Governor Greg Abbott spoke at a press conference held at the Texas Firefighter Wildland Urban Interface “Train the Trainer” program to address concerns related to urban wildfire threats in Texas.
“We would not be the state that we are without the firefighters that we have serving every single day,” said Governor Abbott. “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 accompanied by Representative David Cook, Representative Pat Curry, Texas Commission on Fire Protection Agency 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, as well as other officials from local and state levels.
During his remarks, Governor Abbott referenced funding provided through Senate Bill 34—a measure he signed into law—to improve Texas’ capacity for rapid wildfire response. He also mentioned new emergency response reforms passed during this legislative session aimed at helping firefighters communicate their needs more effectively when responding to emergencies throughout the state.
He emphasized ongoing support for firefighter training programs as essential for public safety efforts in dealing with natural disasters such as wildfires and floods.
Additional photos from the event are expected to be released soon.
