On March 14, Maryland Representative April McClain Delaney and Senator Chris Van Hollen, led 64 of their Congressional colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, calling for the return of classes at the National Fire Academy.
In the letter, they pressed for a further explanation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) decision to cancel trainings for firefighters and first responders at the National Fire Academy (NFA) and Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
The NFA and EMI gather leading experts and first responders to train with stress-tested technology, share best practices on fire and hazard safety, develop innovative emergency response methods and enhance public safety.
Programs at the NFA and EMI include emergency medical services, fire prevention, arson and explosion investigation, leadership development, wildfire response, and firefighter health and safety.
At the time of the abrupt cancellation, instructors were poised to host trainings across the country and many first responders had already booked their travel and accommodation for the upcoming week.
The lawmakers stated: “We write to express our serious concern with the Administration’s immediate cancellation of all in-person first responder training courses at the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA) National Fire Academy (NFA) and the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), collocated at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
“According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) March 7th announcement, classes were canceled to review NFA and EMI ‘programs and spending to ensure alignment with Administration priorities.’ This action undermines first responder public safety and potentially poses an equal threat to public safety.”
“Firefighters and other first responders lay their lives on the line every day for our communities.
“The abrupt cancellation of courses has affected dozens of firefighters, educators, and local departments that rely on the National Fire Academy’s and Emergency Management Institute’s resources, classes, and expertise to promote safe and effective fire prevention, enhance firefighter safety and reduce the loss of life and property to fire, floods and other natural disasters.
“We call on the Administration to reverse course and reinstate these critical classes for first responders.”
A letter has been sent to the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, calling for the return of classes at the NFA.
The letter states that several lawmakers have serious concern with the immediate cancellation of all in-person first responder training at the USFA and EMI collocated at the NETC in Maryland.
