New Program Puts More Firefighters on the Corpus Christi Streets

The Corpus Christi Fire Department has adopted a new cost-effective hiring program that’s putting more firefighters on the streets. For the first time ever the Corpus Christi Fire Department is recruiting firefighters who are already trained paramedics.

he process, called the alternative hiring program, started in August when 22 new firefighters were hired. Five of them were recruited through alternative hiring. Normally, those interested in firefighting as a career go through a whole year of training, but with the new alternative hiring program, those who are already trained paramedics take only a month of training.

CFD says this change could cause some competition between incoming cadets.

“And maybe getting some firefighters or some people that are interested in firefighting to go to class and get certified so they can come in and hit the streets running real soon.” said CCFD Assistant Fire Chief Rick Trevino.

This year, the city expects to save nearly one million dollars it would’ve spent training cadets. CCFD says just this year the fire acadamy at Del Mar College has seen a 78% increase in enrollment for the fire academy and a 76% increase in enrollment for the paramedic academy because of the program.

As the program picks up, the city expects recruitment to increase, making more firefighters available for Corpus Christi citizens.

“Hopefully in four weeks we can get them oriented to our policies and procedures and the way we do things here, and we’re ready to release them out to the trucks.” said Trevino.

The department says this new program doesn’t mean it won’t still encourage those who haven’t gone through the academy to apply, but cadets without certification will likely be at a disadvantage when the alternative program picks up.
By Crystal Jenkins at KRIS News, Corpus Christi