The U.S. state of Texas has introduced a new statewide continuing education standard requiring regulated fire service personnel to complete the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Courage to Be Safe® program every five years, in what officials describe as a first-of-its-kind firefighter safety training mandate.
The rule, adopted by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection on May 14, establishes a recurring training requirement for career firefighters across the state and gives agencies three years to comply, setting a full enforcement deadline of May 14, 2029.
The measure will apply to approximately 40,000 regulated firefighters in Texas, also known as career firefighters. While the requirement does not extend to the state’s estimated 75,000 volunteer firefighters, officials say it is expected to influence training practices across the wider fire service.
Victor Stagnaro, CEO of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, said the decision marks a significant step in reinforcing firefighter safety culture.
“Texas has long been a national leader in firefighter education and safety, and this action sets a new standard for how states can reinforce the decisions, behaviors and culture that help firefighters go home safely,” Stagnaro said.
“Courage to Be Safe was created to challenge the fire service to look directly at preventable line-of-duty deaths and injuries and commit to meaningful change. By making this training recurring, Texas is helping ensure those lessons are not treated as a one-time requirement, but as an ongoing responsibility.”
The Courage to Be Safe® programme is built around updated Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives and focuses on reducing preventable line-of-duty deaths and injuries by addressing behavioural, cultural and operational risks within fire service environments.
Texas officials say the recurring requirement is designed to ensure firefighter safety principles remain embedded throughout a firefighter’s career, rather than being treated as a one-off certification.
Mike Wisko, Agency Chief at the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, said the move reinforces the importance of continuous professional development.
“By requiring firefighters to review Courage to Be Safe every five years, Texas is reinforcing the importance of firefighter safety throughout a firefighter’s career and helping departments keep these principles at the center of their culture,” Wisko said.
Under the new standard, completion of Courage to Be Safe® will provide 4.0 hours of continuing education credit. The programme is offered free of charge, with both in-person and online delivery options available, including instruction support from Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) faculty and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation state advocates.
Daniel T. Kistner, Director of Fire Service Programs at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, said the recurring requirement reflects long-standing advocacy efforts within the fire service community.
“As a 40-year Texas fire service veteran, I know how seriously this state takes firefighter training and professional development. This requirement helps ensure the principles of firefighter survivability remain present throughout a firefighter’s career,” Kistner said.
Officials and fire safety advocates say the policy shift underscores a broader goal of embedding safety culture more deeply within the fire service, with Texas positioned as an early adopter of recurring national firefighter safety training standards.
