The deadline for assistance for calendar year 2012 under HB 3667 is August 31, 2012. This grant will reimburse fire departments for the purchase of insurance from private insurance companies. Eligible coverage includes any combination of Workers’ Compensation, Death and/or Disability Insurance (including the new $10,000/$20,000 optional SFFMA member benefit). The program will reimburse up to$96.00 per firefighter covered in calendar year 2012. For more information and an application for this program, go to http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/main/popup.aspx?id=9442.

Karen Pickard of Ovilla is assistant EMS program director at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is a member of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, EMS Educators and EMS Physicians, State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas, and North Texas Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association. She is a member of the National Society of Executive Fire Officers, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing, National Fire Protection Association EMS Standards Technical Committee, and North Central Texas Regional Advisory Council on Trauma. She is also founder, past president and a current board member of the Dallas Area Crisis Response Team, secretary/treasurer of the North Texas Fire District, and a volunteer for the Ovilla Fire Department EMS Continuing Education Program. Pickard received a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and completed executive fire officer training at the National Fire Academy.

Congratulations Karen!