Battalion Fire Chief James McLaughlin of the Warwick Fire Department has been awarded the professional designation of Chief Fire Officer (CFO). The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) met on March 4 to officially confer the designation and Chief McLaughlin is one of currently only 874 CFOs worldwide.

The CPC awards the CFO designation only if an individual successfully meets all of the organization’s stringent criteria. The program uses a comprehensive peer review model that includes an assessment of the chief’s educational experience, professional development, technical competencies, contributions to the profession, and community involvement. In addition, recipients of this designation are required to identify a future professional development plan.

Chief McLaughlin has a rich knowledge of the emergency services profession and has far surpassed critical core competencies for personnel serving in senior fire officer positions. McLaughlin, who has been with the Department since 1988, received his BS Degree in Fire Science from Providence College (1988) and MA Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University (2012). He also completed the John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University as a Fellow in 2010.

The Commission on Professional Credentialing, an entity of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. (CPSE), administers the CFO Designation Program. The CPC consists of individuals from academia, federal and local government, and the fire and emergency medical services profession.

Chief McLaughlin has been a member of the Warwick Fire Department for 25 years and currently resides in Warwick with his wife and son.