Leon High School ignites new firefighter training program with TCC's Fire Academy

Leon High School is getting ready to set ablaze its new career pathway program in collaboration with Tallahassee Community College's Fire Academy.

Starting this fall, the school will offer a career and technical education track for students to pursue firefighting certification.

"It's a historic moment for us today," Leon Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna said in the school's parking lot. "It's just a wonderful program and it gives our kids one more option to look at as far as their career choice in the future."

Hanna said the program will be "the first of its kind" in Tallahassee.

The announcement was made Tuesday morning at the school affectionately known as "Big Red," with a Tallahassee Fire Department truck parked out front.

The school will have a classroom dedicated to the fire academy program, something the Florida Public Safety Institute at TCC believes is important for the learning experience. The institute oversees the fire academy operations.

"It's incredibly significant that we start this in high school," said Janet Hartman, executive director of FPSI. "That dedicated classroom is going to help us create an academy environment, through this partnership, we are able to create a realistic environment."

Students enrolled in the class will graduate with 191 credit hours, fulfilling the Firefighter 1 course and will be able to go straight into the Firefighter 2 course at the with TCC's Fire Academy or become a certified volunteer firefighter.

Kermit Washington, director of the Fire Academy at TCC, said the program currently has 22 students enrolled and only offers a night class option. Students at Leon will get to complete the course during regular school hours, and train at the Tallahassee Fire Department's training facility on Municipal Way.

The program will also serve as a pipeline for students interested in seeking jobs with the Tallahassee Fire Department or other departments as professional firefighters.

"The development of talent in our community starts in the K-12 system," TCC President Jim Murdaugh said. "Firefighting is a wonderful career. It is a career that pays well, it's a stable career, it's a career that we need people to go into in our community to keep us safe."

According to the City of Tallahassee website, firefighters annual salaries range from $44,177.71 to $70,729.93 with an average of $56,510.46.

TFD Chief Gene Sanders said there is a great need for local students to be exposed to the career field, because there is a greater chance they will stay in town to join the fire force.

"Tallahassee Fire Department is always eagerly looking for students who are doing well in school," Sanders told the Tallahassee Democrat.

"When you look at recruiting locally, you're getting students who are growing up in this community and as you give them opportunities to gain employment with the fire department or any public safety agency, they're going to stay, because they have invested interest in this community. That's the significant benefit of this program."

Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ABrown1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: TCC, Leon High launch firefighter career pathway program