Why Choose the Traditional Face-to-Face Fire Recruit Academy
TEEX’s Recruit Fire Academy has trained more than 3500 certifiable firefighters since 1971. Academy graduates are working in fire departments all over Texas, the United States, the US Department of Defense, Canada, Australia, Spain, Korea, Kuwait, Finland, Ireland, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.
We prefer to actually prepare cadets for success as an entry level firefighter. With this philosophy, our cadets must excel academically, demonstrate exceptional teamwork and leadership skills, establish professional behavior, and perform strenuous physical work. Many members of the fire service have indicated that they prefer to hire graduates of TEEX Fire Academy because meeting minimum standards often does not adequately prepare a cadet for employment. Fire departments know that we prepare cadets in a more in-depth manner and with more hands-on application than many other schools, that may seem like a bargain when the fee, and not the end result, is the main consideration.
Get More! Live Burn Training
Famous throughout the world, our fire training props are second to none. All you need to do is go on our website to see photos of the many training opportunities that lie ahead. In the Fire Academy, you will work in many areas of Brayton Fire Field, with strong emphasis on some of the larger burn props toward the end of the course when we do nine consecutive days of live fire training. From dumpster fires and vehicle fires to warehouses and industrial terminals, there is always something afire here at Brayton Fire Field.
Get More! Fleet
Our fleet of fire apparatus is used to train cadets to work with fire hose, to operate pump panels, draft water, and to calculate water flow to a fire. You will actually use the apparatus, with each cadet gaining hands-on training under the supervision of instructional staff. This best simulates the real environment in which cadets will be working following certification and subsequent employment. Unlike many other schools, TEEX cadets participate in the fire apparatus emergency driving course, where you will learn the safe operation of emergency vehicles while actually driving apparatus through an obstacle course. Overall, at TEEX Fire Academy, you don’t just become familiar with fire apparatus, like the minimum criteria require, you actually operate real, modern fire apparatus that we own and maintain.
Get More! Rescue
Another area where TEEX Fire Academy surpasses others is in our rescue section. We train on two towers not only to become familiar with ropes, knots and hitches, but to actually apply them. Cadets report to the drill towers where they rappel, rig hauling systems, and lower or raise victims through the use the hauling systems, which they rigged. We also have numerous hydraulic tools, known commonly as “Jaws of Life.” With many vehicles available, you have the opportunity to actually operate this equipment, rather than just observe others. Being one of the world’s largest fire training facilities, our resources are far superior to those of other schools.
Get More! Physical Ability Preparation
As a part of your employment in the fire service, you will most likely be required to pass a physical ability test. Rather than just ignore this essential component of gaining employment, TEEX Fire Academy embraces it, with daily physical training and the completion of not one, but three Firefighter Ability Skills Test (FAST) performances. This test includes fire-related skills and is similar to typical ability tests. Your scores are officially recorded in your file and many fire departments accept the FAST score results for your pre-employment ability test.
Get More! Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus and Personal Protective Equipment
Another area that causes graduates of TEEX Fire Academy to soar above others is that cadets are issued Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) units while in the Academy. You will work with your SCBA unit routinely, for example, while crawling through our two smokehouse units, searching our trailer simulator, during ventilation training, hazardous materials training, and our nine days of live burn simulations.
Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE) will consist of traditional bunker gear and hazardous materials suits. You will wear bunker gear while in the smokehouse drills, extinguisher training fires, ventilation training, vehicular rescue, and any live fire training. You will do donning drills, where an alarm is simulated, and you rush to have all of your gear in place as quickly as possible. The hazardous materials suits are worn specifically during the hazardous materials operations training, where you will learn to work in a defensive mode around simulated hazardous materials releases.
Get More! Certifications
We offer the opportunity to sit for eight certification tests. After successful completion of the Academy requirements, cadets are eligible to earn both IFSAC and ProBoard certifications in Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations. Because of this, our Academy meets or exceeds the requirements in most States and Countries for preparation and/or certification of municipal firefighters. Please check with the fire certification agency in the area you intend to seek employment to learn what certifications they require. Offering the rare opportunity to earn eight certifications during one training course is one of the unique aspects that draws attention to TEEX Recruit Fire Academy and further demonstrates why our Fire Academy is superior to other entities offering fire training.
Be the best!
Dedicate yourself to increasing the intensity of your fire training, better preparing yourself for employment as a firefighter and set yourself apart from all of the other minimally qualified firefighter job applicants. Join us at TEEX Recruit Fire Academy.