Letter from SFFMA President, July 2026
NOTE: This is the first letter from SFFMA Executive Board President RJ Thomas, who took office on June 13, 2026 in Waco, Texas.
The 150th Conference has come and gone, and I hope those who attended found it both enjoyable and valuable.
I want to extend my sincere thanks to Past President Wobus for his dedicated leadership over the past year. I’m excited for the year ahead and the opportunities it holds for the SFFMA.
I would also like to express my appreciation to the SFFMA staff for the great job they did organizing and executing the 150th Conference. Their dedication and behind-the-scenes work ensured a smooth and successful event for everyone involved. Thank you for your tireless efforts and professionalism.
As 2026-2027 begins, planning is underway for several important events:
TEEX Municipal School
District Officers Symposium (January)
90th Texas Legislative Session starting in January
151st Annual Conference in Wichita Falls (June 2027)
District Officers, I ask you to check and ensure that your committee names have been turned in to me.
Communication is often a challenge for the entire public safety sector. As we work throughout the fire service to get to what right looks like in each of our houses, here are a few thoughts that might help.
All I Ever Wanted Was a Push-to-Talk Button
Once upon a time, in a land far away, I became a firefighter. As the saying goes, it was a job with bad pay, odd hours, and a cool hat. Things seemed a little more straightforward back then. The radio had two switches: one to turn it on and one to push-to-talk. Now we have radios that cost more than a used car and more knobs and buttons than I can operate with my gloves on.
Changes are inevitable. There are many justifications for these changes. Safety through added capability is among the top ones. The goal is not to talk to everyone all the time, but to talk to whom you need to when you need to. Several people across the state have been working with TDEM, local governments, DPS, and many public safety organizations to develop concise training to support public safety communications.
T-RES110: Radio Statewide Interoperability. This training started over a decade ago. Some may remember classes at conventions and area schools. Fire Chief David Abernathy taught many of these courses and beat the drum from one end of the state to the other. Chief Abernathy's message has not changed. What has been added is an online course for firefighters and EMS. The course is indeed available to all public safety responders. The website for this course and many more is tdem.geniussis.com for anyone interested in learning more.
In addition, all of us should review the requirements of NFPA 1001 Objective 4.2.
A. Routine traffic
Routine traffic: Are we mentoring our new members on how to communicate in line with our department's SOPs?
B. Emergency traffic
Emergency traffic: Does everyone have confidence in what happens and what they are expected to do?
C. Emergency evacuation signals
Finally, Emergency Evacuation Signal: What is in your SOP, and what is the difference between your signal and that of your mutual aid companies? Company officers, higher-ups, and anyone who may be the IC should be trained to operate your local SOPs, not only to evacuate Public Safety from the scene but also to activate the evacuation of all people in accordance with your local government's plans.
Your SFFMA Executive Board will be meeting on Saturday, July 18, in College Station, TX. We are currently working on room assignments. Members are welcome to attend.
In closing, I wish you a safe and enjoyable summer. Please stay cool and hydrated during these hot months ahead. With your continued support, exciting times are ahead for the Texas fire service.
RJ Thomas
SFFMA President 2026-2027