TEEX - Fire Academy

Fire Academy Class 171 continue building the skills they'll rely on throughout their careers, putting training into action through hands-on fire suppression exercises and practical skill development.

Proud to have our TEEX Fire Academy students take part in the Full-Scale Mass Casualty Exercise at Easterwood Airport this week.

Coordinated by Texas A&M University Emergency Management for Easterwood Airport, the exercise brought together fire, EMS, and law enforcement agencies from the local, county, and state levels under Unified Command. For our students, it was a chance to see how coordinated response works beyond the classroom and how multiple agencies come together when it matters most.

Opportunities like this create unique experiences for the next generation of firefighters.

Success is determined by drive, something class 171 is earning.

Your future in Fire & EMS starts May 8th at the TEEX Fire & EMS Career Day!

Connect with 8 newly added agencies, including Texas A&M EMS, American Medical Response, Conroe Fire Department, Galveston Fire Department, Hays County ESD 9, MCHD, and Travis County ESD No. 2, along with agencies from the Austin, Central Texas, Dallas, and Houston areas. We look forward to seeing you there!

This week, Academy Class 171 continued to study hose ops and fire streams, learned pump ops, knots and hitches, and more. Next week, they will study fire dynamics and forcible entry.

Day by day, they’re building the skills that keep people alive. The beginning weeks hit different when you're doing it first hand.

Class 171 spent week one focused on the fundamentals of the fire service, learning their gear, working with equipment, and building the communication and discipline that everything else depends on.

This is Class 171, ready to be part of making a difference.

"It’s more than just training and education, it is also the chance to mentor the next generation and help them to get started in this career with a positive mindset so that they can help teach the next generation coming after them."

Meet Kris Norred, one of Fire Academy’s Training Coordinators who has spent 25 years in the fire service. He was drawn into the field as a teenage EMT, where he had exposure to emergency scenes. From high-stress, chaotic calls to moments of calm in between, the work has shaped not only his career, but who he is. One of the biggest lessons? Learning to appreciate peace. After responding to dangerous and demanding scenes, the quiet moments hit differently.

Today, he brings that experience to TEEX.

For Kris, serving as an instructor is about keeping a foot in the fire service while passing on the knowledge earned over decades in the field. What sets TEEX apart, he points out, is the people. The academy staff is committed to giving students the best possible training, so each can reach their potential. The most rewarding part of the job, he says, is watching students succeed.

Understanding that this academy is physically and mentally demanding is important. Yet, the knowledge that this line of work requires both strength and attitude is what will allow you to succeed. For those willing to commit, it offers a lifelong career with opportunity, stability, and the chance to make a difference. Are you in?