The Taylor Honor Guard Academy teaches firefighters the fundamental elements of honor guard duties and includes instruction on the following topics:
      • Traditions and history of the honor guard.
      • Basic facing movements and drills.
      • Flag etiquette.
      • Color team.
      • Casket watch.
      • Casket movement.
      • Texas Line of Duty Death Task Force.

Follow the link below for more information and to register.

In case you haven't done so yet, please ensure you have updated your records to reflect the Texas Fire Chiefs Association's new mailing address:

     Texas Fire Chiefs Association
     P.O. Box 1056
     Leander, TX 78646

In an ongoing effort to streamline registration and badge- and ID-making as well as CE credit for our conferences, workshops and academies, we will need you to know your TEEX number. If you do not know your number or need to merge TEEX accounts send an email to our student records department.

Peer Assessor Training Program
Distance learning webinar
Aug. 24 and 31
Click here for registration and additional information.

CPSE Sponsor Webinar: "Intterra — Finding the 'Easy Button' for Fire Department Reporting & Analytics"
July 14
3 p.m. ET
Register here.

Follow the link below for additional learning opportunities occurring through November.

Voting is now open for IAFC and IAFC Section elections of officers and proposed bylaw changes. All votes must be cast by June 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET., and all votes are confidential. 

Voting will be done through a single ballot. Your ballot includes those elections in which you are eligible to vote.

Following are the instructions for voting:
     • Access the online ballot.
              Your ballot should have been sent to your email address, coming from elections@iafc.org via SurveyMonkey.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) hosted a large-scale hurricane exercise involving representatives from more than 30 state agencies and partner organizations at the Texas State Emergency Operations Center in Austin this week. The multi-day exercise hosted by TDEM in conjunction with the Texas Emergency Management Council, aims at affirming the state’s readiness in preparing for, responding to, recovering from and mitigating against hurricanes.

“The collaboration during this hurricane exercise is crucial to ensuring state resources are ready to respond when disaster strikes,” said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. “As Texas state agencies and our partners bolster preparedness efforts, TDEM reminds Texans to take necessary precautions now to enhance preparedness before the next disaster hits.”
TDEM’s disaster portal can be accessed here.

Each summer, thousands of the most prominent fire and emergency service leaders from across North America and around the globe come to Fire-Rescue International (FRI) to learn, network and collaborate together. And this year, FRI is being held in San Antonio, Texas from Aug. 24 to 26. 

FRI education covers all areas of the emergency service, including the following:
     • Navigating the political environment.
     • Managing change.
     • Ethical leadership.
     • EMS issues.
     • Career development.

FRI attracts hundreds of exhibitors to showcase the newest fire service innovations in apparatus, technology, equipment, gear and more. If you're a fire/EMS chief, chief officer or company officer — this is YOUR conference for leadership education.
Follow the link below to register.

SOURCE: Domestic Preparedness
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) funded the development of a cloud-based capability that enables first responders to review and analyze indoor floor plans in real-time when responding to incidents. 

Mappedin Response was developed in collaboration with Mappedin Inc., of Waterloo, Ontario, and is available to first responders and local governments as a licensed cloud-based service.

With Mappedin Response, first responders can create, update and maintain a digital “warehouse” of 3D floorplans they can access on tablets and mobile devices, eliminating the need to rely on outdated hard-copy floorplans and maps.

In addition, responders can add key information, such as the building’s construction materials, locations of fire hydrants and the presence of hazardous materials. During the development of Mappedin Response, S&T and Mappedin incorporated feedback from first responders and local governments across the U.S. and Canada while developing the software.

The IAFF/IAFC Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative (WFI) is nearing 26 years of collaboration between fire department management and union leaders with an overall goal of improving the health of firefighters.

Members of the Initiative will present “National Fire Service Study on the Wellness-Fitness Initiative and current Best Practices” at the Fire-Rescue International Conference in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 25.

This FEMA-funded study includes small, medium, and large fire departments from the United States and Canada and focuses on the successes and challenges of both management and labor, and how they have developed innovative solutions and best practice guidelines for implementation of the WFI system.

Attendees will be able to engage the panel about how best to implement within their fire department the lessons learned from the study.

The presentation includes the following: 
     • Preparing labor and management to become wellness, health, fitness and nutrition champions.
     • Preparing the fire service for a variety of wellness and fitness educational opportunities.
     • Providing fire departments with tools and information targeting technologies for wellness and fitness.
     • Providing leaders from labor and management with new information on wellness and fitness best practices.

Follow the link below to register. 

