Join the IAFC for some amazing content from some of the most influential fire service speakers, including the Southwest Division's own Chief Scott Thompson speaking on fire service culture and recruitment. The conference will take place Oct. 17-20 at the Baton Rouge Marriott. The deadline to reserve a room is Sept. 29.

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: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
In this article, the IAFC summarizes some basic questions and answers about the looming federal government shutdown.

SOURCE: Texas A&M Forest Service
“Paul is a trusted leader in wildfire and all-hazard response efforts at the local, state and national levels and is respected throughout the country,” said Al Davis, Texas A&M Forest Service Director. 

SOURCE: KRIS 6 News NBC
"For me to get here, it also took a lot of other barriers to be broken,” said new assistant fire chief Billy Belyeu.

SOURCE: Texas Border Business
“The City of Mission is excited to have Fire Chief Adrian Garcia join and represent our community,” said City Manager Randy Perez. 

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:
  • Resolutions Submitted for Consideration at the 2023 Annual Conference and Your City Delegate
  • Federal Infrastructure Bill Update

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, host Curt and attorney Bill Podszus discuss criminal charges brought against a member of the London Fire Brigade for secretly recording female colleagues while they showered, a race discrimination lawsuit brought by a recruit in the state of Washington who was assaulted when a noose was placed around his neck, and two discrimination lawsuits filed against the Topeka Fire Department.

SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
In this podcast, Justice Jones, wildfire mitigation officer for the city of Austin and Austin Fire Department’s Wildfire Division, shares how Austin FD reminds residents they live in a fire-adapted ecosystem and must be prepared for wildfire.

SOURCE: International Association of Firefighters (IAFF)
“It’s not how they died, but how they lived,” said General President Edward Kelly at the ceremony. “Every fire fighter, regardless of background or birth, is united by a common purpose: the desire to serve.”