by Billy Tidwell

 

I hope everyone across the state is doing well.

 

Legislation has come to an end and having great success. I will leave the exciting news for J. Pete Laney to lay out in his update in this letter and at the conference.

 

The conference is just a week away, and I look forward to seeing everyone and having a great convention in Frisco.

 

The staff and SFFMA Executive Board have worked hard to make the 2025 Training Conference and Convention in Frisco a success. Registration, room reservations, and the training schedule are on the website.

 

2024-25 has been busy, but we have gotten a lot accomplished.

 

TCFP Reciprocity

 

One of the main priorities for SFFMA has been working toward full reciprocity with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP). We have signed the M.O.U. with T.C.F.P. 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. Please attend the training at the conference on Friday, June 20th, from 8 am-10 am, for all the information on when and how the reciprocity will work.

 

Membership

 

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

 

Membership Renewal and Growth:

 

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 the denial of benefits.

 

by Cherry Kay Abel

 

Happy Summer!

 

I hope this message finds you well and staying cool during these early Texas summer heat waves! It’s been a busy and productive few months for SFFMA, and as we approach our annual conference in Frisco, I wanted to share some key updates.

 

Conference Countdown

 

The 149th SFFMA Annual Training Conference and Convention is almost here, and I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve now been in this role for six months, and it’s already been an incredible experience. I’m especially looking forward to meeting each of you in person in Frisco. The staff and Executive Board have worked hard to make this event valuable, fun, and memorable. Be sure to check out all the great training and fun to be had!

 

Funding & SAFER Grant

 

The SAFER Grant remains a fantastic resource for departments to grow and strengthen their teams. It supports recruitment, retention, leadership training, and equipment needs. SFFMA has just submitted our next application, and we encourage your departments to explore these opportunities as well. It’s a smart way to build a solid, reliable team!

 

Membership Get Ready for the 2025 Drive!

 

We’re excited to launch the SFFMA membership drive early this fall, aiming to have all our members signed up and ready by the end of 2025.

 

Staying connected through SFFMA membership means access to top-notch training, valuable resources, and a strong network of firefighters across Texas. Whether renewing or joining for the first time, your membership strengthens our fire service community by supporting professional development, advocacy, and the safety of all members.

 

Watch for details coming soon let’s make 2025 our biggest membership year yet!

 

Best regards,

Cherry Kay Abel, TDM

Executive Director

No time to read? Listen to the story here!

If you want to see an SFFMA staffer who has worn multiple hats, look no further than Events Coordinator, Heather Lundy. She started part-time at the association in 2018. Back then, she and her husband, John, were still living in Wimberley and making a living as market gardeners.

 

She came on board to assist with membership as well as anywhere else that was needed across the organization. By the end of that year, Heather “graduated” to working full-time for SFFMA as the membership assistant.

 

In 2019, her role shifted to certification, where she assisted Kevin Creamer with processing and pushing out certification applications. Mind you, this was, as she put it, “the bad old days before we had our amazing new PORTAL system, so there was a lot of hand-processing that had to be done, and it was time-consuming and labor-intensive.”

 

Former Executive Director Tim Rutland then asked Heather to initiate the setup and implementation of the SFFMA testing program, which had just rolled out. Zone reps weren’t yet training to administer tests. Heather was assigned to cover testing across the state – which came with a lot of travel.

 

Heather said, “It was also a lot of fun traveling to different departments around the state and meeting their firefighters. I enjoyed that very much.”

 

Then in 2021, Heather’s hat changed again. Tim asked her to take over the events for SFFMA, so she began learning what that entailed. This year marks her fifth conference in that role. Under that umbrella, Heather also manages the SFFMA Memorial Service at the Capitol (every other year during legislative sessions) and the annual legislative day at TEEX. She also works with Teresa Junkin planning and organizing the SFFMA professional development courses that meet at the Austin office several times each year.

 

Heather is a fifth generation native Texan with family throughout the Hill Country. She grew up in Wimberley and still has family there. Most of her adult life has been spent working for nonprofits and religious organizations, as well as farming in the United States and in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

 

“I love to grow gardens and raise cattle, poultry, and sheep,” she said. “Since my husband John suffered three strokes in 2023, we sold our little farm and are living more of an urban life at the moment in San Marcos.”

 

Outside of work, Heather enjoys riding her bike, painting, cooking, walking her Texas Blue Lacy dog, and swimming in the San Marcos River. 

 

“I lead worship services on Sunday mornings for a non-denominational church and regularly play and sing bluegrass with a group of good players,” she said. “And anyone who knows me knows that I love to shoot pool.”

 

Heather said the most rewarding part of working for SFFMA is seeing how much of their lives and time volunteer firefighters and their families give to their communities. 

 

“I always knew, of course, that firefighting was an enormous, vital service to the community,” she said. “But you don't really understand how selfless volunteers and their families are until you see this in action.”

 

She added, “I'm especially moved when I see generations of firefighters in one family, passing along the tradition of community service; it really is a way of life.”

