COLLEGE STATION — Forty-eight new firefighters graduated June 28 from the 159th Firefighter Recruit Academy at the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). The graduates, who came from Texas, California, Colorado, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Utah and Canada, completed 12 weeks of classroom and hands-on training at the Brayton Fire Training Field in College Station.
The graduation ceremony was held at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at the George Bush Presidential Library on the Texas A&M University campus, with friends and family members in attendance and more watching on Facebook Live. The keynote speaker was Fire Chief Paul Henley of the Corsicana Fire Department. Following the ceremony, a reception was held and tours were offered at Brayton Fire Training Field.
The Academic Award was presented to Corey Guice of Houston. The class voted for the Outstanding Student, which was awarded to Christa Hardy of Lake Charles, La.
The TEEX Firefighter Academy prepares entry-level firefighters to earn the Texas Commission on Fire Protection certifications for Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and HazMat Operations, as well as ProBoard Firefighter I, Firefighter II and HazMat Awareness and HazMat Operations. The program, operated by the TEEX Emergency Services Training Institute, is also eligible for college credit through the Fire Science Technology degree program at Blinn College.
The Firefighter Recruit Program staff members include Donald Boggs, David Rosier, Jason Loyd, Cary Roccaforte, Matt Wallace and Denise Littlejohn.
TEEX has trained more than 5,000 certifiable firefighters since 1971, and has graduates working across Texas, the United States and the world.
Learn more about the TEEX traditional and blended learning Firefighter Academies.
Visit the TEEX Firefighter Recruit Academy facebook page.