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May 2, 2012

TFSC announces forensic science conference, June 4-5

The Texas Forensic Science Commission and the Court of Criminal Appeals Criminal Justice Integrity Unit will conduct a Joint Conference on Forensic Science Link to PDF file , June 4-5, 2012, in the Texas Capitol Auditorium. The conference will include a 90-minute session on the first day about recent trends in arson investigation, taught by Dr. John DeHaan. The conference sponsors encourage Texas fire and arson investigators to attend the free conference. For more information please visit the Texas Forensic Science Commission website External link .

April 20, 2012

State and local initiatives enhance fire fighter safety

Don Wilson, Chief Kerwood, Chris Connealy at April commission meeting

Paul Maldonado and Chief Eric Metzger at SWFR

Chief Earl Foster and Don Wilson at SWFR

One of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection's most important roles is to help improve the safety of Texas fire fighters. Within the last biennium, the commission initiated two important programs to address the issue of fire fighter safety: the "Courage to be Safe" program, and the fire fighter injury reporting system. Several statewide fire service stakeholder groups provided input into the development of these programs, including the State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association (SFFMA), the State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO), the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters (TSAFF), the Texas Fire Chiefs' Association (TFCA) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).

To help improve the safety of Texas fire fighters, the commission is developing an injury investigation reporting document to help investigate "near misses." By making this form available to the fire service, and providing technical assistance when necessary, we hope to help everyone learn from "near miss" events. The intent of the project is to facilitate a complete and unbiased review of all aspects of an event, including:

The department's role (for example, department standard operating procedures).
Personnel functions and the level of performance and proficiency.
Personnel training.
Equipment deployed and its performance.
Command structure during the event.

To succeed, these reviews must explore both strengths and weaknesses found at the event. The goal of the review is to gain a better understanding of the occurrence and to learn what steps might be necessary to prevent such events from occurring in the future.

"Courage to be Safe" focuses on implementing a culture of safety within fire departments. It includes 16 Life Safety Initiatives. Initiative 9, "Fatality, Near-Miss Investigation," focuses on the importance of learning from "near miss" events. The commission would like to recognize a few departments that, true to their mission and members, took the difficult and sometimes uncomfortable steps to change their culture by evaluating "near miss" events, thus fostering a safety culture within their departments:

On June 5, 2011, the Wichita Falls Fire Department had a structure fire in an attached garage. Two of their fire fighters received burns.
On June 17, 2011, the Flower Mound Fire Department had a structure fire in a two story residential home. Two of their fire fighters received burns.
On September 5, 2011, Hutto Fire Rescue had a structure fire in a residential structure with an attached garage. Two of their fire fighters received burns.

The commission would also like to recognize the entities that are actively participating in the fire fighter injury reporting program. The high quality of information that departments are providing is contributing to our knowledge base. This helps us to provide solid recommendations and up-to-date information about what is happening throughout the state. Our bigger departments, including San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, El Paso and Corpus Christi, have been particularly active. We would like to thank all the reporting departments and their chiefs for encouraging and participating in the program.

For more information about "Courage to Be Safe," fire fighter injury reporting, or any other TCFP initiatives, please contact the agency at (512) 936-3838 or info@tcfp.texas.gov Send e-mail .

April 19, 2012

Questions on fire inspector certification

The commission continues to receive inquiries about a state law that requires anyone who conducts a fire code enforcement inspection to be certified as a fire inspector. Most of the questions concern code enforcement officers and building officials.

HB 3866 (81R) External link , which went into effect Sept. 1, 2009 and applies to fire code inspections conducted after Sept. 1, 2011, added section §419.908 to the Texas Government Code. The law states, "Only an individual certified by the commission as a fire inspector may conduct a fire safety inspection required by a state or local law, rule, regulation or ordinance."

What this means is that if someone is enforcing a fire code or an ordinance related to fire codes adopted by statute or ordinance by a state, county or local government entity, that person must be certified by the commission. The emphasis is on FIRE codes or and the legal authority to enforce them.

Individuals who enforce building codes and nuisances codes (such as high grass, weedy lots or junk vehicles) under local ordinances, but who do not enforce fire codes or ordinances, do not need to be certified as fire inspectors.

For more information, please contact the commission at info@tcfp.texas.gov Send e-mail or (512) 936-3838. (Chapter 419 of the Texas Government Code is also available on our website.)

March 30, 2012

April commission meeting notebook posted

Links to the agenda and commission meeting notebook for the April 12, 2012 commission meeting are now available on our calendar archives page.

Please note that the commission will consider two newly proposed voluntary certifications for publication: a voluntary wildland certification Link to PDF file and a voluntary incident safety officer certification . The commission encourages your participation and feedback on these proposed certifications. (The commission will be reviewing these proposals for first publication. If the commission acts on the proposals at its April meeting, it will be to publish the proposed rules in the Texas Register for a 90-day public comment period. After the public comment period, the commission will then review any comments it receives and consider the rules for possible final adoption at its July 2012 meeting.)

March 12, 2012

Commission seeks applicants for wildland fire fighter ad hoc committee

The Texas Commission on Fire Protection is seeking applications for a new wildland fire fighter ad hoc committee.

