Hello, fellow firefighters across the state,

 

January was a very busy month. I attended the TEEX Leadership Symposium and The Texas Fire Service Hall of Honor Banquet. Congratulations to Dr. Kemble Bennett, Chief Stuart Grant, Helen Johnson (former SFFMA Executive Director), and (posthumously) Chief Willie Wisko and their families for their long-term commitments and contributions to the Texas Fire Service.

 

The SFFMA Planning Conference went well. That same weekend was our SFFMA District Officers Symposium, which was a great success with 14 out of our 16 districts in attendance.

 

Also, be on the lookout for your NEW SFFMA Membership Decals once you renew. We estimate your department should receive them in approximately 4-6 weeks after payment is received.

 

TCFP Reciprocity

 

One of the main priorities for SFFMA has been working toward full reciprocity with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP). We are currently in the M.O.U. Phase.

 

Achieving this goal will create more streamlined certification processes, enabling volunteer and career firefighters to transition between roles and departments seamlessly while meeting consistent state standards. 

 

This effort is a critical step toward reinforcing our commitment to professional development across the fire service spectrum.

 

Our team, including each one of you, has worked closely with TCFP to ensure our training programs meet their certification requirements. These conversations are progressing, and I’m optimistic that we will reach a solution that benefits firefighters across the state. Stay tuned for more updates.

 

Membership

 

SFFMA membership runs from January 1-December 31 each calendar year. Renew now for 2025.

 

• Over 16,860 individual members and 929 departments renewed in 2024. 

• We ask you to please promote these categories: retired members and junior members. 

• LODD Benefits Compliance: Reinforce the importance of volunteer departments holding a training meeting at least twice a month to maintain eligibility for line-of-duty death (LODD) benefits. Non-compliance could lead to denial of benefits. 
  
  
• VFIS Insurance: Remind members to keep beneficiary forms up to date and on file; this is crucial for ensuring timely distribution. 

Hello everyone! I’m Cherry Kay Abel, and I’m honored to be serving as the Executive Director of SFFMA. It’s hard to believe how quickly time has flown since I started on January 13! I’ve felt incredibly welcomed by everyone here, and I’m truly grateful for that. It’s been a pleasure meeting so many amazing people at events like TAFE and SAFE-D in recent weeks.

 

As I continue to get up to speed in my role, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to each of you. Our purpose is to serve our members, and we deeply appreciate your support of SFFMA. I encourage you to share any thoughts on how we can improve our services and benefits moving forward.

 

As a trade association, our main priority is representing the Texas Fire Service, and one of the ways we do that is through legislative advocacy. J Pete Laney works hard to connect with our elected representatives in the Texas legislature, ensuring they understand the key issues and concerns that impact firefighters across the state.

 

Looking ahead, my goals for this year are to collaborate with our staff to expand our reach, provide even more valuable benefits, and give you compelling reasons to be a part of this association. By joining SFFMA, you’re not just part of our community, but you also have a voice at the state capital. When you join with over 16,870 other members, your voice is heard louder than ever. Together, we’re working to improve the fire service and secure the funding, policies, and resources that allow you to serve your communities effectively.

 

We’re also working on finalizing reciprocity with TCFP, and I’ll have an update for you soon on the details. Stay tuned!

 

Don’t forget to mark your calendars! Our annual training conference and convention is coming up June 19-22 in Frisco. You can register here. (Note: The hotel reservation link will be sent once your registration is complete.) Find more info about the conference on our website.

 

Thank you once again for being part of SFFMA. I also want to express my sincere appreciation for the hard work you do every day in your communities. Your efforts are truly valued.

 

Let’s continue working together to provide exceptional firefighting services to our friends, families, and neighbors.

 

Best regards,
Cherry Kay

Vector Solutions teamed up with SFFMA to make its industry-leading online training management platform, TargetSolutions, more affordable for SFFMA members. For a limited time, association members are eligible to receive a special discounted rate that will save significant money, as well as time and stress when managing training compliance. If you've been waiting for the perfect time to start TargetSolutions, your time is now!

 

by J Pete Laney

 

The Texas Legislature is off and running. The good news is, in both the House and Senate proposed budgets, the legislature included funds to address the backlog of 2604 funds. We appreciate the hard work of Chairwoman Joan Huffman, Chairman Greg Bonnen and the committee members.  

