Texas A&M Forest Service and Coalitions & Collaboratives, Inc (COCO) are hosting a FREE Community Wildfire Mitigation Best Practices training course on Oct. 17-18 at the Spring Hill Suites in Willow Park, TX. The two-day course is designed for current or future mitigation specialists, wildfire program leads, and others who work with residents and their communities to reduce wildfire risk. Registration for the course will close on Oct. 13.

There is a hotel block available at the Spring Hill Suites at GSA rate ($107 per night). Texas A&M Forest Service will be providing limited hotel scholarships for students to attend the course. To apply for a hotel scholarship please contact CWDG@tfs.tamu.edu.

Represent Texas and meet fire officers from around the Southwest region at the IAFC's Annual SWD Conference in Baton Rouge, LA on Oct. 17-20. The event will feature 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. There are plenty of direct flights available to New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and for many Texans, it's just a short drive down I-10. The cost is $150 for SWD-IAFC members and $200 for non-members. We look forward to seeing you there!

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.

The 40th annual conference for the East Texas Arson Investigators Association will take place Nov. 7-9 in Longview, Texas. Conference topics will include LODD investigations, fireworks investigations, lithium ion batteries, report writing, and TCOLE legal updates. 

Become 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. 

SOURCE: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
ational organizations representing America’s fire and emergency services are calling on Congress to ensure that vital fire service grant programs are reauthorized before they face a permanent sunset.

SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
NIOSH's new advisory provides PPE recommendations to protect first responders responding to a chemical suicide.

SOURCE: Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
“Not many programs train counselors to understand first responder trauma. At TEEX, we want to be able to provide and train culturally competent counselors who understand the unique trauma that first responders experience,” says Alisa McDonald, Wellness and Resiliency Program director with TEEX.

SOURCE: KCENTV NBC 6
"As I prepare to embark on a new chapter in life, I will leave with a sense of fulfillment and immense pride in all that has been accomplished during my tenure," says Fire Chief Gregory Summers.

SOURCE: KLTV ABC 7
Longview’s fire chief J.P. Steelman has been instated by Gov. Greg Abbott to a second term on the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.

The Emergency Services Administration degree at UNT Dallas is one of only three bachelor’s programs in Texas that recognized by the U.S. Fire Administration.

This update covers the following:
  • Governor Announces Third Special Session
  • NLC Webinar to Help Cities Develop Cybersecurity Plan

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, hosts Brad and Curt discuss criminal charges against volunteer firefighters in two states for setting multiple fires, a court ruling dismissing FDNY from an EMS-related lawsuit for wrongful death, the settlement of a lawsuit against Sacramento for a dropped patient, the settlement of a wrongful death lawsuit against Seattle for firefighters staging until police secured a scene, and a sexual harassment and assault lawsuit against an Ohio fire chief.

The Greenville Fire Department released a music video during National Fire Prevention Week highlighting a common cause of house fires. Sung to the tune of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man,” the music video urges people to mindful while cooking and to “stand by your pan.”