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 to provide CE credit for our conferences, workshops and academies, we will need to know your TEEX number. If you do not know your number or need to merge TEEX accounts, please send an email to the TEEX student records department. 

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

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.

Fire service today is increasingly making more data-driven decisions, and the collection and analysis of data have become a new field in the fire service organization. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) along with Esri will be hosting a one-day Fire Data Analyst meeting to cover the role of this position and how different technologies can help with better analysis.

The meeting will be held in conjunction with IAFC's Fire Rescue International conference, which is being held on Aug. 22 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in San Antonio. Breaks and lunch will be provided, and seating will be limited. Pre-registration is required, and no walk-ins will be allowed due to space constraints.

For more information and to register, follow the link below to view the flyer for this event.

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 from Aug. 24 to Aug. 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.

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. 

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 USFA in June released  its "Wildland Urban Interface: A Look at Issues and Resolutions," a report of recommendations for elected officials, policymakers and all levels of government, Tribal and response agencies with the goal of documenting opportunities for organizations and partners at every level to work with each other and resolve the challenges identified in the report. 

U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell had the following to say in the closing remarks of her message in the report: 

"While the resolutions to the challenges identified may seem daunting, they are achievable. Developing federal, state, tribal, territorial, local and community wildfire prevention and
control initiatives as recommended in this report will raise awareness about the WUI fire
problem. These recommendations, if heeded, will also assist in the creation of greater
fire-resilient communities, save lives and property, and help all partners better plan and
prepare for, mitigate against, and safely and effectively respond to wildfires in the WUI.

Together, we can take action to change the trajectory of the ever-increasing wildfire threat
in America and create resilient landscapes for generations to come."

Follow the link below to read the full report. 

SOURCE: Texas EMS Alliance
The nationwide increase in fuel costs is making it difficult for already struggling Texas EMS
providers to respond when it matters most.

EMS agencies typically rely on two revenue sources to keep ambulances equipped with lifesaving equipment and staffed with highly trained EMS professionals on the road: reimbursement from health plans and taxpayer support. Medicare often fails to cover the cost of providing ambulance service, and Medicaid rates lag far behind Medicare.

Ricky Reeves, the executive director of Granbury Hood County EMS, is asking state and federal lawmakers to assist EMS agencies that serve Texas communities.

“We need some kind of relief," he said. "We don’t like talking about reimbursement, but fuel, ambulances and cardiac monitors are not free. We need to be able to pay the paramedics and EMTs working on the frontline.”

SOURCE: Karley Cross, KTAB News
The City of Sweetwater on June 22 announced that Dewey Coy will replace former Fire Chief Grant Madden, who retired in January after 23 years of service.

Coy will begin his role as fire chief of the Sweetwater Fire Department and Ambulance Service on Aug. 1.

Coy got his start working for the Zephyr Volunteer Fire Department in 1989. In 1998, he began working for the Jacksonville Fire Department in Arkansas, where he earned the rank of Battalion Chief before retiring in December 2020. 

SOURCE: KIII-TV News
The Woodsboro Volunteer Fire Department moved into its newly rebuilt fire house in June, five years after Hurricane Harvey destroyed it.

Lee Riemenschneider has been the Woodsboro fire chief for over 40 years and worked for the volunteer department since 1962. He is still moving into the new fire station.

"It was tough luck," he said. "We are still moving stuff from over there. Most of it's going in at The 10 building right now, so we've got our bunker gear and racks and stuff in there to hang our gear in, and it was tough really."

In nearby Refugio, firefighters there are also enjoying their new fire station. The Refugio Volunteer Fire Department moved into its newly rebuilt fire station last August. It, too, was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey.

After nearly five years, the federal government is supposed to send the last of the checks this week covering nearly half of the $2.2 million it took to build the new station.

SOURCE: Madeline Oden, Killeen Daily Herald
As of late Wednesday, June 22, the three wildfires that sprung up at Fort Hood were 95% contained, Fort hood officials said.

Fort Hood officials said the Wildland Management Area fire burned an estimated at 250 acres. The Clabber Creek Multi-Use Range fire burned an estimated 100 acres, according to officials, and the fire on the firing ranges near Blackwell Mountain burned around 90 acres. Around 440 acres were scorched in total.

Fort Hood’s Deputy Fire Chief Josh Gillis said fire and range officials continually monitor the range for pop-up fires and respond accordingly if one is spotted.

SOURCE: Jenni Lee, KVUE-TV
Austin City Council members joined Travis County Commissioners on June 16 and declared drug overdoses a public health crisis. But one public safety agency is already tackling the issue.

The Buprenorphine Bridge Program helps patients get treatment while waiting to get into a recovery program.

"The whole program is summed up into a pretty simple conversation," Sasser said. "After so many experiences, an overdose, you go to their house and say, 'Hey, are you OK? Because you just went through some really heavy stuff yesterday and you might have a problem and you need help.'" 

According to the Austin-Travis County EMS, nearly 200 patients have gone through the program since it launched in December 2020. It's considered a success because about 85% of clients who have gone through it also finish their first seven days of a recovery program.

SOURCE: KXAN-TV NBC 36 AUSTIN  
Austin firefighters are continuing to help battle a now 11,598-acre fire in Mineral Wells, which is west of Fort Worth, Sunday. The Texas A&M Forest Service asked for help from the Austin Fire Department as part of a statewide Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System. Four AFD members and equipment arrived to help with the Dempsey Fire Friday.

The fire at that time had crossed the Brazos River and threatened evacuated homes and ranches. Captain Doug Iannelli (Wildfire), Lieutenants Jason Rudloff (Wildfire) and Kier Nixon (Prevention) and Fire Specialist Matt Hempel (Engine 39/B shift) have helped with structure defense, direct attack and hotspot mitigation operations. As of Monday morning, the fire is 27% contained.

