Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Municipal Fire Training School is holding summer classes at A&M, training future responders.
Since 1929, TEEX’s Municipal Fire Training School has devoted a week out of the month of July to teach students high-based fire training techniques, said Gordon Lohmeyer, executive associate at for TEEX fire field.
Wednesday, TEEX held its annual demo night at Brayton Fire Training Field, where responders demonstrated to the community the skill sets that they have learned during their course of training, Lohmeyer said. Demonstrations involve auto extrication, high angle rescues and a multitude of fire based training props.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for both the responders and the students to showcase their abilities and talents,” Lohmeyer said. “It shows the preparedness of the state of Texas for these incidents that occur whether they are by rail, highway or water. It lets [the community] sleep better at night.”
It is a family oriented event to show not only what fire fighters do, but also paramedics, hazardous materials technicians and rescue personal, said Mike Wisby, associate director for the emergency transportation institute at TEEX. It also serves an educational purpose by teaching children home fire safety and the “stop, drop and roll” method.
Approximately 1,900 students are attending a multitude of classes this week in Koldus and Rudder Tower, Lohmeyer said. Students learn rescue techniques, hazmat or handling hazardous materials, fire suppression and transportation emergencies to help responders better prepare for response.
Students will learn to provide vocational technical training to the response community for incident management for responders like EMS, fire rescue, hazmat services and other types of disciplines, Lohmeyer said.