into this report, it is important to understand how this Wingspread Conference arrived at the seventh edition. Wingspread Conferences have been convened by the Johnson Foundation on a ten-year cycle. The first fire service Wingspread Conference was held in February of 1966. Based on the speed of information, the decision was made to hold this conference every five years. The year 2021 was the 55th anniversary of this important process. The Johnson Foundations mission statement is to be a catalyst for positive and lasting change leading to healthier environments and communities. The iconic Wingspread reception center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is the crown jewel of this amazing campus located in Racine, Wisconsin. The purpose of this gathering is to discuss the issues that are impacting the fire and emergency services currently and into the foreseeable future. Thirty-seven fire and emergency services leaders were invited to this intense three-day meeting. The rationale for the groups growth from the original ten participants reflects an earnest attempt to have all aspects of our industry represented during the discussions, debates, and deliberations. The result of this meeting is the twelve strategic Statements of National Significance that make up the body of this report. In compiling this report, the conference committee was asked to focus on the strategic level of delivery of fire and emergency services to American communities. By design, the committee did not discuss the tactical or task-level operations, knowing that there are many agencies and reports addressing the same. Each strategic statement was framed to address how we can reduce the loss of life, injuries, and property with a focus on keeping the responding firefighters and support staff safe.These twelve statements consist of two elements. The problem of significant issue statement serves as the headline, relating to the topic being discussed. The second section is background, or the reason why this is a significant1'