SOURCE: KXAN-TV NBC 36 AUSTIN
Funerals for two brothers killed in a crash while returning home from fighting a wildfire were held Sunday. Jonathan Coco, 25, and his brother Hunter, 21, were volunteer firefighters for the Maxwell Community Fire Department and were on their way home June 20 from a fire outside Lockhart when another car hit the brush truck they were in. The truck rolled and killed both Hunter and Jonathan while the driver of the other car sustained minor injuries.

Lockhart Police said an officer issued a summons to the driver, similar to a citation, for failure to yield the right-of-way. Hundreds of people attended Sunday's services, remembering the brothers for their service and sacrifice. "They were great guys," Martin Ritchey with the Mid-Valley Volunteer Fire Department said. "We're talking about volunteers who would get up in the middle of the night."  

SOURCE: KTRE-TV ABC 9 LUFKIN 
A wildfire in the Glendale community is 100 percent contained, and state Highway 94 has been re-opened, according to Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace. "The Glendale fire is 100 percent contained and is continuing to be monitored," Wallace said in a post on his Facebook page. "Hwy 94 is open, but travelers will experience smoke. If there are any negative changes, we will update the public as quick as possible."

Wallace said that the Texas A&M Forest Service estimated that a total of 204 acres burned. He added that lightning is the suspected cause of the fire. "Thanks to all the area and surrounding area fire departments that responded quickly and got this fire under control," Wallace said in the Facebook post. The sheriff said Sunday that the fire was mostly contained on one tract of land.  
 

Multiple Van Zandt County-area fire departments battled a 100-acre grass fire Sunday. According to a post on the South Van Zandt Fire Department Facebook page, SVZFD firefighters were dispatched to several calls in less than an hour Sunday.

"Thank you, is all we can say to our neighboring fire departments for the help today," the Facebook post stated. "South Van Zandt Fire Department was dispatched to several calls in less than an hour's time today, and this fire was one of them. Needless to say, we were overwhelmed and needed help."

In the Facebook post, Chief Gregg Beverly said fire crews faced extreme heat, dry weather conditions, overheating trucks, and no water supply. "We rely on our training in times like this, and the crews did an outstanding job."

SOURCE: KSAT-TV ABC 12 SAN ANTONIO
A recording of the radio communications between emergency responders is providing new details about the mass casualty event where a large number of migrants were discovered in a tractor-trailer on Monday in San Antonio. Marcelo Ebrard, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, tweeted Tuesday that 50 victims have died.

KSAT obtained dispatch communications from Broadcastify.com, that reveal more details about the early stages of the tragedy. The communications between first responders and SAFD dispatch begin about 10 minutes before 6 p.m. "Got an 18-wheeler, looks to be about 60 people that are inside. Looks like quite a few of them are already deceased," said one of the first responders on the scene. "We're gonna start sorting through the ones that are currently breathing. None of them are able to talk as of yet, but we do have a lot of snoring respirations. I can count at least 10 that are have snoring respirations."

The Texas Commission on Fire Protection announced that testing will be closed today through July 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.

The 110th TML Annual Conference and Exhibition is being held Oct. 5-7 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio.

The preliminary conference program will be available online in early July, while attendee registration and housing opens on July 12.

Dr. Rick Rigsby, president and CEO of Rick Rigsby Communications, is the keynote speaker and will give a talk titled "The Responsibility of Leaders in Times of Uncertainty." Other speakers include authors Adam Markel and Melody Warnick.

This week's update features information about the request for a special session made by the Big City Mayors; the comment period and survey for proposed rules of procedure for municipal courts; the state Supreme Court's most recent COVID-19 pandemic emergency orders; resolutions for the upcoming annual conference; and state House and Senate committee interim hearings. 

In this week's episode, the hosts discuss a court ruling upholding the termination of a Hunstville, Texas, firefighter; the indefinite suspension of a San Antonino fire captain for waiving a handgun at colleagues; the filing of a disability discrimination suit by an FDNY EMT, who was terminated for not getting a COVID vaccine; the dismissal of a retaliation suit by Los Angeles firefighter; and concerns about an uptick in lawsuits against fire departments and firefighters while assisting police.

SOURCE: FirefighterCloseCalls.com
The FDNY has suffered two 9/11-related deaths in recent days.

Retired EMT Steven Thorsen, who served at Station 23, died Sunday from a World Trade Center-related illness, according to the FDNY Family Assistance Unit. Thorsen served the FDNY for 27 years.

Fire Medical Officer Dr. Sabina Ostolski, who was with the Bureau of Health Services, died of a World Trade Center-related illness on June 10, the unit said. Ostolski served with the FDNY for four years. On Sept. 11, 2001, she was working as a physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital.

SOURCE: FirefighterCloseCalls.com
A Virginia firefighter died while teaching a swift-water rescue training course on Saturday, June 25. 

Firefighter Alicia A. Monahan, 41, is reported to have suffered some kind of catastrophic incident during the rescue training. 

Monahan, a mother of two, served as a firefighter for more than 11 years and was part of the Virginia Search & Rescue Dog Association.

Fire Department Chronicles: If you're jumping into this career, you better know the basics! 

Podcast host Danny Sheridan speaks with Chuck Montgomery, executive director of the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting, about the museum, firefighting history, apparatus and more.

In this video released in April, Fire Chief Michael O'Brian and IAFC Vice President Donna Black sat down with U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrill and Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator Tonya Hoover, who discuss how they were engaged in the fire service prior to their current roles. Also discussed in this video is the future of NFIRS, the role of data and empowering women in the fire service.