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Citizen Academy

Step into the boots of an Amarillo firefighter. Join the AFD Citizen Academy to learn, train, and connect with those who protect our city every day.

  • CONTACT INFORMATION
  • Non-Emergency
    806-378-9360
  • Emergency
    9-1-1
  • Fire Administration
    310 S Van Buren
    Amarillo, Texas 79101
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Join the Citizen Academy

See what happens behind the station doors

The Amarillo Fire Department Citizen’s Fire Academy gives community members a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the people, equipment, training, and specialized services that help protect Amarillo every day.

This hands-on, interactive academy is designed to give participants a better understanding of what firefighters and other emergency personnel do, how they train, and what happens from the moment an emergency call is received until the incident is complete.

Throughout the academy, participants will get an inside look at several areas of the Amarillo Fire Department, including:

  • Firefighting operations and equipment
  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Firefighter protective equipment and SCBA
  • Vehicle and technical rescue
  • Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF)
  • Wildland firefighting
  • Emergency communications and 911 dispatch
  • Fire prevention and investigation
  • Fire station operations and department history

Participants can expect a combination of demonstrations, tours, conversations with department personnel, and hands-on activities. Depending on availability and conditions, participants may also have an opportunity to tour a fire-damaged structure with a fire investigator and learn how investigators determine where and how a fire started.

Participant safety is a priority throughout the academy. Participants will not be placed in Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) environments or asked to perform activities requiring firefighter certification.

All demonstrations and hands-on activities will be conducted under the supervision of Amarillo Fire Department personnel.

The Citizen’s Fire Academy isn’t about becoming a firefighter. It’s about understanding what it takes to protect a community.

2026 Academy Schedule

The Citizen’s Fire Academy will be held on five dates:

Thursday, September 24
Evening Session

Thursday, October 1
Evening Session

Saturday, October 3
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 10
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 17
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Final Session, Lunch & Graduation

Participants should plan to attend all five sessions to receive the full Citizen’s Fire Academy experience.

Application Details

The Citizen’s Fire Academy is open to adults 18 years of age and older who are interested in learning more about the Amarillo Fire Department and the services it provides. No previous fire service, EMS, or emergency response experience is required.

To provide participants with a more personal and hands-on experience, the 2026 Citizen’s Fire Academy is limited to 15 participants.

If 15 or fewer eligible applications are received, participants will generally be accepted in the order completed applications are received. If more than 15 eligible applications are received, the Amarillo Fire Department will review the applications and select participants for the academy.

Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the academy.

Application Deadline: September 14, 2026

Citizen’s Fire Academy Application

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City of Amarillo: Property Taxes Rebated Per Year by Agreement Type 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts of property taxes rebated per year over the last five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. There were no Chapter 380 property tax rebates in the first two years listed. The total amount increased slightly each year, with a more significant increase in the most recent year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Chapter 311 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$574,947 

$591,249 

$821,350 

Chapter 380 

$0 

$0 

$37,387 

$39,172 

$61,013 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the amount of property taxes rebated in the past five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. For each fiscal year there is vertical column, comprised of two stacked columns, each of which representing the different agreement types. 

City of Amarillo: Number of Tax Abatements Granted Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The 2020/21 and 2021/22 fiscal years each had four active abatements, 2022/23 had five, and 2023/24 and 2024/25 each had seven. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Active Abatements Per Year 

4 

4 

5 

7 

7 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the number of active abatements each year. Each year has one column, with the height indicating number of active abatements in that year.

Amount of Taxes Abated Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts abated over the past five fiscal years from Chapter 312 tax abatement agreements. Each fiscal year shows a larger dollar amount abated, with minor growth over the first three years, a higher increase in the fourth year, and minor growth again in the fifth year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Taxes Abated by City of Amarillo 

$510,061 

$623,017 

$679,849 

$965,261 

$1,143,899 

Total Abated by All Entities Including City of Amarillo 

$1,569,512 

$1,926,332 

$2,103,099 

$2,884,936 

$2,959,496 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount of taxes abated over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount abated. The bar representing taxes abated by the City of Amarillo is sightly offset to the side of the bar representing the amount abated by all participating tax entities for each fiscal year. This shows that the amount abated by the City of Amarillo is a part of the total amount abated by all entities.

City of Amarillo: Taxes Rebated Per Year by Type 

Overview 

This chart shows the dollar amounts rebated by the City of Amarillo from economic development incentive agreements over the past five fiscal years. Each year is broken down by rebate type, including property tax rebates, hotel occupancy tax rebates, and sales tax rebates. Each fiscal year shows a slight increase in total dollars rebated, with a more drastic increase in the most recent fiscal year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Property Tax Rebates 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$612,334 

$630,421 

$882,363 

Hotel Occupancy Tax Rebates 

$686,747 

$753,112 

$794,828 

$871,423 

$808,348 

Sales Tax Rebates 

$0 

$21,046 

$55,528 

$45,881 

$368,716 

 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount rebated by the City of Amarillo for each type of tax rebate over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. The different rebate types are stacked vertically in each fiscal year, with the height representing the total dollar amount rebated.