Texas – Governor Greg Abbott participated in a press conference at the Texas Firefighter Wildland Urban Interface “Train the Trainer” program to address the growing threat of urban wildfires and emphasize the importance of firefighter training.
“We would not be the state that we are without the firefighters that we have serving every single day,” Abbott said. “It requires extraordinary heroism, valor, and mental and physical ability to protect those in need.
Training is a foundation of that success. We saw so many lives saved by firefighters and first responders who were on the spot, and had both the training and expertise to be able to rescue people impacted by the Panhandle wildfires, and more recently the Fourth of July Kerr County flooding. The State of Texas supports this training, and is willing to step up and fund the training our Texas firefighters need.”
The Governor was joined by Representative David Cook, Representative Pat Curry, Texas Commission on Fire Protection Chief Mike Wisko, International Association of Fire Fighters General Secretary-Treasurer Frank Lima, Texas A&M Forest Service Planning and Preparedness Department Head Kyle Mills, and other state and local officials.
Abbott also highlighted the funding provided by Senate Bill 34, legislation he signed into law to strengthen Texas’ wildfire response. He noted that new emergency response reforms from the most recent legislative session will help firefighters better communicate their needs while protecting lives, homes, and livelihoods across the state.
