The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced today that the agency is expanding its one-of-a-kind emergency management training academy program to Fort Worth.
The Texas Emergency Management Academy is now accepting applications for the new cadet class, which will kick off in Fort Worth, Texas, in October. Graduation is slated for May 2026. This cohort is in addition to the fourth cadet class set to begin in September in San Antonio, with a March 2026 graduation.
“The success of The Texas Emergency Management Academy continues to exceed expectations and receive significant interest, and we’re thrilled to double its impact with our expansion into Fort Worth,” said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. “By growing this educational program, we’re investing in the future of emergency management professionals. Our cadets will have more access to the training and resources they need to answer the call to serve. This growth demonstrates that emergency management capabilities have no bounds.”
The Academy trains the next generation of the emergency management workforce and sets up graduates for successful careers in the disaster and emergency services discipline. Enrollment has also been expanded to provide opportunities for local emergency management and private sector personnel with emergency management roles in Texas.
The eight-month curriculum includes approximately 1,400 hours of training, which rigorously prepares graduates in all four phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation.
Additionally, successful graduates of The Academy gain comprehensive education in Texas emergency management law, planning, disaster finance, resource staging, resource requests, volunteer management, public information, incident management, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) organization and procedures, private sector partnerships, operations technology, and other key aspects of emergency management. Graduates earn multiple nationally recognized emergency management certifications, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Professional Development Series (PDS), FEMA's Advanced Professional Series (APS), the National Emergency Management Basic Academy (NEMBA), and FEMA’s Continuity Excellence Series Level I Professional Continuity Practitioner program. Graduates also depart The Academy as certified basic emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and will achieve National Registry Certification upon successful completion.
Course instructors for this landmark program are authorities from higher education institutions and nationally acclaimed, including subject matter experts from TDEM.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit tdem.texas.gov/academy to learn more and apply.
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