 

Heather said she is grateful for her co-workers at SFFMA.

 

“They are all incredibly conscientious and hard-working, they will always step up and help when needed, and they care a lot,” she said. “I'm proud to be able to do a small part in assisting the Texas Fire Service. Our members are what drives this association, and we're here to do what we can to help.”

 

 

 

 

 

Listen to this legislative update here!

by J Pete Laney

 

89^TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

 

The 89^th Legislative Session has come to an end.  If I had to describe this session, I would say promises made, promises kept. I am referring to SFFMA, State Representative Ken King (Canadian), Speaker Dustin Burrows (Lubbock), along with Senators Kevin Sparks (Midland) and Charles Perry (Lubbock), Representatives Caroline Fairly and John Smithee (Amarillo), Lt. Governor Patrick, Governor Abbott, and a whole host of other Senators and State Representatives who continue to support volunteer firefighters. Special credit goes to Senator Joan Huffman (Houston) and Representative Dr. Greg (Friendswood) who serve has chairs of the budget writing committees and never wavered in their support during the process. There were countless hours spent by these members and their staff and we cannot thank them enough for their support. 

 

In 2024 Texas experienced the worst wildfire in the state’s history, and at the request of Representative King, then Speaker Dade Phelan appointed a special investigative committee to investigate the cause of the wildfire and what could be done to better prepare us in the future.  Serving as chairman of that committee was Representative Ken King, along with now Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows, Representative Todd Hunter (Corpus Christi), and public members Jason Abraham and James Henderson. The committee issued a report and provided its recommendations to the legislature. 

 

Many of you participated in those hearing, or watched them over the several days, and Representative Ken King along with the other members of the committee made a promise to address the needs of our volunteers and do what they could to help prevent wildfires. Well, promises made, promises kept, and each of these bills have been passed and sent to Governor Abbott who has until June 22^nd to veto the legislation or it will become law.

 

2604 Grant Funding

At the end of the legislative session, the legislature passed HB 500 which is the supplemental appropriations bill addressing many needs across the state. With regards to volunteer firefighters, HB 500 does two things. First and foremost, it provides $192,000,000.00 to address the backlog of 2604 grants. Second, to avoid future backlogs HB 500 provides an additional $44,000,000.00 to the grant program for the upcoming biennium, bringing the yearly total close to $50,000,000.00.

 

Wildfire Related Legislation 

As most of the wildfires in the Panhandle are started by downed power lines, especially around orphaned or neglected well sites, HB 143 and 144 by Representative King relating to inspections of service lines and power poles seeks to address these problems.

 

SB 34 by Senator Sparks, and sponsored by Representative King, does several things as it relates to wildfires and mitigation. This legislation instructs West Texas A&M to do a wildfire study and sets forth the criteria to be addressed.  It also includes the database language found in HB 2063 and provides for a portion of the 2604 grant to be utilized for equipment and training in large high wildfire risk areas. 

 

HB 2063 by Representative Fairly sets up a database of firefighting equipment available across the state.  The legislation directs the Forest Service to work with departments to develop the database and keep it updated.  In times of need departments can look to the database to see what equipment others may have to help respond.  

 

Rural Ambulance Funding 

HB 3000 by Representative King, Sponsored by Senator Perry, was championed by the County Judges, supported by SFFMA and provides much needed funding opportunities for ambulances.  This legislation sets up funding for a grant program administered through the Comptroller’s office and will go long way in addressing the lack of availability of ambulances across the state.

 

Rural Firefighting and Technical Rescue Capabilities 

HB 2128 by Representative Spiller (Jacksboro), Sponsor Senator Hagenbuch (Denton) seeks to examine rural communities challenge of maintaining sufficient firefighting and technical recuse services due to limited funding, shortages of trained personnel, and lack of affordable training.  The legislation requires TEEX to conduct a study to evaluate the disparities between rural and urban firefighting technical rescue capabilities and provide recommendations for improvement, and on or before December 1, 2026, provide governor, lt. governor, and speaker of the house findings of the study and any recommendations based on the study.

 

There were other successes this session which will be discussed in the days to come and at the upcoming 149th Annual Convention in Frisco, including changes to the volunteer compensation limits, battery storage facilities, Texas Commission on Fire Protection, and roadways named in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

I hope to see you in Frisco for a discussion about the legislative session and highlight those who support our volunteers. 

 

I also need to thank the President Billy Tidwell, Past President Bill Gardner, the entire SFFMA Executive Board and others who helped during the legislative session by testifying, meeting with senators and representatives, and helping to get these bills over the finish line. We appreciate your support!

 

Please contact J Pete Laney, if you have any questions about the 2025 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 - Interview with author (and Battalion Chief) Dena Ali

Episode 6 - Interview with Wendy Norris of the Texas LODD Task Force

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 in 2026, 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.)

Georgetown Fire Department's monthly training was on hazardous materials, focusing on correct selection of suits and the annual testing process of the suits.