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 UPCOMING EVENTSThe Texas Fire Chiefs Workshop is a comprehensive networking opportunity for current Fire Chiefs (Head of Department). Earn the Additional 20 Hours Required by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection with your peers in one event! The workshop will take place Dec. 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, 9800 Hyatt Resort Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78251.
Inspired 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 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. The 2023 Leadership Development Symposium will be held on January 9-11, 2023 in Frisco, TX! For event details, registration and hotel reservation information follow the link.
Pflugerville will be hosting the next Quality Improvement Through Accreditation class on April 4-6, 2023. This course features three full days of instruction to help agencies prepare for accreditation under the 10th edition of the CFAI model. This is a pre-requisite for accreditation managers and peer assessors. A consortium meeting will likely be hosted the day before. Click the link below to register.
INDUSTRY NEWSSOURCE: NFPA
Cooking is the leading cause (49%) of U.S. home fires. Each year, anywhere from three to four times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day as on a typical day, making it by far the leading day of the year for home cooking fires. As Thanksgiving approaches, fire departments, public safety educators, and advocates are strongly encouraged to promote safety precautions and guidelines to help ensure that households prepare for and celebrate the holiday with fire safety in mind.
SOURCE: NFPA
Over the last 10 years, more women have become firefighters, yet many female firefighters are issued used gear that was designed for men. Studies show that as many as 80% of female firefighters experience issues with improperly fitting PPE, which can lead to injuries. Finding the proper fit is more than just sizing down as proportions are different between men and women. All firefighters, men and women alike, need and deserve gear that properly fits and protects them.
TEXAS STATE NEWSSOURCE: KRIS 6 News
After 40 years in fire service, Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha is retiring. Rocha, originally from Kansas City, became Chief of the Corpus Christi Fire Department in December 2011. During his time as Chief, Rocha handled many crises, including the pandemic. He says the city of Corpus Christi itself has been the highlight of his time. His last day on the job will be Jan. 20, 2023.
SOURCE: WBAP
Two Roto-Rooter workers were making repairs to a slab leak 15 feet underground on Monday when the ground sunk in due to heavy rain, trapping them underneath a school building. Firefighters and rescue teams from across the Metroplex were dispatched, and they rescued the workers within 90 minutes. Neither sustained serious injuries.
SOURCE: Texas A&M Forest Service
Gray County, located in the central part of the Texas Panhandle, has been greatly impacted by wildfires in recent years and has now adopted a plan to reduce wildfire risks and better prepare for them. A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a proven strategy for reducing the risk of wildfire to communities. The Gray County plan establishes goals and strategies for long-term success by identifying priorities and proposing immediate measures that will protect communities from wildland fire. The plan is the 24th countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan to be completed in Texas.
SOURCE: Fire House
Mental health is just as important for fire and rescue personnel as being physically fit. “Those who call us for help count on us to be at our best, even on the worst days of their lives. Moreover, firefighter depression and suicide are directly tied to the culture of invulnerability within the fire service; this culture must change,” says San Antonio Chief Charles Hood. That’s why Hood has instituted a department-wide stand-down for mental health. He notes that the purpose of the stand-down is to bring attention to available resources for those struggling with mental health and that informational posters will be available at stations.
TML NEWSTEEX NEWS
The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Operations Technology team was awarded the 2022 Award for Excellence in Public Safety GIS in the state category by the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) Foundation. The award was presented at the NAPSG Foundation’s Innovation Summit for Preparedness & Resilience (InSPIRE) event on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. TDEM’s Operations Technology personnel were recognized for contributions to public safety geographic information system (GIS), with the foundation’s Board leadership noting that TDEM has long been at the forefront of utilizing geospatial technologies in support of public safety.
The 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).
The NFPA 1021 Fire Officer II course is designed to meet the needs of the mid-level officer/supervisor and satisfies the requirements of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, Chapter 5 “Fire Officer II.” It is designed around classroom lectures and group interactive exercises to improve your abilities to manage multiple fire companies, including responsibilities such as strategic planning and operations, personnel development, and organizational communications. 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).
The NFPA 1021 Fire Officer III course is designed to meet the needs of fire executive management and satisfies the requirements of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, Chapter 6 “Fire Officer III.” It is designed around classroom lectures and group interactive exercises to improve your abilities to manage a fire service organization, with an emphasis on community/government relations, as well as model planning, budgeting, human resources, trends and support organizations, and emergency service delivery. This course includes a written project that requires you to develop a strategic plan. Upon completion of this course you are eligible to take the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) written exam and project based testing. Participants that receive a Pro Board certification are eligible for certification through Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) reciprocity.
FIRE LAW BLOG
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, Brad and Curt discuss the impact of the Massachusetts Human Resource Division to cancel all upcoming fire promotional examinations; a wildland firefighter who drove a U.S. Forest Service engine company to what he thought was a rendezvous with an underage girl and ended up being caught as part of a sexual predator sting; a ruling in favor of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and three firefighter paramedics accused of negligence and deliberate indifference; a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court denying the appeal of a transgendered fire chief; and a new YCMTSU lawsuit filed in the Kansas City triple fatal apparatus accident case.
HONORING OUR CRAFT
SOURCE: Canadian Occupation Safety
Krista Harris has been saving lives with the Abbotsford Fire Department for nearly 20 years. Now she utilizes the safety mindset she maintained throughout her career as a firefighter to operate her egg farm safely and efficiently. “Safety has been sort of subconsciously worked into our family,” Harris says, “because we're trying to avoid what we've had to see and do all these years.”
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