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 MEMBER NEWSTFCA is pleased to announce the results of the 2023 Officer Election. Thank you for the wonderful participation and congratulations to all our newly elected officers. The Committee recognizes the 2023 election winners as follows:
TFCA is excited to debut our new Group Membership for 2023. You can now enroll your Chief, Command Staff and Administrative Personnel all for a flat amount, based on the number of sworn personnel. To read the full details regarding this program, and to enroll, please visit: https://tfca.memberclicks.net/become-a-tfca-member
UPCOMING EVENTSBecome an outstanding leader in the fire services community by acquiring fresh and up-to-date leadership training through the TEEX Leadership Development Symposium. Topics include leadership, management, safety, budgeting, and more. The 2023 Leadership Development Symposium will be held on January 9-11, 2023 in Frisco, TX! For event details, registration and hotel reservation information follow the link.
Inspired by the Texas Fire Chief’s Annual Workshop, this gathering is designed specifically for the Second in Command. Attendees will tackle common challenges encountered in their position and will discuss innovations and strategies used in departments throughout Texas. Past history shows that these formal and informal conversations provide dynamic networking opportunities made possible by the diverse and talented professionals of the Texas Fire Service. Class size is limited, so please make plans now to attend. This class is open to all fire service personnel who are considered Second in Command to their Head of Department. There are no prerequisites to attend this Workshop. The Workshop will take place from January 23–25, 2023 at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center, 177 Joe Routt Blvd. REGISTER TODAY | BOOK HOTEL ONLINE | LEARN MORE & BECOME A SPONSOR Fire Department administrative staff carry a heavy burden. Without a strong administrative staff, organizations cannot achieve their full potential and operate efficiently. The goal of this conference is to provide position-specific training and development opportunities and to help connect FIRE/EMS administrative staff members enabling them to provide the highest level of support possible. REGISTER TODAY | BOOK HOTEL ONLINE | LEARN MORE & BECOME A SPONOSR IAFC’s inaugural Technology Summit International will bring leaders and innovators from around the globe to Irving, Texas for three jam-packed days of education, networking, and exploring the technology of the fire service’s future. In this event you will learn how to overcome the challenges of understanding, selecting, buying, and deploying technology in your department. You will also learn how to make technology work for you to reduce risks, improve your department’s ability to respond to emergencies, and save lives. Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) will also be offereing 15+ CE credits. 
INDUSTRY NEWSSOURCE: WDRB In honor of Fire Prevention Week, the Louisville Water Company held a demonstration on Tuesday to show the importance of its hydrants around the city and what it takes to keep them operational. Louisville Water owns and maintains around 25,000 fire hydrants and has an entire team that tests, services and maintains them year-round. "We're a two-man crew — plumber leader and plumber leader assistant — and we're one of two trucks that maintain and repair all the hydrants in the city, be them damaged or leaking or inoperable," said Chris Meeks with Louisville Water.
SOURCE: Politico A November ballot measure that would subsidize electric vehicles and hire more firefighters in California has unexpectedly drawn opposition from the timber industry. The proposed measure, Proposition 30, would set aside up to $1 billion a year to hire firefighters to battle the massive wildfires that have consumed vast areas of wilderness, and prime timberland, in the state. However, three timber companies have donated more than $1 million to the “No on 30” campaign for reasons they have declined to explain, leaving people on both sides of the debate confused.
SOURCE: NFPA Structural and wildland firefighting personal protective clothing (PPC) is primarily developed for male firefighters, despite the growing number of female firefighters in the fire protection community. Female firefighters wear the same turnout suits and wildland gear as their male counterparts and are at a higher risk of injury and fatality due to ill-fitting PPC. Research shows that female firefighters are wearing PPC that is not sized for the female form and therefore has an unsatisfactory and less safe fit. This webinar will disseminate the findings of the study, including end-user feedback, the first female firefighter anthropometric database, and a discussion around the challenges and barriers of designing and producing gear for the female firefighter population. The webinar will take place on Monday, October 17 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
TEXAS STATE NEWSSOURCE: KLTV Over a dozen fire stations came together last week and made their way north to Dalhart to honor Fire Chief Curtis Brown and Firefighter Brendan Torres. On Monday, the Holy Smokes Fundraiser was held in Dalhart to benefit the families of Chief Curtis Brown and Firefighter Brendan Torres. Nearly 300 pounds of meat was sold in about seven hours. “Curtis was a great guy,” Potter County Firefighter Darren Anderson said. “He pushed us to learn. We trained all the time when we were here which is phenomenal. You don’t see that with too many small departments. When we did something wrong, he was quick to point out and say ‘hey you need to do this and not that. You’re going to put somebody at risk.’ I had a good time up here.”
