Governor Abbott Appoints Four To Texas Commission On Fire Protection
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Amanda Sue Friedeck and reappointed Mike Jones, Bob Morgan, and J.P. Steelman to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection for terms set to expire on February 1, 2029. The Commission develops and enforces statewide fire service standards and provides education and assistance to the industry.
Amanda Sue Friedeck of Alice is the public relations director at Silver Star Food Stores and owner of BRANDS Marketing Group, LLC. She has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality business industry and community advocacy. She is a commissioner for the City of Alice Housing Board Authority, former vice president of her local Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, and former vice chair of the Alice Hub City Chamber of Commerce. Friedeck received a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Liberty University and a Juris Master in American Legal Studies from Liberty University School of Law. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy.
Mike Jones of Burleson is an operational battalion chief for the City of Burleson Fire/EMS and an adjunct instructor for Tarrant County College. He serves as the president of the Burleson Professional Firefighters Association and is an active member of the Texas State Association of Firefighters and the International Association of Firefighters. Additionally, he is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Jones received his fire protection certification from Kilgore College and currently attends the University of North Texas at Dallas.
Bob D. Morgan, P.E. of Fort Worth is the Senior Fire Protection Engineer with the Fort Worth Fire Department. He is a principal member of five different technical committees with the National Fire Protection Association and is chairman of the Fire Advisory Board to the North Central Texas Council of Governments' Regional Codes Coordinating Committee. Additionally, he is a member and past president of both the Fire Prevention Association of North Texas and DFW chapter of Society of Fire Protection Engineers and has served multiple cycles on the International Building Code Fire Safety Committee. He also holds the designation of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter from the American Institute for CPCU. Morgan has his Professional Engineering license in both Fire Protection and Mechanical Engineering in Texas and received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University.
J.P. Steelman of Longview is the fire chief and emergency management coordinator for the City of Longview and an instructor at Kilgore College in both the Emergency Management degree program and the Fire Academy. He serves as regional director for the Northeast Region for the Texas Fire Chiefs Association and is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Texas Task Force-1, Texas Interstate Fire Mutual Aid System, Texas A&M Forest Service Type-3 Incident Management Team, and the East Texas Council of Governments Homeland Security Advisory Committee. Additionally, he is a board member of SeeSaw Children’s Place day care, past president and member of the Longview (Greggton) Rotary Club, and a panel member of the Sabine Industrial District Citizen’s Advisory Panel. Steelman received an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Protection Technology and his fire protection certification from Kilgore College. He also completed the Executive Fire Officer Program with the National Fire Academy, Texas Fire Chiefs Academy through the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, the Texas Fire Service Chief Executive Officer Program through the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, as well as the Chief Fire Officer credentialing process with the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s Commission on Professional Credentialing.