Governor Greg Abbott attended a press conference at the Texas Firefighter Wildland Urban Interface “Train the Trainer” program, where he addressed the issue of 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 event included participation from 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 local and state officials.
Governor Abbott discussed funding provided through Senate Bill 34. He stated that this law will help improve how quickly Texas can respond to wildfires. The Governor also pointed out that new emergency response reforms passed during this legislative session will help firefighters communicate their needs more effectively when responding to emergencies across Texas.
Additional photos from the event are expected to be released later.
