by Billy Tidwell

 

Dear Fellow Firefighters,

 

I hope this message finds you well. As we approach the end of the legislative session, I want to express my gratitude for your continued dedication and participation in our association's activities.

 

Legislative Session Update

We are in the final weeks of the legislative session and are optimistic about the progress of our bills. However, as always, the political landscape can be unpredictable. Please take a moment to thank your Representatives and Senators for their hard work this session. A special thank you to Representative Ken King, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Representative Caroline Fairly, Senator Kevin Sparks, Senator Charles Perry, and many others for their support.

 

Membership Renewal

SFFMA membership runs January 1 to December 31 each calendar year. If you haven't already, please renew your membership for 2025. In 2024, we had 16,860 individual members and 929 departments renewed. As of now in 2025, 14,818 individual members and 789 departments have renewed. 

 

Line-of-Duty Death (LODD) Benefits Compliance

To maintain eligibility for LODD benefits, volunteer departments must hold a training meeting at least twice a month. Non-compliance could lead to denial of benefits.

 

VFIS Insurance

Please remind members to keep their beneficiary forms up to date and on file to ensure timely distribution in the event of a claim.

 

SFFMA June Conference

The 2025 Training Conference and Convention will be held in Frisco from June 19-22. Registration, room reservations, and the training schedule are located on our website at sffmatx.org.

 

 

by Cherry Kay Abel

 

Spring is here, and I hope this message finds you well. The past few weeks have been incredibly busy for our state office. We’ve wrapped up a series of district meetings across Texas and are now making final updates to session times and room assignments for our upcoming 149th Annual Training Conference and Convention.

 

As the school year draws to a close, we understand that many families are looking forward to summer break. With that in mind, we want to ensure that all members have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming conference and voting processes.

 

Voting Process for Conference Delegates

• Delegate Form Submission: Members who wish to serve as delegates and vote at the conference must complete and submit their conference delegate forms. These forms are available on the conference web page: https://www.sffmatx.org/2025trainingconference.
• Submission Deadlines:
• Electronic Forms: Must be completed and sent to SFFMA by 5 p.m. on June 17, 2025.
• Paper Forms: Completed forms can be turned in no later than 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the SFFMA conference registration area.
• Fire Chief Signature: All forms must be signed by the fire chief to be valid.

Please ensure that all delegate forms are submitted by the specified deadlines to participate in the voting process at the conference.

 

Conference Details

• Dates: June 19–22, 2025
• Location: Embassy Suites by Hilton Frisco Hotel & Convention Center, Frisco, Texas
• Conference Registration: Register here 

We look forward to seeing you in Frisco and appreciate your continued dedication to our mission.

 

Best regards,

Cherry Kay Abel, TDM

Executive Director

 

by Kim Hilsenbeck

 

Who says you can’t become a firefighter after you retire?

 

Certainly not John Sandstrom, who had a career in electrical engineering for nearly 50 years before becoming a volunteer firefighter in 2004. He was 64 at the time. This August, he will complete his 80th trip around the sun.

 

Truth be told, he was a volunteer firefighter long before that – he was a Junior FF in River Oaks, Texas, while attending high school.

 

But then he went to college and embarked on a journey that took him away from firefighting for roughly the next 50 years. His career led him to become a Master Electrician. Along the way, he also became a private pilot in the 1970s and later a SCUBA instructor, something he did for about 20 years.

 

SCUBA was one catalyst for his travels around the globe. He’s gone diving in the Red Sea, and in places like Hawaii, California, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

 

When he moved to Morgan Mill and became a member of the Morgan Mill Volunteer Fire Department, he thought about getting certified through TEEX.

 

“I wasn’t sure I could hack it,” he said.

 

John had open-heart surgery at age 65. He said was not the person he was before, at least stamina wise.

 

“I haven’t even told you about the sepsis yet," he said.

 

John didn’t think going through a training program at that point was feasible for him physically. So, he just kept showing up at the station, training and fighting fires. He also helped Morgan Mill VFD with whatever they needed.

