Fire Academy Gearing Up for Fall 2020 Cohort; Program Taking Applications Now Through Aug. 3
Article by: Melinda Eddleman
Some careers are defined by passion. Others are a calling for the greater good. And, some are a combination of both.
Becoming a firefighter is one of the best decisions that I have made in my life. It’s a calling to help others when they’re having the worst day of their lives.
The veteran firefighter has been in the field for 35 years, including starting as a volunteer, and has taught in the DMC Public Safety Education Department’s Fire Science program since 2001.
If you share Schmidt’s calling and have thought about becoming a firefighter, the College’s Fall 2020 Fire Academy is taking applications now through Aug. 3. The Fire Academy will begin Aug. 24.
Applicants will need to complete the DMC admissions process, which includes taking the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) test and meeting the Fire Science program’s required levels in reading, writing and math, before applying for the Fire Academy. Visit www.delmar.edu and click on “New Student” to get started with the College’s admissions process.
Questions? Or, are you ready to apply? Contact Administrative Aide Loree Lewis at llewis8@delmar.edu or the Public Safety Education Department at publicsafety@delmar.edu to get answers or request an application packet.
You can also learn more about the DMC Fire Science program by visiting www.delmar.edu/degrees/fire-science/index.html.
This fall, the Fire Science program is prepared to provide training that includes health and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic and may include face-to-face or hybrid training as well as online instruction for portions of the academy. The program offers an Associate in Applied Science degree, which includes two semesters of firefighting training and a semester-long emergency medical technician (EMT) training class.
The Fire Academy prepares cadets for careers with Coastal Bend and other Texas employers seeking firefighters, including the Alice, Annaville, Corpus Christi, Houston and San Antonio Fire Departments and the Corpus Christi International Airport. Employers currently considering recent graduates for hire include Naval Air Stations Corpus Christi and Kingsville, and fire departments from Kingsville, Plano and Portland have even come to campus to recruit cadets with several cadets now in the hiring process.
“We have one of the highest first-time pass rates in the state when our cadets take the Texas Commission on Fire Protection’s Basic Structure for Fire Fighters Examination,” notes Schmidt of the Fire Academy’s success.
Regarding being a firefighter, he adds, “You really never know just what to expect while you are on duty. You may have a structure fire, a major motor vehicle accident or a possible CPR-in-progress call. Every day is different from the last, and that is what makes firefighting the best job in the world.”
Future firefighters don’t wait! Apply now!
View the following video of a past live burn exercise conducted by DMC Fire Academy cadets:
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.