ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland State Firefighters Association (MSFA) has issued a statement expressing deep concern over the abrupt cancellation of training at the National Fire Academy (NFA) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, effective March 10, 2025, as announced by FEMA. The decision, part of a broader evaluation of agency programs to align with administration priorities, halts all instructor-led and on-campus classes, impacting fire service professionals nationwide. MSFA joins state and national organizations in urging action to reverse the move, citing significant risks to community safety and firefighter preparedness.
The NFA, located on a 107-acre campus in Emmitsburg, has been a cornerstone of fire service education since its establishment in 1979, offering free specialized training to fire officers, instructors, and allied professionals. These programs, ranging from incident command to community risk reduction, are critical for national certifications required by career and volunteer firefighters. MSFA warns that the cancellations threaten these credentials, exacerbating existing recruitment and retention challenges in an already understaffed fire and EMS system. With 50 states relying on NFA’s cutting-edge protocols, the shutdown disrupts a vital safety framework that ensures expertise reaches beyond urban centers.
FEMA’s email, sent late on March 7, stated, “For those courses that can continue virtually, we will do so… For those that are unable to proceed in a virtual format, we will reevaluate rescheduling once the review is complete.” However, a follow-up clarified that only virtual, non-instructor-led offerings with no funding involved will proceed, and instructors were directed to cancel all travel. The timing affects most on-campus sessions, which typically conclude Fridays with new students arriving Sundays. The Maine Fire Service Institute reported that one class, “Exercising Leadership through Difficult Conversations,” will continue with an instructor already on-site, but another, “Command & Control of Wildland Urban Interface Fire Operations,” was scrapped.
The cancellations follow a pattern of cuts impacting the fire service, including last month’s cancellation of the NFA Women’s Weekend and reductions to NIOSH, the National Firefighters Cancer Registry, and the Firefighter Fatality Investigation Program. MSFA stands with these entities, calling for public support through the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s survey at https://cfsi.org/nfa-stories/ and urging contact with Maryland’s Congressional Delegation to restore funding.
Critically, while the administration’s review aims to align spending with priorities, the sudden nature of the cuts—without clear timelines or alternatives—raises questions about the impact on public safety. The NFA’s role in fostering professional networks and delivering graduate-level training, like the Executive Fire Officer Program, is irreplaceable.
Fire service leaders, including Chief Marc Bashoor on CNN, warn of a “degradation in services” if training remains paused, a sentiment echoed across social media. Maryland, with 1,500 annual fire incidents per MSFA data, cannot afford diminished preparedness, especially in rural areas like Emmitsburg, where the NFA also supports local economies.
