Fire service expo season is front-loaded — most of the major national and regional events happen in the first half of the year. If you’re planning department travel for the rest of 2026, here’s a verified breakdown of where things stand, sourced directly from each event’s official page.
This guide was last checked in July 2026. Confirm dates directly with each event before booking, since schedules can shift.
Already Held in 2026
These major fire service events took place earlier this year. They’re worth knowing about for planning purposes next year, even though registration for 2026 has closed:
| Event | 2026 Dates | Location |
| Long Island Fire/EMS Expo | Jan 30–Feb 1, 2026 | Uniondale, NY |
| NC EMS Expo | May 4–6, 2026 | North Carolina |
| CFED Conference & Expo | May 17–21, 2026 | Indian Wells, CA |
| NYSAFC Annual Conference & FIRE Expo | June 10–13, 2026 | Syracuse, NY |
| NFPA Conference & Expo | June 22–24, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV (Mandalay Bay) |
Still Ahead in 2026
| Event | Dates | Location | Best For |
| IAFF Convention | Aug 9–14, 2026 | Arlington, TX | Union governance, biennial — not primarily a CE event |
| Fire-Rescue International (IAFC) | Aug 12–14, 2026 | Kansas City, MO | Chief/company officer leadership education |
| EMS & FIRE PRO Expo | October 2026 (exact dates on registration page) | Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT | Combined EMS + fire, CAPCE-accredited CE |
How to Read This List
Not every event serves the same purpose, and picking based on name recognition alone can mean showing up to the wrong kind of event for your goals:
- If you need CE hours that count for both fire and EMS recertification — EMS & FIRE PRO Expo is built specifically around that combined audience and is CAPCE-accredited.
- If you’re pursuing chief or company officer development — Fire-Rescue International (IAFC) is built specifically around leadership education for that career stage.
- If you’re a union member — IAFF Convention is governance-focused, not primarily a CE event, so don’t expect the same educational structure as the others on this list.
What to Check Before Registering for Any Fire Expo
- CE accreditation body — fire-specific CE and CAPCE-accredited EMS CE aren’t always interchangeable. If your role requires both, confirm each event covers what you actually need.
- Hands-on vs. lecture-only — check the session list directly, not just the event description.
- Exhibit hall access policy — some events require full registration to walk the vendor floor; others don’t. This varies by event and isn’t safe to assume either way.
- Group/department rates — larger events often have tiered pricing for sending multiple team members; worth checking directly before assuming cost is prohibitive.
Why Fire Expo Season Is Front-Loaded
Most major fire service conferences cluster in spring and early summer, largely tied to state legislative and budget cycles (many departments finalize annual training budgets in Q1) and to avoid conflicting with peak wildfire and hurricane season staffing demands in mid-to-late summer for departments in affected regions. This is part of why the second half of the year has fewer large national events — it’s a structural pattern across the industry, not a sign that fewer resources exist. Departments planning ahead for next year should generally expect the bulk of major events to fall between January and June, with the remaining calendar year offering more specialized or regional options.
Regional vs. National: What Changes
Events like Fire-Rescue International and NFPA Conference & Expo draw a national and international audience, larger vendor floors, and broader-scope programming — useful for chief officers benchmarking against departments nationwide, or for procurement teams comparing a wide range of manufacturers in one place. Regional events, by contrast, tend to have lower travel costs, more directly relevant regulatory content (since fire codes and mutual aid agreements vary meaningfully by state), and often a tighter, more practical hands-on training component. Neither is inherently better — the right choice depends on whether your priority is broad exposure to national trends or focused, regionally relevant training.
Building a Multi-Year Fire Training Calendar
Because fire and EMS conference dates shift year to year — new venues, updated scheduling, and in some cases entirely new event names as smaller regional expos merge or rebrand — departments that plan training budgets more than a year out should treat any single year’s calendar as a starting reference rather than a fixed annual template. Checking each target event’s official site in the preceding fall or winter, rather than assuming last year’s dates repeat automatically, avoids budgeting around an event that has since moved or changed format.
What to Confirm Before Committing Travel Budget
- Whether the event’s CE is fire-specific, EMS-specific (CAPCE), or both — and whether that matches what your personnel actually need for their upcoming recert cycle
- Whether hands-on training components require separate registration or additional fees beyond the base conference pass
- Group registration discounts, particularly for departments sending more than two or three staff
- Cancellation and transfer policies, in case a scheduling conflict arises closer to the event
Spotlight: EMS & FIRE PRO Expo — October 2026
The last major combined EMS/fire event on the 2026 calendar, EMS & FIRE PRO Expo is held annually at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. It’s CAPCE-accredited, offering up to 24 CEUs across four days, with a dedicated Fire Pro track covering fire suppression, rescue operations, hazardous materials response, and fire service leadership — alongside EMS-focused tracks, a Pediatric Symposium, and the Weathering the Storm emergency preparedness summit.
Check current 2026 dates and register →
Firefighter-specific rather than combined EMS/fire? See our [Firefighter Expo Guide](#) for a deeper look at fire-specific tracks and training.