PUBLIC SAFETY
As the largest provider of public safety training in the state of North Carolina, Rowan-Cabarrus is proud of the commitment the College has made to this important life-saving field.
In the last several years, the College has continued to enhance and expand its offerings, classes, and training facilities.
The public safety programs at Rowan-Cabarrus have always been popular, but investments in recent years have helped the programs continue to grow and serve the training needs of Rowan and Cabarrus counties. In 2014, the Fire & Emergency Services Training Facility was the first project to be completed in a series of Rowan County bond-funded construction projects. The facility serves an important role for training local public safety providers who protect citizens every day.
The completion of the Fire & Emergency Training Facility on North Campus was just the first in a long line of enhancements, including the development of a training facility at South Campus in Concord.
“We are excited about the prospects for training on this new property. The new equipment and the facility combined make a perfect pair for us to take our training to the next level,” said Chris Nesbitt, director of the College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) and chair of the Criminal Justice Technology program.
The purchase of a mobile driving simulator and the development of a new training tower are other examples of the College and community’s investment in the training. However, the most important investment is in the form of the award-winning leadership at the helm of these programs. The longstanding leader of the College’s Fire & Emergency Services training program, Roger McDaniel, was recognized by the prestigious North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs.
“We have the largest fire and rescue program in the state thanks to Roger McDaniel. He sees opportunity everywhere,” said Craig Lamb, vice president for corporate and continuing education. “For instance, over the last five years when the annual fire chiefs have come to Concord for their conference, Roger and his team put on 26 different courses over three days, enrolling 1,029 individuals.”
The training facility includes a 3,500-square-foot burn building, training pads for props, driver training services, flashover chamber, two rail props, fire extinguisher station, retention pond, mobile classroom and office, and extrication props.
The College is the also the local provider for those just starting out in the public safety field. These programs include rookie school for firefighters, Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) for new law enforcement professionals, and training for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
The College is recognized across the state for developing and offering cutting-edge continuing education training for those already firmly in their career in public service.
“We have been paying special attention to how we can grow and enhance our continuing education classes. We want to be sure that we are helping today’s law enforcement professionals deal with the ever-changing world that we live in,” said Lamb.
One way that the College recently did this was by hosting an innovative symposium, the first ever law enforcement symposium on victim and witness intellectual disability training. To date, there has been little to no training for officers on how to conduct interviews with individuals with intellectual disabilities and addressing an unfilled need for these vital skills prompted Rowan-Cabarrus to create something from scratch. Although these individuals are rarely the offenders, many times they are victims and witnesses.
“When there is a need within our community going unaddressed, the College feels we should step up and respond accordingly to meet that need and support the communities we serve,” said President Spalding. “We have designed a training session that will be beneficial and encourage greater public safety for all citizens within the Rowan-Cabarrus community.”
Finally, Rowan-Cabarrus is also well-known in the community for providing pathways for individuals to continue to grow in their career. For instance, the paramedic bridge program is designed to give currently certified paramedics a path toward a higher paying job with an Associate in Applied Science in Emergency Medical Science.
“It provides the student an opportunity to gain complex knowledge and competency in the field of Emergency Medical Science and also provides the student with specialized training in management to prepare the student for career advancement,” said Alan Thompson, chair of the program.