The First Responder Mental Health and Wellness Conference will take place Oct. 5-6 at the Norris Conference Center in San Antonio, TX.  This two-day multifaceted training and networking event is for all First Responders, Police, Fire, EMS, Dispatchers, Military/Veterans, Corrections, Coroners, Chaplains, Retired First Responders, Spouses, Professional staff, Clinicians, and all those who work in or around the Public Safety field. 1st Responder Conferences is committed to the emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of public safety professionals and works with leaders in the public safety professions to make this possible. Partnered with with nonprofit organizations like First H.E.L.P. and ICISF, we work together to make sure all first responders get the resources they need to live a happy and healthy life!

This high-energy program will address the hottest issues and challenges facing company officers in today’s Fire Service, addressing topics such as Communication, Trust, Ethics, Diversity, Generational challenges, CISM, Accountability, and Social Media. An event will be held Oct. 16-18 in Flower Mound, and another will be held Nov. 13-15 in San Marcos.

The Fire Leadership Challenge offers the best in leadership focused education through multiple levels of the IAFC's Officer Development Program, FMAC's Fire Marshal Symposium, and by providing the opportunity to create your own custom schedule. This year's event will take place in Keystone, Colorado and will offer a variety of sessions, including:
  •  Create More Buy-In Through Coaching
  •  Applying AI in the Fire Service: Practical Options to Improve Mission Performance
  •  Tackling Carcinogen Exposure in the Wild West: A Focus on Wildland Firefighting

This course features three full days of instruction to help agencies prepare for accreditation under the 10th edition of the CFAI model. It covers the development of the three key documents, the Community Risk Assessment/Standards of Cover, Strategic Plan, and Self-Assessment Manual.

SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
The 911 industry is comprised of a seasoned, overstressed workforce grappling with surging call volumes, complex compounded emergencies, outdated technologies and insufficient support.

SOURCE: UH News, University of Hawaii
“What we want to do is provide a framework for people who are midcareer to late career to retired to begin to understand their injuries and to begin to be able to understand how to take care of themselves and how to look for medical care that they may need,” said psychology professor Chris Frueh.

SOURCE: Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott
“Texas has activated the Austin Airtanker Base to further assist our brave firefighters and emergency response personnel throughout the state and protect Texans from these wildfires,” said Governor Abbott. 

SOURCE: Texas A&M Forest Service
"As Texans recreate this hunting season, it is important to remember that your actions can leave a lasting impact, and everyone has a role to play when preventing wildfires," said Wes Moorehead, Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief.

The Texas A&M All-Hazard Incident Management Team Program is a collaborative effort between Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Division of Emergency Management and Texas A&M Engineering and Extension Service. For more information about the program and how to register, download the flyer below.

This update covers the following:
  • District Court Rules Super Preemption Bill Unconstitutional
  • Bills Effective Sept. 1
  • Resolutions Submitted for Consideration at the 2023 Annual Conference and Your City Delegate
  • Post Session Update: Changes to Platting Shot Clock Regulations
  • Post Session Update: Third-Party Inspection and Review
  • Broadband Development Office Submits State’s Five-Year Broadband Action Plan

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, hosts Brad and Curt discuss a lawsuit filed by a volunteer firefighter with the Hawaii County Fire Department who was burned at a wildland fire in 2021, a lawsuit filed by a captain with a California fire department claiming disability discrimination after he was not allowed to return to full-duty following a non-work-related injury, a ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court about when a vacancy occurs for civil service promotional list purposes, the termination of a firefighter who has a sexual harassment lawsuit pending in Washington state, and the dismissal of lawsuit brought by a probational Denver recruit who was unable to complete her probationary requirements due to an injury.

SOURCE: ABC 10 KWTX 
Station captain Darren Morphis’ signature mustache, which he has been growing for more than 12 years, was an iconic feature of the captain that most of his colleagues recognized him for. Now he's shaving it to raise money for two firefighters who are battling cancer.