Lone Star College-Kingwood held a groundbreaking ceremony for its future Fire Training Facility on Feb. 11. The new building, scheduled to be completed in August 2022, will house all necessary equipment for students to undergo fire exercises and learn other essential skills needed to become certified firefighters in Texas. Pictured from left are David Teverbaugh, fire science program director at LSC-Kingwood; Eva Gomez, senior project manager at PBK Architects; David Baty, vice president of instruction at LSC-Kingwood; Mike Sullivan, assistant secretary for the LSC Board of Trustees; Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, president of LSC-Kingwood; U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee; Ruby and Don Staley, donors of the Gary Staley Memorial Fund; and Dr. Jim Cain, LSC Board of Trustee member.
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LSC-Kingwood to break ground on new facility
Lone Star College-Kingwood is once again meeting the burgeoning needs of its community and the surrounding areas.
The Fire Science Technology Program will build a Fire Training Facility on campus to accommodate all necessary equipment for students to undergo fire exercises. The college will celebrate this state-of-the-art addition with a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Feb. 11, at 10 a.m. The event will take place in Parking Lot C (on Sorters McClellan Road), which is the future site of the building.
“This facility further strengthens our commitment to offering optimal academic and workforce programs to the community,” said Dr. Melissa Gonzalez, LSC-Kingwood president. “Our new training site will make a positive impact in the training of future firefighters in this community.”
The estimated completion date for the $2.5 million training center is in August, near the start of the fall semester. It will house specialty courses, classroom instruction, and other hands-on programs to teach students the essential skills needed to become certified firefighters in Texas.
“We desire to use this facility to become a training hub for the entire area. We want this to be a place where all regional entities can come to learn and share the knowledge required to stay abreast of current and future technological advances in the industry,” said David Teverbaugh, a fire science professor at LSC-Kingwood. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics estimates that open positions in the fire service industry will steadily grow within the next 10 years. Contributing factors include retirement and natural disasters. The LSC-Kingwood Fire Science program will aptly prepare future graduates to confidently enter the career field as qualified firefighters and emergency personnel. They will learn various skills such as operating fire streams, performing all types of rescues, using the Jaws of Life, power saws, and other firefighting equipment.
“Firefighters and EMTs do not just respond to fires, but they also are there during hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, winter storms, and even pandemics,” he said. “Currently, firefighters are deployed throughout the state to staff COVID vaccination sites, which is making a huge difference in the lives of millions of Texans.”
Students can take day or night courses that can lead to a level one certificate in two semesters. Additionally, they can earn an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in fire science after two years and transfer to a four-year university with an associate degree such as Texas A&M-San Antonio or West Texas A&M.
“Our goal is to provide the highest level of training by using the vast resources available at the college, local fire departments, and the emergency responders within our region,” Teverbaugh said.
The Fire Science Technology program costs approximately $865 per semester and nearly $1,400 for uniforms and bunker gear rental. Financial aid is available for eligible students. Applicants must be qualified for college enrollment and pass a sports physical and criminal background check.
For more information on the Fire Science Technology program at LSC-Kingwood, visit www.lonestar.edu/fire-science-dept-kingwood.htm.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 93,000+ students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and has been named a 2021 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence, and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
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