Lone Star College-CyFair oers an associate degree in re sciences for prospective professional re ghters. In this program, they must take an EMT course.
FIREFIGHTER AND EMS TRAINING AT LSC-CYFAIR
is the highest level of care before the emergency room. Addressing issues From sta ng to morale and men- tal health, local re departments are facing numerous challenges when recruiting new or career re ghters. Some have di erent approaches than others, and the di erence can lead to one department being fully sta ed and another scraping by, o cials said. Even among departments that claim they are compensating and retaining their sta well, leaders are watching to ensure that all needs are met, physi- cally and mentally, Lieder said. “So mental health is starting to become a much more talked about topic in emergency services, re, police and EMS,” Lieder said. “Just in 2020, [the] Cypress Creek Fire Depart- ment was awarded a grant from the governor’s o ce, and that allowed us to start up our whole internal mental wellness program, which is just one part of an overall wellness program that we have.” Kyle Gunderson, a re captain for the Houston Fire Department, said sta ng shortages often force re- ghters to take on extra shifts, which last 24 hours at minimum. On top of
this, HFD has had trouble compen- sating its re ghters due to internal government con icts. Gunderson said this has sent some to the CFFD, which provides better bene ts and more consistent hours. According to Ramon, the CFFD o ers its re ghters and EMS per- sonnel access to psychologists and psychiatrists through Baylor College of Medicine at no cost as well as tele- medicine services through its health insurance plan. A more comprehen- sive mental health support plan is under development, which Ramon said includes partnerships with com- munity counseling services. To alleviate sta ng burdens, departments are doubling down their e orts and recruiting from Lone Star College-CyFair. The next closest re and EMS training programs are held at Texas A&M University in College Sta- tion, Wharton and LaPorte, LSCCy- Fair EMS Instructor Kim Zapata said. “So the demand with the growth of the Cypress area has pushed the need for more re ghters, more EMTs [and] more paramedics to service the community,” she said. Demand is not just coming from the Cy-Fair area. Zapata’s husband Eric leads the Fire Academy at LSCCyFair
Lone Star College-CyFair 9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress 281-290-3200 www.lonestar.edu HOW TO ENROLL Those interested in re ghter and EMS training at LSC-CyFair can visit www.lonestar.edu and search for the re science department.
The associate degree in re sciences requires students to complete 60 CREDIT HOURS of course work. LSC-CyFair is looking to reinstate a NIGHT COURSE for the re sciences program. Class sizes for this program are capped at 25 STUDENTS. The EMS program accepts up to 50 STUDENTS ANNUALLY. The EMT course lasts one semester and hosts a full class of 25 STUDENTS. Both EMTs and re ghters from LSC-CyFair have HIGH JOB PLACEMENT RATES, LSC o cials said.
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SOURCE: LONE STAR COLLEGE CYFAIR COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
and said departments from across the state have come to recruit their grad- uates at career fairs. “The students that come through- out these programs are really geared not only for getting into the workplace and serving our community right away but also have that longevity
and career trajectory in their depart- ments,” said Warner Bair, Division IV dean of the college of Public Services Health Behavioral Science.
For more information, visit communityimpact.com.
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CY FAIR EDITION • JUNE 2022
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