WILMINGTON, N.C. -- For the last 20 years, Cape Fear Community College's Public Safety program partnered with the Pender County Firefighters Association to hold a public safety college that offers hands-on learning opportunities to emergency responders.
Nearly 500 students participated in the five-day program and were trained in key areas such as investigation and fire safety.
"We train firemen from one or two days on the job up to a couple years,” said Pender County Fire Marshal Tommy Batson. “We go through the basic techniques of everything you use in the fire service.”
"You get to see what it's like to really go into a real fire, the stresses. Your heart rate gets up. Your breathing rate gets up. You have to learn to maintain breathing control. You have to use your touch -- can't really hear a lot, can't really see a lot. So you have to rely on each other, communication," said Kyle Strickland, a volunteer firefighter with the Teachey Fire Department.
Will Rumbold has been a volunteer firefighter with the Wallace Fire Department for the last three months. He says the program has made him more confident in fighting a real life fire.
"I feel better; feel more equipped,” said Rumbold. “I know I'm not ready to jump in a fire yet or jump in a house such as this one but I do feel more prepared to be on a fire scene and help my guys out and help my crew out."
The program offers up to 57 courses including basic training to hazmat air monitoring. It’s all to further enhance their skills as emergency responders.
"Twenty years ago, we didn't have thermo-imaging cameras where you can walk in and see heat inside a house or you can see someone lying out or see where a fire is,” said Batson. “Things are changing and technologies changing and they can take that information and what they learned this weekend, take it back to their home agencies and help better enhance their departments."
Students who complete public safety college will receive a certificate of training.