TEEX set to host world’s largest annual firefighter training schools
COLLEGE STATION, TX – Thousands of firefighters from around the globe will travel to College Station in July to participate in the nation’s premier fire training schools at the world’s largest, live-fire fueled training facility: Brayton Fire Training Field.
Hosted by the Texas Engineering Extension Service, or TEEX, the schools include:
July 7-11: 42nd Annual Spanish Fire Training School
July 14-18: 46th Annual Industrial Fire Training School
July 21-25: 79th Annual Municipal Fire Training School
TEEX is a member of The Texas A&M University System.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
Members of the media covering the fire school will be allowed to don real firefighting bunker gear and battle a fire with real firefighters! Please make prior arrangements to take advantage of this opportunity. Space for engaging in this activity is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. FYI: Closed-toe shoes and long pants are required at the fire field.
Spanish
The Spanish Fire Training School annually hosts nearly 600 Spanish-speaking firefighters who learn skills ranging from basic firefighting operations to officer development. These firefighters will learn from the experience and knowledge of approximately 200 volunteer instructors who teach only in Spanish.
This year, student firefighters will travel from Central and South America, Europe and even Africa. Many of these international firefighters rely solely on their personal savings and dedication to journey to this world-renowned school.
Industrial
The Industrial Fire Training School begins the following week, when more than 500 firefighters and safety personnel will receive training on the latest industrial firefighting, rescue and hazardous materials control techniques. Many of these courses are recognized by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and will include certification in a specialty area. NFPA standards are recognized internationally for firefighting, rescue and hazardous material control qualifications and are the foremost educational standards in emergency response.
Municipal
The last of the three annual firefighter training schools, the Municipal Fire Training School, will include more than 2,500 firefighters and 500 guest instructors from throughout Texas and the nation. This is the largest school of its kind in the world, attracting firefighters from the state’s smallest volunteer fire departments to those serving the largest metropolitan areas. Courses include basic and advanced firefighting, fire prevention, rescue operations, fire officer development, aircraft firefighting and emergency service, incident management and communications.
All of the hands-on training is provided by guest instructors who donate their time, services and travel expenses to ensure that firefighters, emergency medical, and response personnel are adequately prepared to respond to a wide range of emergency situations. It’s not uncommon for guest instructors to have taught at the Municipal School for more than 40 years.
Trade show: July 20
School registration and an emergency response trade show will kick off the Municipal School’s events on Sunday, July 20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Texas A&M University’s Reed Arena. The trade show is one of the nations’ largest and includes the latest fire trucks, firefighting equipment and related products and equipment.
History of the Fire School
The first Municipal School was held in 1930 as part of the Texas A&M University chemistry department and attracted 196 firefighters representing 76 cities and towns. The following year the Texas Legislature authorized Texas A&M to create and operate a permanent firefighter training school in College Station.
Shortly thereafter, TEEX was formally established, and the agency is now recognized as the world’s premier emergency services training institute. Each year, TEEX trains more than 80,000 firefighters and emergency responders from throughout Texas, all 50 states and more than 40 countries.
About TEEX
TEEX continues to remain at the helm of the fire training industry by featuring a new chemical refinery burn training facility, a structural burn complex, a liquefied natural gas training facility and the Henry D. Smith Operations Complex, which houses a welcome center and state-of-the-art classrooms.
TEEX offers hands-on, customized training, technical assistance and emergency response services impacting Texas and beyond. Agency programs include fire services, homeland security, public safety and security, public works, safety and health, search and rescue and economic development.