Flint (MI) high school students who are interested in becoming firefighters will soon have access to a state-of-the-art fire training facility operated by the Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD), The Davison Index reported.
On September 26, the GISD held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Fire Training Center, which will be located on the campus of Genesee Career Institute (GCI) on Torrey Road in Flint, the report said. The academy will house firefighter students who are working toward completion of the program with Firefighter 1 and 2 certifications, along with advanced classes for EMT certification, according to the report.
GCI, in the partnership with the Genesee County Association of Fire Chiefs, instituted its first Fire Training Academy class for high school juniors and seniors in 2021, the report said. To take the program a step further, GCI decided to launch the training facility, which will include areas for roof rescue, several flights of stairs and long hoses and an apparatus bay setup with a fire truck and all equipment necessary for students to simulate loading up and responding to fire calls, the report said.
The new building will also allow up to 72 high school students to have advanced study opportunities that can translate into both a fire certification and an EMT certification, according to the report. School administrators are hoping to have the facility up and running by next May.
Although the Fire Training Center is not part a municipal fire department, the academy has received equipment donations and generous support from many local fire departments, the report said. The Genesee County Association of Fire Chiefs also donated a fire truck from the City of Burton for the program, according to the report.