 

“We built our own fire trucks back then,” he said. “We built a brush truck, for example, using a grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service. It was a Ford F550 with four-wheel drive. We put some lights on it and said, ‘Let’s go fight fires!’”

 

Then about two years ago, he learned about the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department training program. John, who was 78 at that point, decided to get that certification he wanted back in 2004.

 

He attended classes every Saturday afternoon for 12 weeks.

 

“I quit every Saturday evening,” he said with a laugh. “Then I was back the next week.”

 

John kept with it and completed the training, then took the certification test. He credits Granbury VFD for helping him make it across the finish line.

 

“These guys supported me just as they said they would,” he said.

 

He said the training program was a great experience for him.

 

“It gave me a lot of self-confidence,’ he said. “I can arrive on any scene, and I know what I need to be doing.”

 

John is now certified through SFFMA in Firefighter I and Firefighter II, Hazmat Awareness and Hazmat Operations. He also holds these certifications: Training Officer, Incident Safety Officer and Pump Operator.

 

What does John think he brings to Morgan Mill?

 

And just as you might expect an engineer to say, “Calmness, order and logic,” he said.

 

His experience as an engineer is also why he is currently the Project Manager/General Contractor for Morgan Mill VFDs new fire station.

 

“I’ve been around building trades for 40 years,” he said. “I know how a project needs to come together, what needs to happen.”

 

John said it will take a year to complete. The department is using proceeds from donations to its annual Dessert & Brisket Auction, as well as grants, to fund the station construction.

 

What is his favorite part of being a firefighter?

 

“Every time I go out, I get the opportunity to help somebody who is having the worst day of their life,” he said.

 

He added that line could be a good recruitment tool.

 

“It’s an appeal to civic responsibility,” he said.

 

Fun Facts: Morgan Mill VFDs annual auction routinely brings in $60,000. Briskets can sell for $3,000 or more. A macaroon might bring in $100. About $560,000 in donations from past auctions are being used to build the new station. Morgan Mill VFD is in Erath County, approximately 66 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

 

 

 

Firefighter training is a critical piece of every fire department across the country, whether those firefighters are career or volunteer. The end goal is to become certified in the necessary standards set by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA).

 

Much of the training is what’s called knowledge-based; this is where the basic understanding and objectives are covered in a classroom or online learning setting. Hands-on, practical training (what some call the “fun” part), happens after the objectives are covered.

 

Many firefighters prefer online learning for classroom work because courses can be accomplished on their time schedule and in a comfortable environment. They can also review the material as many times as needed.

 

Robbi King, Director Public Sector Solutions Engineers with Vector Solutions, knows a little something about training. He started as a volunteer firefighter in Georgia and eventually had a paid career as a firefighter. (Don’t worry, he’s lived in Texas for about 10 years now.)

 

“Training 4-5 hours in one night is a lot for families,” he said.

 

He believes that’s why online training is so popular among volunteer firefighters. And this is where Vector Solutions shines.

 

This online training company, based in Tampa, is what Robbi calls a three-legged stool; they offer training in the education, commercial and public safety sectors. They’ve been around since 1999. (Happy 25^th, y’all.

 

For the public safety sector, the company offers a single system for all of a department’s needs, including:

• Training Management System
• ISO Training Tracker
• Online Firefighter training
• Online EMS Continuing Education
• Skill Evaluations
• Fire Academy Automation
• State Certification and Training Management
• Connect Local and State Training Systems

“We believe it’s a total training management solution,” Robbi said. “It’s all the things any fire department needs at any time. We also have a large course catalog.”

 

He must be onto something as more than 250 Texas fire departments use Vector Solutions for their training.

 

Is it affordable for a volunteer agency?

 

“Absolutely,” Robbi said. “It’s roughly the cost of purchasing gloves for firefighters each year. And there are some grant funds available to help cover the cost of the training system.”

 

He believes the software pays for itself in terms of time management and the ability to effectively and efficiently track all the training for each firefighter on the roster. Robbi said it helps departments ensure their people are progressing and getting ready to handle any kind of incident that comes along.

 

“Vector Solutions grows with you by providing a wide range of tools,” he said. “It’s a comprehensive training and tracking solution that’s easy to use. And it can help with your retention rate since firefighters can see the benefits and they love the online learning aspect.”

