Every Austin firefighter completes advanced wildfire training

Austin firefighters completed a new milestone, with every member of the department completing "Responding to the Interface” advanced wildfire training.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Every member of the Austin Fire Department completed advanced wildfire training, according to an announcement shared Thursday.

Austin City Council member Alison Alter shared this milestone during a news conference with other city leaders. She said Austin firefighters have prepared and completed "Responding to the Interface” advanced fire training.

"Wildfires are not just the problem of the fire departments. It is everyone's fight," Alter said.

The program consisted of classroom training as well as advanced simulations, challenging firefighters to understand what wildfire conditions are really like.

In 2021, city council members worked together to find funding to support the program and as of this summer, every Austin firefighter completed this advanced training. Alter said Austin is the first city to complete this training, and this new program is now being used all over the world.

"This will bolster the effectiveness of the response to wildfires, ensure better protection for first responders in our community and our natural resources," Alter said.

Following the wildfire discussion, city leaders proclaimed July 18 as "Wildland Urban Interface Training Recognition Day." Alter claims Austin is the international leader in wildfire response training, and city leaders said they hope to use these resources to support other jurisdictions in our region.

Gun safety proclamation

Additionally, city leaders touched on gun safety within the city of Austin. Council Member Paige Ellis, who represents District 8 in southwest Austin, said unsupervised and unsecured access to firearms poses a significant risk and threat to children and youth.

"An average of 452 Texas children and teens die by guns every year, and gun violence costs Texas $51.3 billion each year," Ellis said.

The city is working with the organization Lock Arms for Life to keep homes and communities safe from guns and adding thousands of locking devices into homes that need them.

On Thursday, the City of Austin will proclaim August as Gun Safety Awareness Month, and city leaders said they hope Texas lawmakers will pass a bill next year recognizing the month statewide.