3,600 firefighters battle blazes, blistering heat at Texas Fire Training Schools

More than 3,600 firefighters battled blazes and a July heat wave to spend a week at the Brayton Fire Training Field during one of three summer Fire Training Schools.

The public is invited to the annual TEEX Public Firefighting Demonstration scheduled for Wednesday, July 25, at Brayton Fire Training Field.

The 2018 TEEX Fire Schools kicked off on July 8, and continue for 3 weeks through Friday, July 27. More than 4,000 emergency responders are expected to converge at Brayton Fire Training Field over the three-week period.

Two graduates of the TEEX Firefighter Recruit Academy show that age shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your dreams. Allan Levine, 65, is one of the oldest graduates of the Academy, while Esme Petitjean, 18, is one of the youngest. They each had a dream of becoming a firefighter and didn’t let any obstacles stand in their way.

Thirty-four fire service leaders completed the 10th Fire Service Chief Executive Officer (FSCEO) leadership certificate program, which is delivered by TEEX in cooperation with professors from the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University.

A record class of 68 new firefighters graduated from the 18th Online Firefighter Recruit Academy. They completed 335 hours of training online before traveling to Brayton Fire Training Field for an intensive 21-day hands-on firefighting “boot camp.”

Former NFL player and Frisco Firefighter Danny Watkins is the 150th emergency responder to earn the US&R Rescue Specialist Certificate from TEEX. He joins 19 other firefighters who have earned the certificate in 2018.

Fifty-five new firefighters graduated from the 155th Firefighter Recruit Academy following 12 weeks of classroom and hands-on training in firefighting and fire science, safety, hazardous materials, pump operations, and more. Approximately 400 friends and family members attended the graduation.

The 30th annual Spring Fire School drew 382 students from the U.S., Korea and United Arab Emirates for a week of intensive training at Brayton Fire Training Field in College Station.

The 10th annual TEEX Leadership Development Symposium broke previous attendance records with 969 participants, including 27 attendees from other states. The event meets continuing education requirements for Texas emergency responders.