Texas Border Business
By Selene Rodriguez
South Texas College’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence (RCPSE) has become a key resource for enhancing firefighting skills with its recently inaugurated, two-story residential fire training structure, unique in the Rio Grande Valley.
Over the past few weeks, more than 400 firefighters from McAllen, Pharr, Mission and Alton have had the opportunity to train safely in a toxin-free environment, thanks to the advanced technology and clean-burning fuel used in the state-of-the-art facility.
“Providing a carcinogen-free training environment has always been a top priority for STC, not just for students, but for firefighters across the region,” explained Robert Vela Jr., site administrator for STC’s RCPSE. “This clean-burn structure allows departments to conduct their drills without the concern of decontaminating their gear afterward. They can return to service immediately and get back to protecting the community. It’s simply a safer way to ensure everyone is training under the most optimal conditions.”
As the only facility in the RGV powered by liquid propane gas, the two-story building allows firefighters to conduct several training scenarios that previously required ‘dirty burning’ methods, such as burning hay, which produces soot, ash and dangerous smoke, posing significant health risks.
“In the past, we would have to have multiple sets of gear ready and spend a lot of time cleaning and decontaminating,” explained McAllen Fire Department Training Division Captain Juan Manuel Garcia. “Here, we don’t have to worry about that. We finish one drill, and it’s straight back to the next. It’s definitely a huge advantage for the region.”
In addition to smoke machines and a ventilation simulation system, this state-of-the-art facility also features fire simulators for kitchen and living room scenarios, that can ignite and extinguish fires on command.
“There are many other benefits to this incredible facility,” Garcia added. “For example, having a built-in forcible entry door provides a fantastic opportunity for more realistic scenarios. We also borrowed mannequins—both adult and infant—from the college to practice rescue techniques, making for a truly great and realistic training experience.”
More than 170 firefighters from the McAllen Fire Department, along with over 100 from the Pharr Fire Department, collaborated in a multi-company, multi-agency end-of-the-year training session last month.
The McAllen Fire Department conducted a two-week training session for its entire team, while Pharr completed its training in one week. Both departments participated in a series of intensive drills, including fire attack, ventilation, rescue and victim search.
Similarly, the Mission Fire Department, also with just over 100 personnel, trained their entire team in both day and night drills for an entire week.
“For the Pharr Fire Department, the RCPSE has become an essential resource that we utilize on a regular basis,” said Pharr Fire Chief Pilar Rodriguez. “Whether we’re training our own personnel or helping enhance the skills of the college’s students, having the RCPSE right in our backyard and being able to tap into its cutting-edge resources has been an invaluable asset to both our department and the entire city.”
For more information on STC’s Fire Science program and public safety training offered at STC’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence, visit southtexascollege.edu/rcpse/ or call 956-872-4208.
