Battalion Chief Travis L. Maher

Travis Lee Maher, 49, of Wimberley, Texas, died on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, from exposure to toxic materials while responding to Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Travis is survived by his wife Lauren, his sons Riley and Maddox, his father Ed Maher and his stepmother Ann, and his mother Shirley Maresh and stepfather Otis Maresh. He is also survived by his brother and sister firefighters, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Travis graduated from Bellville High School in 1992 and went on to Texas A&M University where he was a decathlete and a Letterman, graduating in 1996. He joined the Austin Fire Department in 1999 and promoted through the ranks to Battalion Chief (Battalion 1/C shift). Travis was also a 25-year veteran of Wimberley Fire Rescue as a Captain.

Travis served 21 years as a member of Texas A&M Task Force 1, serving on both federal and state deployments. It was during one of his over 40 deployments when Travis deployed to Ground Zero at the World Trade Center in New York City following the attacks on September 11. He was an instrumental member of the TX-TF1 Water Rescue Team, a Task Force Leader, and to many was considered “the face of disaster response.” Travis was a founding member of the Texas Task Force Foundation, serving the last two years as one of its directors.

Travis had a natural way of ensuring those that he helped maintain their dignity often at the worst time of their lives. He was a selfless individual that embodied the definition of a servant leader. When he was not fighting fires with AFD or responding to disasters with TX-TF 1, Travis was a teacher and continued to train students in water rescue and at the Texas Annual Fire Training School at Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. Travis was a leader and mentor to many throughout his entire career.

Travis loved being a firefighter. Helping people was his calling, his hobby and his life’s passion. He shared this passion with his wife Lauren, also a professional dedicated to helping others through emergency management. Travis was able to integrate his life into his service and his service into the rest of his life. He included his two sons in his world of service, passing his skills to them. Whether it was bringing them to Annual Fire School from the time they were young or teaching them the skills needed to become young men who have become mirrors of their father and men Travis would be proud of.

Travis was a true public servant, a leader, a teacher, a mentor, a husband, a father, a son, family to many and friends to countless individuals.