44 graduate from Firefighter Academy

Online firefighter recruit class photoCOLLEGE STATION – Forty-four new firefighters graduated from the 17th Online Firefighter Recruit Academy on Dec. 18, 2017. They completed 335 hours of training online before traveling to College Station for an intensive 21-day, 210-hour, hands-on firefighting “boot camp” at Brayton Fire Training Field.
The graduates came from Canada, Ireland, Texas and California. Chief Rusty Wilson of the Katy Fire Department was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center at Texas A&M University.
The academy prepares entry-level firefighters to earn the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) and ProBoard certifications for Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and HazMat Operations.  
The program is eligible for college credit through the Fire Science Technology degree program at Blinn College and the Fire and Emergency Services Administration degree program at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
The TEEX Academy meets or exceeds the requirements in most states and countries for preparation and/or certification of municipal firefighters. The Online Firefighter Recruit Academy has trained more than 500 certifiable firefighters since the first class was held in 2011.