Odessa firefighters will have to wait for a pay raise, city council members have decided. Odessa city council received an hour-long presentation on a comparative study concerning wages from Florida consulting firm, ‘Evergreen Solutions LLC. The study analyzed wages for first responders in other cities across Texas, including Denton, Lubbock, Midland, Plano, and Sugar Land, and the purpose was to give Odessa city council members a comparative analysis of firefighter pay. “My hope is that, not only do our firefighters get a raise, but the entire city of Odessa. We’ve got workers in other departments that deserve the same kind of raises,” says Odessa Fire Rescue Chief John Alvarez. “Obviously, we’ve got to be fiscally responsible for how we will fund this. So, I think with this study, it will give [city council] a better idea moving forward.”
Source: KTRE The Crockett Fire Department has received a new vehicle for free from the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program along with a $20,000 grant for equipment for the truck though the rural volunteer fire department. “We just have to pay for fuel and maintenance, stuff like that,” Jason Frizell, Chief of the Crockett Fire Department said. The only condition was the former military truck needed to be painted, and with a donated can of orange paint, the brush truck has gotten a new nickname by the fire crew. “We painted it orange, so we’re calling it the pumpkin wagon,” Frizell said.
TML NEWSThis week's update covers the following:
• Resolutions Approved by the Membership at Annual Conference • Reminder: Comment Period Open for Sales Tax Sourcing Rules and Broadband Development Office • Federal Infrastructure Bill Update • Reminder: Mandated Cybersecurity Training and Reporting • Texas Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Analysis Organization Available to Cities • TML Legislative Advocacy Toolkit
TEEX NEWSThe NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor II course is designed to meet the needs of entry-level fire and emergency service instructors by meeting or exceeding the job performance requirements in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1041, Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications, Chapter 5 “Fire Instructor II.” Upon completion of this course you are eligible to take the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) written exam and skills testing. Participants that receive a Pro Board certification are eligible for certification through Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) through reciprocity. In addition, participants can apply for certification through State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association (SFFMA).
FIRE LAW BLOG
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, Brad and Curt discussed an investigation into a scantily clad woman filmed exiting a San Jose fire truck and walking into a strip club; a ruling upholding the termination of a Georgia firefighter for an off-duty arrest; a ruling upholding the termination of a Florida fire lieutenant who was fired for refusing to return to work after being demoted for insubordination; a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by an LA County firefighter who was ordered to retire after suffering seizures; and disability discrimination suit filed by a captain in Minnesota who was terminated following PTSD related suicide attempts.
HONORING OUR CRAFTSOURCE: WHSV Thanks to Make-A-Wish, Javi Guzman anxiously has been officially sworn in as the newest and youngest addition to the Hanover County firehouse. “He’s been waiting for this day to come,” his mom, Amy Guzman said. “Every time a siren goes past our house, he always runs outside.” “As a little boy I remember all the time when he was little, he said ‘I wanna be a firefighter one day’ and I said ‘well, you have to work hard, one day you will,’” his dad Martin Guzman said.
SOURCE: WMAR2 Megan Warfield volunteers at the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire and Rescue and works as a firefighter at Baltimore County Fire Department. Lately, she's been on administrative duty awaiting the birth of her third child, but that hasn't slowed down her need to help others. On Monday, Warfield and her mother found themselves in the middle of a multi-car crash. "After every vehicle kind of stopped, I made sure my mom was okay because she was driving and I realized that the car in front of us had flipped and that there was someone trapped inside,” said Warfield. "It's not uncommon to see our volunteers on scene, but to see one that's been on administrative duties only laying in glass and oil trying to care for someone just weeks out of her due date, it blew my mind. You don't see that everyday,” said Shannon Stallings, Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Station Chief Fire Officer.
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