 

We look forward to working with the committee and the rest of the legislature including Chairman Ken King and Speaker Dustin Burrows who both served on the Select Wildfire Committee during the interim and are making sure your voices are being heard in the Texas Capitol.

Representatives King, Caroline Fairly, Gary VanDeaver, and Trent Ashby, along with Senator Kevin Sparks (see his announcement from Jan. 28 on funding on his Facebook page), and others, are championing legislation for VFDs. And if you missed it, Governor Abbott mentioned the wildfires in his State of the State address earlier this month.  

The bill-filing deadline is coming up and the committees will be in full swing next week. We have a ways to go this session, and SFFMA will continue to work tirelessly for all of you. It will be a marathon within a sprint to the finish line on June 2nd.  

None of this is possible without all your help. If you see your legislator, thank them for their support for the fire service and our many volunteers across the state. Or reach out to their offices and let them know how much their support means to you and the community you serve. 

 

If you would like to be involved with reaching out to your member of the legislature as the process moves forward, please let us know. You can contact me or President Tidwell and we’d love to have you involved. 

 

Please contact J Pete Laney, if you have any questions about the current legislative session.

 

 

 

 

Episode 1 - Membership Drive

Episode 2 - Certification Changes

Episode 3 - PORTAL (which is our membership management program)

 

 

 

 

Bringing in 30 new volunteers at once to most any Texas fire department would be amazing. When those folks are also high school students? Well, just, wow!

 

But that's what Fritch Volunteer Fire Department did when it implemented its new Junior Firefighter Program. 

 

According to Whitney Phillips, "It started when we went to conduct fire prevention presentations at local schools. We had a smoke trailer, bulldozers, ambulances, and fire trucks. The middle and high school students seemed really interested."

 

Whitney said the volunteers began an internal discussion about whether they could begin a junior program. They knew they would need policies in place for safety and rules for what students could and could not do. She and Lieutenant Ryan Bennett took the reins and rolled out the program. They are also instructors.

 

Of course, the new volunteers aren't full-fledged and won't be until they turn 18 (and hopefully decide to continue volunteering). In the meantime, students can learn valuable skills and gain basic knowledge and experience.

 

"Being a junior firefighter helps our community, but it also helps the students personally," Whitney said. "For example, they will learn basic first aid and take a Stop-the-Bleed course."

 

She added that parents of the teens are at ease with the situation following a parent-department meeting. They learned more about what their children will do and asked questions of the firefighters in charge of the program.

 

"We were transparent with families," Whitney said. "Students are allowed to participate in the program based on their grades. We will evaluate every six weeks to determine if they can continue with us."

 

She said they also consider behavior, attitude and motivation.

 

During the parent meeting, Whitney said Fire Chief Trey White spoke with the parents and told them how the department is working to create the best environment possible for the junior firefighters.

 

What kinds of tasks can the juniors handle?

 

"They will learn ICS, help around the station and gain a foundation of knowledge about firefighting and other aspects of the job," Whitney said.

 

ICS is the Incident Command System that first responders across the nation follow.

 

Whitney said at the end of the year, they will hold a controlled burn to allow the juniors to gain some hands-on experience.

 

The prospect of keeping some of the junior firefighters around Fritch VFD after they turn 18 is positive.

 

"Eight of them already said they want to become volunteer firefighters after the junior program," Whitney said.

 

Did you know SFFMA offers a Junior Firefighter Membership? It's just $25 annually and they will have a PORTAL account and a way to track their training.

The following changes to the SFFMA Certification Program went into effect January 1, 2025.

 

• Addition of remaining Mission-Specific Responsibilities (NFPA 470: Chapter 9) objectives added to the Hazardous Materials/WMD Operations certification curriculum. 
• Written examinations updated to double the number of questions as well as access time. The intent is to decrease the number of points deducted for each incorrect answer.  
• Hazardous Materials Technician certification available.  

 

Download the current manual HERE for a full list of required objectives and administrative steps for each available certification. 

 

Questions? Don't hesitate to reach out to your Zone Rep! 

Questions or Problems? Please contact your Certification Coordinator or Zone Representative; they can answer your questions about testing and certification. Visit these web pages for additional info:

 

Certification Board

Certification Manual

Available Certifications (Includes links for Cancer Awareness, etc.)