Join industry leaders and learn about station design, construction, HVAC efficiencies and facilities maintenance at the second annual Texas Fire Departments' Facilities Best Practices Conference, which is being held Aug. 4-5 at the Hilton Palacio del Rio in San Antonio, Texas. 

This conference is suited for any fire-department member, who would like to learn more about facilities, including fire chiefs, assistant chiefs, battalion chiefs and civilian maintenance personnel. There is, however, a limit on the number of attendees, so interested departments should consider registering as soon as possible as the conference is just two months away.

Follow the link below to view the flyer for this event, which features QR codes that will take you to sites for registration, accommodations and sponsorship opportunities.

Technology Summit International (TSI) is the IAFC’s newest conference, which is heading to Irving, Texas, on Oct. 18-20. TSI aims to bring the tech of the future to today’s fire and emergency service professionals. TSI will give attendees three days of tech-forward education, a robust display of exhibitors and sponsors, and plenty of networking opportunities.

TSI Speakers Announced
TSI has a great lineup of speakers you won’t want to miss who will explore the advancements of technology and what the future looks like for technology in the fire service, including:
 •  Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator, United States Fire Administration.
 •  Preet Bassi, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE).
 •  Jeff Johnson, Executive Director, Western Fire Chiefs Association.
 •  Kirk McKinzie, Captain (Ret.), President, McKinzie Smart Technologies.
 •  Dan Munsey, Fire Chief, San Bernardino County (California) Fire.
 •  Joe Powers, Managing Director, Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI). 

The IAFC, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), is pleased to announce the launch of a new online training course, Whole Community Planning for Disaster.

The purpose of the Whole Community Planning for Disaster course is to explain why and how government, community organizations, faith-based and other groups can participate in an inclusive emergency planning process to improve the resilience of a community, and subsequently the nation.

The course, which is available at no cost to the participant and offers a certificate of course completion, takes up to two hours to complete and includes interactive features such as knowledge checks and learning activities.

Log in to or create your free IAFC Academy account to register.

SOURCE: NFPA Journal 
Fueled by concerns over fire safety, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is considering a new rule that would ban e-bikes and e-scooters from all its properties.

According to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), battery-powered electric bicycles and scooters have caused more than 75 fires in New York City so far this year, putting the city on pace for nearly 190 e-bike or e-scooter fires in 2022. Last year, the department reported 104 such blazes, which killed four people. 

Follow the link below to be taken to the full article, or listen to The NFPA Podcast episode focusing on this topic.

Gov. Abbott amended and renewed his March 18 disaster proclamation on Thursday, June 16. 

This proclamation, which was amended and renewed in a number of subsequent proclamations, certified that the wildfires, which began on Feb. 23, were an imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life across numerous Texas counties. 

Stating that the same conditions continue to exist, he renewed the disaster proclamation for those counties. 

SOURCE: Bill Gates, KXAN-TV, Austin
Two firefighters from the Maxwell Community Volunteer Fire Department died in a rollover crash Monday just outside Lockhart, city officials said in a press release.

Brothers Hunter Coco, 21, and Jonathan Coco, 25, were returning to Maxwell from fighting a wildfire outside of Lockhart when the crash occurred, according to a post on the Maxwell Community Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook page.

City officials said around 1:45 p.m., a woman driving southbound on San Jacinto Street was hit by the Maxwell brush truck as she turned onto State Park Road.

The brush truck then rolled over, killing the two firefighters. The woman suffered minor injuries, and Lockhart Police issued a summons for failing the yield the right-of-way for the woman. A summons is similar to a citation, the press release said.

Jonathan was an assistant chief with the department and was a member since 2016, while Hunter was a member for a little more than a year, the post said.

According to a post on www.firefighterclosecalls.com, donations in support of the Coco brothers can be made to Maxwell Community Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 216, Maxwell, Texas 78656.

Further arrangements and information will be forthcoming as soon as possible, according to the blog post.

SOURCE: Jeff B. Flinn, Northeast Herald
Schertz Fire Chief Kade Long has retired after five years at the helm, replaced by assistant chief Greg Rodgers. His promotion to chief, effective July 1, was announced by the city on June 16.

Rodgers joined the Schertz Fire Department as assistant fire chief in 2019 and he brings more than 35 years of fire service experience to the post. He began his career in Park in 1983 as a volunteer firefighter. In 1988 he moved to College Station where he worked his way up to division chief in 2017.

Long will be retiring June 30. He joined the city of Schertz in August 2015 as the assistant fire chief and was promoted to Fire Chief in 2017.

The Texas Commission on Fire Protection announced that testing will be closed July 1-22 for maintenance, and neither online nor written exams will be administered.