 

Additionally, he said training coordinators love the Vector Solutions program.

 

“It makes their job that much easier,” he said. “Plus, it can help with everything from litigation to open records requests to ISO ratings.”

 

Among those 250+ Texas departments using Vector Solutions are the state’s largest paid and the smallest volunteer organization.

 

“Volunteer departments see the value even with limited resources available,” Robbi said.

 

In areas like Johnson County, the 16 or so fire departments all use Vector Solutions and they created a central hub.

 

“Joint training is now easier,” Robbi said. “These departments can work together. It’s a force multiplier.”

 

Beyond the online coursework, Robbi said Vector Solutions can also track in-person trainings.

 

“It has a tool that can mirror your skill sheets to meet objectives,” he said. “You simply use a phone to record the hands-on training. Then you can play it back and see how you did.”

He said this is a value part of the coaching and mentoring process in any fire department.

 

With firefighting standards changing frequently, does Vector Solutions keep pace?

 

“Our software makes it easy to keep up with changing standards,” Robbi said. “Our Subject Matter Experts review the newest NFPA standards. Our Advisory Board makes recommendations. We’re busy making changes so our material is always current.”

 

Robbi said with all the features and flexibility offered, fire departments can’t afford NOT to have Vector Solutions.

 

“Look at the time it takes to get something done,” he said. “For example, departments need to report hours up to SFFMA. If they don’t have a good tool, how do they do that effectively and efficiently?”

 

He added that the software also assists with filling open records requests in a timely fashion.

 

When considering whether to implement a program like Vector Solutions, Robbi said departments should think about a wide array of factors including ease of use, time, efficiency, and outcomes.

 

“We are currently offering SFFMA members a special discount so they can get all of the tools and benefits at a reduced cost,” he said. “We think once they try it, they will understand how it positively impacts their entire organization.”

 

 

 

 

by J Pete Laney

 

Thanks to the following Texas Senators and Representatives for working with SFFMA this legislative session: Representative Ken King, Speaker Dustin Burrows, Representative Caroline Fairly, Senator Kevin Sparks, and Senator Charles Perry.

 

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 J Pete or President Tidwell and they’d love to have you involved. 

 

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

Get Reimbursed For Firefighter Insurance!

 

The 2025 program period for Texas A&M Forest Service’s Rural VFD Insurance Program began back on November 1, and extends through July 31 of this year. This program reimburses eligible fire departments for their firefighter insurance (workers’ compensation, AD&D, accident & sickness, group term life, and cancer related coverage) - up to $220 per insured fire department member. This program is also the newest addition to FireConnect, Texas A&M Forest Service’s online web application system for fire departments to report fires and request grant assistance. Be sure to take advantage of this great program, freeing up funds for other department needs. Just log into FireConnect and submit for reimbursement today!

 

If you have any questions regarding the Rural VFD Insurance Program, please call 979-458-6505 or email ffins@tfs.tamu.edu.

 

Episode 1 - Membership Drive

Episode 2 - Certification Changes

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

Episode 4 - Marketing Class (learn more about the course on our website.)

Episode 5 is an interview with author (and Battalion Chief) Dena Ali.

Testing Partner Update 

 

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Office of Academic Testing 
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5769  
Corpus Christi, Texas 78411-5769  

 

Contact: Testing Center 

 

Sessions available Monday - Friday 

 

Proctor Fee: $10 per session. In addition to the SFFMA PORTAL, students must also register HERE.

 

General Testing News 

 

SFFMA is in the final stages of providing laptops to our Certification Board Zone Representatives to facilitate written testing in their Districts.

 

Exams currently available:

• HazMat Awareness 
• HazMat Operations 
• Structural Firefighter I  
• Structural Firefighter I  
• Industrial Firefighter I  
• Industrial Firefighter II
• Driver/Operator – Pumper
• Driver/Operator – Aerial
• Instructor I
• Instructor II  

More exams will be added starting January 2025, so keep an eye on this area. We also have more exciting news regarding testing coming very soon, so be ready! 

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.)