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 MEMBER NEWSThe Election Committee Chair must receive all completed ballots prior to midnight, Sept. 30. Votes will be counted the first week of October and presented to the board for canvass. To cast your department’s ballot follow the link below.
Suicide in the emergency services is more prevalent than in the general population. Public safety personnel are 5 times more likely to suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression than their civilian counterparts, leading to higher rates of suicide. This year, several new programs and resources are available help address the issue of emergency responder suicide.
UPCOMING EVENTSInspired by the Texas Fire Chief’s Annual Workshop, this gathering is designed specifically for the Second in Command. Attendees will tackle common challenges encountered in their position and will discuss innovations and strategies used in departments throughout Texas. Past history shows that these formal and informal conversations provide dynamic networking opportunities made possible by the diverse and talented professionals of the Texas Fire Service. Class size is limited, so please make plans now to attend. This class is open to all fire service personnel who are considered Second in Command to their Head of Department. There are no prerequisites to attend this Workshop. The Workshop will take place from January 23–25, 2023 at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center, 177 Joe Routt Blvd. REGISTER TODAY | BOOK HOTEL ONLINE | LEARN MORE & BECOME A SPONSOR Fire Department administrative staff carry a heavy burden. Without a strong administrative staff, organizations cannot achieve their full potential and operate efficiently. The goal of this conference is to provide position-specific training and development opportunities and to help connect FIRE/EMS administrative staff members enabling them to provide the highest level of support possible. REGISTER TODAY | BOOK HOTEL ONLINE | LEARN MORE & BECOME A SPONOSR IAFC’s inaugural Technology Summit International will bring leaders and innovators from around the globe to Irving, Texas for three jam-packed days of education, networking, and exploring the technology of the fire service’s future. In this event you will learn how to overcome the challenges of understanding, selecting, buying, and deploying technology in your department. You will also learn how to make technology work for you to reduce risks, improve your department’s ability to respond to emergencies, and save lives. Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) will also be offereing 15+ CE credits. 
INDUSTRY NEWSThe National Fire Academy (NFA) works to enhance the ability of fire and emergency services and allied professionals to deal more effectively with fire and related emergencies. Free training courses and programs are delivered at our campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland, online and throughout the nation.
SOURCE: WSVN-TV Miami
A Lauderhill fire rescue has been left damaged after someone shot at it while crews responded to a call. A paramedic saw the gunman, and it turned into quite a scare for the first responders. On Friday, the crew of Rescue 30 of Lauderhill Fire Rescue's fire truck was en route to help a person who was suffering chest pains when it was shot multiple times in the area of Northwest 19th Street and 31st Avenue. Three paramedics were said to have been inside the truck at the time of the shooting. "They saw someone aiming a gun at their truck and began shooting at their truck," said Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Jeff Levy. According to authorities, the damage the truck sustained was to the engine compartment, near the radiator.
SOURCE: KPBS-TV San Diego
A Navy arson trial is about to get underway, more than two years after fire destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard. The trial comes as the Navy continues to unravel why the fire became one of the worst peace-time disasters in Navy history. Beginning on July 12, 2020, the USS Bonhomme Richard burned for nearly five days in the San Diego Bay. "It was horrifying. It was the biggest fire I've ever seen in my life," said Senior Chief Michael Robert Penny. "A lot of sailors did a lot of hard work to try and save that ship. And unfortunately, it was just too big. The fire was too large." Penny was off that Sunday morning. By the time he arrived at Naval Base San Diego the ship was in flames. Penny became one of the Navy investigators on the origins of the fire. He hasn't spoken publicly about the disaster until now.
TEXAS STATE NEWSSOURCE: Bluebonnet News Eric McDaniel, who has worked with the Liberty Fire Department for more than 14 years as a fireman, firefighter captain, EMT, and paramedic, now has three new positions to his name: Assistant Chief, Assistant Emergency mMnager Coordinator, and Fire Marshal for the City of Liberty. Fire Chief Brian Hurst announced the promotion at the meeting of the Liberty City Council on Tuesday. McDaniel started in the new position on Sept. 12. McDaniel, 37, raised in Liberty and earned his high school diploma there in 2004. Before going to Lamar Institute of Technology to seek firefighter training, he attended Lamar University to pursue general studies. "When I was in high school, I had wanted to be a firefighter. Then I planned to go into a criminal justice program, but while I was taking classes at Lamar University, I knew firefighting was the direction for me, so I enrolled into LIT," McDaniel said.