TCFP offers its apologies for any inconvenience this maintenance may cause those using its services.

This week's update covers the comptroller's release of the Texas broadband plan, a U.S. Department of Treasury update to its Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program guidance, resolutions for the 2022 TML Annual Conference, and updates regarding the federal infrastructure bill as well as state House and Senate committee interim hearings.

While the TML Leadership Academy's Course I and Course II are sold out, the organization has a few upcoming events, trainings and webinars planned.

Regional Meetings
Region 3
June 29
Lubbock, TX

Budget and Tax Rate Workshop
June 30
Bastrop, TX

Webinar: Build Effective City Council Relationships
June 29

Follow the link below for more event details, including links to webinars. 

Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) partnered with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department to host a large-scale helicopter Search and Rescue exercise from June 14-16. More than 18 state and federal agencies from around Texas and the United States traveled to Bryan/College Station to participate in this year’s exercise, which simulated a large-area flooding event.

This type of training prepares Texas responders for future hurricanes, flooding or other large-scale disasters. During the three-day exercise, 16 aircraft rescued more than 100 volunteers throughout the Brazos Valley at Easterwood Airport, Lake Bryan, Lake Somerville and the Brazos River.

TX-TF1 is sponsored by TEEX and has been deployed over 150 times since 1997. The team can be activated by TDEM or as one of the FEMA's 28 sanctioned Urban Search and Rescue teams.

For more information about Texas A&M Task Force 1, click here or follow Texas A&M Task Force 1 on Facebook and Twitter.

In the episode, the hosts discuss a lawsuit filed by a group of San Francisco firefighters fired for not complying with the vaccine mandate; a ruling upholding the termination of an Indianapolis firefighter who alleged a disability discrimination; a ruling dismissing a suit against the New Haven Fire Department’s lottery system for tie breaking; OSHA citations against an Illinois Fire Department following a Mayday bailout; and a new law in New York regulating the sharing of photos of victims.

SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
One of the most important aspects of firefighter post-incident rehabilitation is mitigating heat stress.

Aside from the acute risks of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, heat stress causes stress on the cardiovascular system. The leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths is sudden cardiac events. Research suggests that heat stress is a causal factor in cardiac illness for firefighters and may contribute to the likelihood of a sudden cardiac event in those with underlying heart conditions.

The USFA's Emergency Incident Rehabilitation manual, which can be viewed by following the link below, will help your department create or update your firefighter rehabilitation program to ensure it incorporates all methods available to mitigate heat stress in firefighters. The IAFF partnered with the USFA to enhance the manual with additional job aids and training resources, including instructional materials for firefighter rehabilitation at emergency ccenes and training exercises, a list of recommended minimum rehab supplies to be carried on various apparatus, and specifications for rehab vehicles.

In additon, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health offers important information to help firefighters understand what heat stress is, how it affects your health and safety, and how to prevent it. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides helpful tips, information and resources to help you stay safe in extreme summer heat.

SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
Recent research from Duke University involved firefighters wearing silicon wristbands on and off the job. The silicon absorbs any semi-volatile organic compounds the firefighters may have been exposed to.

The wristbands worn by firefighters were analyzed for 134 different chemical compounds, including phthalates, brominated flame retardants, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), all of which have been linked to increased incidence of certain cancers.

The study demonstrated that silicone wristbands can be used to quantify occupational exposures for firefighters and distinguish these from non-occupational exposures. This is an important step in addressing the issue that, according to studies by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and other agencies, firefighters have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from the disease than the general adult population.

Peer-reviewed findings from this study were published on April 26 in the journal Science of the Total Environment, which can be viewed by following the link below. 

In this Humpday Hangout episode, Rick Lasky is joined by Larry Conley, Scott Thompson and Bobby Halton to discuss the FDIC Call for Presentations and the qualities of the good company officer.

SOURCE: Larry Bennett, EMS World
Case: Boris Morrison v. City of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, et al.
Decided: May 2022
Verdict: The 8th District Court of Appeals (Cuyahoga County) held 3–0 that the trial court properly denied summary judgment for dispatch and fire/EMS since there appears to be a history of “recklessness” in confirming addresses, as well as inaccurate arrival times on run reports.
Facts: On September 5, 2017, 71-year-old Betty L. Morrison had a severe asthma attack. She called 9-1-1 and requested assistance. Squad 1 responded to 19419 Lanbury, instead of 19219 Lanbury, and when they eventually got to the correct address, the patient was in full cardiac arrest. Attempts to revive Morrison were unsuccessful. She was transported to South Pointe Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Follow the link below to learn more about this case and the legal lesson it provides.