2026-07-15 22:10:28 FEMA’s Maryland National Fire Academy to reopen after classes were abruptly canceled – NEW WTOP Skip to main content

FEMA’s Maryland National Fire Academy to reopen after classes were abruptly canceled

After a sudden closure in March, the National Fire Academy in Frederick County, Maryland, will soon be back in business.

Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are reopening the facility after deeming firefighter training to be a critical government mission.

Classes were shut down for three months after the President Donald Trump’s administration unexpectedly canceled classes at the National Fire Academy, saying it would support only mission critical functions.

The facilities will reopen June 2, according to Maryland Matters.

In March, more than 60 members of Congress, including every Democrat from Maryland, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding the facility reopen. However, they never received a response.

Now, the state’s two senators, Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, are praising the decision and saying the three facilities are critical because they train first responders. They say closing them should have never taken place.

‘My dream job’: How one woman’s book drive is transforming the lives of kids with cancer

Emily Bhatnagar’s world was turned upside down after learning about her father Mike Bhatnagar’s cancer diagnosis. “He’s my best friend, so it was really painful to see,” she said.
Read Next Story