With over half the year gone, eight Tarkington High School students are well on their way to becoming certified firefighters, having already completed over 120 hours of training in subjects ranging from building construction to fire behavior to rescue and extrication operations.

Students have donned self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), the “air-packs” that firefighters wear when fighting structure and vehicle fires, and went through a maze to simulate searching for victims inside a house and extinguished simulated fires with portable extinguishers.

In the coming months, they will learn the basics of forcible entry, ladders, and ventilation.

The two-year course follows training guidelines set by the State Fireman’s and Fire Marshal’s Association of Texas, allowing them to complete the vast majority of the requisite training.

For the more dangerous hands-on live fire, vehicle extrication, and rescue training, students will have to join a local fire department to complete that portion.

However, students will be able to complete roughly 450 to 500 of the required 545 hours needed for SFFMA Advanced certification through the class offered at THS.

The class is taught by THS teacher Dalton Lee Gregory, who doubles as the Assistant Chief and Certification Coordinator for the Tarkington Volunteer Fire Department.

This is the first year for the class after receiving Texas Education Agency innovative course approval in June 2007.