The Woodlands Firefighters Host a Convention for Township

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- After more than two years of preparations by The Woodlands Professional Fire Fighters Association and community leaders, hundreds of Texas firefighter leaders have descended on The Woodlands this week for the 49th biennial convention of the Texas State Association of Firefighters (TSAFF).

Erik Secrest, president of The Woodlands Professional Firefighters Association, said, "The Woodlands firefighters deliver excellent service, we're good stewards of township resources, and we give back to the community. This convention is another way to support our township and help provide local economic development. We're proud of The Woodlands and we are enjoying sharing our community with firefighters and friends from around the state."

Established in 1938, TSAFF represents more than 19,700 professional firefighters in 205 Texas communi-ties. Hundreds of association delegates and guests are attending the four-day convention, which addresses statewide public safety workplace issues, legislative initiatives, and health and safety standards, among other issues. The convention is beginning after TSAFF passed a state-association record 11 bills on public safety and health and safety standards issues during the recent regular legislative session.

Local speakers at the convention include Brad Bailey, chair of The Woodlands Township, Fire Chief Palmer Buck of The Woodlands Fire Department, Linda Nelson, chair of Visit The Woodlands, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, Chief Deputy Jonathan Zitzmann of the Montgomery County Sheriffs Department, and Secrest, among others.

TSAFF President John Riddle said, "We applaud The Woodlands firefighters and the Visit The Woodlands team for working so hard to earn and now host the TSAFF convention. Their convention bid was extraor-dinary. For the past two years, They have been amazing partners in developing this convention. The culture of hospitality and the available resources here are fantastic. This is a great place to get our work done but also enjoy what the community has to offer."

A delegation of The Woodlands Professional Firefighters Association and the township's Visit The Woodlands team presented the convention bid in July 2023 at the 48th TSAFF Biennial Convention in El Paso. Secrest said dozens of local businesses and individuals are sponsoring or supporting the 2025 convention, which is being held in The Woodlands for the first time.