An Interview with Dave Moore (Africa Fire Mission)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:  Dave Moore
Title:  Chief Fire Officer/Executive Director
Employer:  Africa Fire Mission
Graduation Year:  2006

Bio:  Dave is the founder, executive director and Chief Fire Officer of Africa Fire Mission. After visiting Kenya in 2012 and seeing first-hand the challenges that faced the fire services there to prevent and respond to fires and other emergencies, he founded Africa Fire Mission to help increase the sustainable capacity of fire brigades in Africa. Africa Fire Mission currently has training programs in place in Zambia, Ethiopia and Kenya with planned expansion to Sierra Leone in 2017. Dave is a 23-year veteran of the fire service, a 3rd generation firefighter and began his career as a volunteer firefighter in Scottdale, PA, USA. Prior to founding AFM, Dave served as Fire Chief of the Glendale Fire Department in Cincinnati, OH. He has a bachelor’s degree in Fire and Safety Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and graduate degrees in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management from Northern Kentucky University. He has a diverse background in structural, industrial and wildland firefighting and is passionate about ensuring firefighters all across the world have access to high quality training and personal safety equipment.

 

1.   What has been your biggest inspiration in your career?

       

      Answer:  The biggest inspiration of my career has been seeing the work my fellow firefighters and chiefs do in Africa with so few resources and so little community support.  

 

2.  What advice do you have for current MPA students looking to start a non-profit organization?  

 

      Answer:  For those wanting to start a non-profit I would say that it will always be harder and slower than you think.  You have to think in terms of years, not weeks or months and it can take up to 5 years or more to build it to a level of self sustainability.  Perseverance pays off though and never turn down a meeting.  You never know who you are meeting or what connections are being made that may be vital years down the road.  Also, have a plan to ensure you as the founder are personally financially stable.  Whether that be another  job, a spouse, etc.  You can not achieve your best at growing an organization if you are not meeting you own bills and financial needs.  

 

3.   How has your time in the MPA program contributed to your career?  

 

      Answer:  The MPA program gave me the knowledge and confidence to both start a non-profit and to lead a fire department.  The program gave me all the tools to build upon for success in both of my careers.  It also has provided me with a rich and deep network or friend and colleagues that I regularly get together with to learn from and support each other as we move through our careers.

 

4.  Why did you choose the MPA program at NKU?
 

      Answer: Honestly, I chose the program because it was closer the UD and cheaper.  At the time I was looking at grad schools, 2003/4ish, NKU’s program never showed up on my radar even though I was looking for an MPA.  I was accepted and registered at UD and about 6 weeks before classes started, I randomly found the NKU program on the internet.  I looked at it and met with the program coordinator.  After the meeting, it just felt like a better fit for me as the students had some more diverse career goals than what I had seen at UD, everyone there seemed to want to be a city manager and I just wanted to be a fire chief.  Plus it was closer and waaaay cheaper.  I am so glad I made the choice I did.  I love the program, the professors and the people I met.  Would not trade my time in the MPA program for anything.