The committee will meet four to six times per year at commission headquarters in Austin. Committee members are not reimbursed for their travel expenses. Committee members will be actively involved in the creation of a new wildland fire fighter curriculum, as well as an intensive review of other wildland-related training issues. Meetings typically last two to three days.

Applicants must hold, as a minimum, an Instructor II certification from the commission and a wildland certification/credential from another recognized certifying entity. Active participation in training programs is preferred.

To apply for membership on the committee, a letter of financial support from the applicant's fire chief is required. (If the applicant is a fire chief, a letter of support from either the mayor or city manager is required.) Please submit the letter of support along with a completed wildland fire fighter ad hoc committee membership application Link to PDF file by 5:00 p.m., Apr. 16, 2012. Applications should be mailed to the attention of Grace Wilson, Texas Commission on Fire Protection, PO Box 2286, Austin, TX 78768-2286.

The curriculum and testing committee will review applications at its next scheduled meeting on May 30-31, 2012.

January 27, 2012 (updated March 7, 2012)

Texas Forest Service announces upcoming wildfire academies

The Texas Forest Service (TFS) will conduct the Junction Wildland Fire Training Event Link to PDF file over two weekends, Apr. 28-29 and May 5-6, 2012. (The event will include a "Courage to Be Safe" program on Apr. 29.) TFS will also conduct the East Texas Interagency Wildfire & Incident Management Academy in Lufkin, May 15-25. For more information, please visit the Texas Interagency Coordination Center's training page External link .

March 7, 2012

Texas Commission on Fire Protection fills two leadership positions

The Texas Commission on Fire Protection has recently filled two key management positions. Mike Baker will serve as the Standards Director and Paul Maldonado will serve as the Compliance Manager.

Mike Baker has served for more than 30 years in a variety of Texas fire service positions. A native of Marshall, Baker achieved the rank of fire lieutenant with the Marshall Fire Department and later served as fire chief in Bonham, San Marcos and Copperas Cove.

Baker is currently serving as the Second Vice President, of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association's Executive Board, and has taught fire service courses at the Texas Fire Academy and the Texas Engineering Extension Service's Emergency Services Training Institute.

Baker holds an associate's degree in Fire Protection Technology from Kilgore College and a bachelor's of business administration degree from LeTourneau University.

As the Standards Director, Baker will be in charge of implementing the commission's directives regarding fire protection personnel testing and certification, as well as the agency's library, injury reporting system, and curriculum development program.

Paul Maldonado served as the Texas State Fire Marshal for seven years. He oversaw numerous statewide initiatives, including fire safe cigarettes and the "Have an Exit Strategy" campaign.

A native of Caldwell, Maldonado served with the Austin Fire Department for more than 25 years. He has served as Vice President of the International Fire Marshals Association and is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and International Fire Chiefs Association.

Maldonado holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

As the Compliance Manager, Maldonado will oversee the commission's inspection and test auditing programs as well as the commission's field offices.

March 2, 2012

Advisory committee to consider new voluntary certifications

At its upcoming March 8, 2012 meeting, the fire fighter advisory committee will review proposals for two new commission certifications: a wildland certification Link to PDF file and an incident safety officer certification .

The commission staff and committee members have received several inquiries about the proposed certifications. First of all, we would like to emphasize that these certifications are being proposed as voluntary certifications. In developing the new rule language, the commission staff has consulted with several fire service stakeholders, particularly with regard to the proposed wildland certification. The certification staff has met with the Texas Forest Service (TFS), the State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association (SFFMA), the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters (TSAFF) and the Texas Fire Chiefs Association (TFCA) to work out the details of this certification. Similarly, the commission staff worked with several training providers to work out the details of the proposed incident safety officer certification.

Please review the proposed language. We would like to point out that the proposed wildland certification language is particularly accommodating to current holders of IFSAC and SFFMA wildland certifications, creating a "bridge" between existing certifications offered by other entities and the newly proposed state certification.

The fire fighter advisory committee welcomes comments on the proposed certifications and encourages members of the Texas fire service to attend the March 8 meeting. (From a logistical standpoint, we'd also like to note that the fire fighter advisory committee's review on March 8 represents the "ground floor" of the rulemaking process, so this is a good time to participate and make your concerns known.) Thanks!

February 23, 2012

Advisory committee meeting time change

Please note that the start time for the March 8, 2012 fire fighter advisory committee has changed to 8:00 a.m. The meeting agenda and notebook materials are available on the calendar page.

January 13, 2012

Commission seeks fire school liaison

Chief Mike Hunt, the commission's liaison to the TEEX-ESTI Fire School Advisory Board, has recently resigned his commission position. The commission is soliciting applications for his replacement.

The commission's liaison attends both the Fire School Advisory Board's quarterly meetings and the commission's quarterly meetings to facilitate communications between the two entities.

To apply, the commission would like to see a letter of interest expressing your qualifications, your fire service resume, and a letter of support from your fire chief (or city manager if you're currently serving as a chief). The liaison position is an unpaid, volunteer position.

The commission will review applications for the position at its next quarterly meeting in April 2012. Thanks!

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