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Trump Administration restored the classes at the National Fire Academy: NPR

The National Fire Academy is located in this complex in Emmitsburg in West Maryland. Thousands of firefighters come here for training every year, but the Trump government canceled personal courses in early March to reduce the costs.

Justin T. Gellson for NPR


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Justin T. Gellson for NPR

The Trump government restored personal training at the National Fire Academy in Tiny Emmitsburg, Md. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which monitors the academy, initially paused classes on site and said that the government would no longer pay for trips for programs that it was not considered “mission critical”.

On Thursday, the Fema turned the course and said that a comprehensive review showed that “certain courses offer effective training”.

“The principles of the FEMA for emergency management claim that disasters are best managed if they are supported by the state, managed by the state and executed locally,” said the agency in a statement.

The academy is often described as a national was college for fire brigade. Every year it brings thousands of fire chiefs for training, which ranges from leadership and management to the implementation of fire, arson and explosion determinations.

The decision also marks a delay for Emmitsburg, a city in West Maryland with around 3,000 people who voted for Trump last year. The academy is part of the identity of Emmitsburg – and the visiting firefighters help to advance the local economy.

The administration also restored personal training at the center for home willingness in Anniston, Ala, and at the National Disaster and Emergency Management University, also in Emmitsburg.

The political reversal on Thursday was followed by violent criticism from the delegation of the Congress of Mayrland and some of Trump -supported firefighters who argued that the break for training for initial complaints was nonsensical and dangerous.

John Beck, head of the Waynesboro Volunteer Fire Department in Pennsylvania, said that the government's explanation of the government to stop and restart the courses is at best vague.

“We are up to date with the training that would never have offline,” said Beck, who later applied for studying at the academy this summer. “But that's good news, because that is exactly what the public deserves.”

The US Senator Chris van Hollen and the US Rep. April McClain Delaney, both Maryland Democrats, welcomed the restoration of the training.

“The decision of the Trump government to abrupt these classes has made no sense – and in addition, it has significantly harm our communities and those who protect them,” said van Hollen in a statement. “I am glad to see that the administration followed our calls to raise this senseless ban.”

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