SOURCE: KWTX-TV
Firefighters from College Station are trying to determine what caused a fire that destroyed an apartment building. On Sunday, a fire broke out at the Landmark Apartments near the Walmart store on Longmire Drive. A mother and her two children were trapped inside but were rescued and sent to a hospital for treatment. According to firefighters, a cat was also revived on the spot. Only two of the 24 flats in the building where the fire started had sustained serious damage. The Community Emergency Response Team and the American Red Cross are helping the displaced families.
SOURCE: NewsWest 9
On Friday morning, the Odessa Fire Rescue officially opened a brand-new fire station. The location is at 1900 87th St. in Odessa and is designated as location number 9. Those who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony were treated with cake and a chance to take a tour of the recently constructed fire station. The participants were able to meet some of the firefighters who would be working there and see a genuine firetruck. Fire Station 9 has four bays that can accommodate additional units, such as a fire engine and ambulance, and can lodge up to ten workers. The station includes a gym and a room with extractor washing machines, among other conveniences.
SOURCE: Austin County News Online
The fire department badge pinning ceremony has been a long-standing tradition in the fire service for many years. It is a recognition for either joining a department or a promotion to a higher rank. I.e., (Firefighter to Engineer or Engineer to Captain). The Sealy Fire Department celebrated the promotion of three of their own. Surrounded by their families and co-workers, the three firefighters celebrated important milestones. During Austin County Emergency Services District No. 2's first badge pinning ceremony Captain Kevin Kramr, Captain Eric Ordner and Firefighter Devin Kern were promoted. The promotions were as follows: Kevin Kramr was promoted to the rank of Captain. Eric Ordner was promoted to the rank of Captain. Devin Kern was promoted to the rank of Firefighter as a full time member of the department.
SOURCE: KVUE-TV
The Austin Fire Department has launched an arson investigation after responding to multiple fires early Sunday morning in South Austin, including at a bar on South Congress Avenue. Firefighters responded to a fire at Crow Bar, located at 3116 S. Congress Ave., around 4:20 a.m. AFD stated that in a tweet that crews determined the fire to be intentionally set. Another nearby fire at a vacant former auto repair shop in the 4200 block of S. First St. was also determined to be arson, AFD said. Lastly, crews responded to around 15 grass, trash and dumpster fires in the same area during this time period. The AFD Arson Division is leading a criminal investigation and will release more information as it becomes available, the department said.
SOURCE: KRIV-TV
Houston firefighter Tyler Graf was one of the thousands of babies stolen at birth between the 1970s and 1980s under the order of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. These children would become known as The Children of Silence. "I was one of 50,000 children that were kidnaped at birth by the government of Chile," said Graf. He went on to explain the circumstances of his kidnapping. "My mother like many other mothers was told that I had died at birth and that she had to leave the hospital, and she was not allowed to see a body," he explained. Graf was put up for adoption here in the United States, his adoptive parents had no idea he'd been kidnaped. And when Graf learned about his history 39 years later, he worked to find his biological family. In September 2021, he was successful and reunited with his mother Hilda Quezada.
TML NEWSThis week's update covers the following:
• Comptroller Proposes Revised Local Sales Tax Sourcing Rule for Internet Orders; Public Hearing on Oct. 17 • Resolutions Submitted for Consideration at 2022 Annual Conference and Your City Delegate • Federal Infrastructure Bill Update • House and Senate Committee Interim Hearings
TEEX NEWSThe NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor II course is designed to meet the needs of entry-level fire and emergency service instructors by meeting or exceeding the job performance requirements in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1041, Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications, Chapter 5 “Fire Instructor II.” Upon completion of this course you are eligible to take the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) written exam and skills testing. Participants that receive a Pro Board certification are eligible for certification through Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) through reciprocity. In addition, participants can apply for certification through State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association (SFFMA).
FIRE LAW BLOG
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, Brad and Curt discuss the case of a volunteer firefighter in Virginia charged with burning his own vehicle; a Kentucky fire chief charged with stealing from his department; a lawsuit filed by the former fire chief in Sacramento seeking $10 million for wrongful termination; a lawsuit by per diem firefighters in Rhode Island seeking compensation for the hours they volunteered; and a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by a Philadelphia firefighter who claims he was harassed and retaliated against after he suffered a heart attack.
LEADERSHIP
Cancer is the leading cause of death for firefighters. Many are diagnosed late, when it becomes more difficult to treat. Response Time Matters creates a connection between first-response thinking and early cancer detection. Just like a fire, response time to cancer matters. Featuring firefighter and influencer, Jason Patton, the campaign entertains while informing firefighters about their own role in early detection.
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