Since the early 1900s, the A&M University Campus in Texas USA has been providing emergency response training and in 1948, the Industrial Extension Service joined with the A&M University System and formed the Texas Engineering Extension Service, now known as the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. By placing safety and well-being above all and by focusing on prevention and response, TEEX has become a comprehensive training provider for nearly 75 years.
The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), as it is now known, is an internationally recognized leader in broad-based technical training and professional services such as search and rescue, hazmat, EMS, aircraft rescue, firefighting and emergency management. As a vital member of the Texas A&M University System, whether throughout Texas or across the globe, TEEX can be counted on for excellent training and technical expertise of its nearly 1,000 employees, many of whom are top experts in their respective fields. Leveraging our employee expertise and the cadre of subject matter experts, TEEX operates the world’s most comprehensive emergency operations training complex, which is located in College Station, Texas. This world-famous complex includes the Brayton Fire Training Field, the world’s largest live-fuelled firefighter training facility; the Emergency Operations Training Center, a state-of-the-art simulation and computer-based technologies incident management training facility; and Disaster City, a mock community simulating various levels of disaster and wreckage. Additionally, ESTI operates another facility in Galveston which hosts a magnitude of marine classes. All our classes can be found by visiting the TEEX website, www.teex.com/esti
TEEX trains over 200,000 emergency responders representing all 50 American states, the District of Colombia, five US territories and more than 105 countries worldwide each year, ranging from the Middle East, Asia, Latin America to Europe. Of these numbers, in 2019, the ESTI division alone trained 120,000 responders from over 65 countries.
ESTI operates over 15 unique accredited training facilities worldwide known as Cooperative Learning Centers (CLCs), which are owned and operated by respected and highly professional companies in their own country. These companies can, following a lengthy and vigorous inspection process, offer TEEX approved and accredited classes. These CLCs provide a safe, professional and enjoyable training experience to those firefighters who would not normally be able to attend TEEX (ESTI) training at College Station due to many reasons, such as travel restrictions and associated costs for example. In the Asia Pacific region we have presently three CLCs, one in Malaysia named Bintulu Emergency Safety & Training Sdn Bhd (BEST), one in Indonesia named Samson Tiara (ST) and the third in New Zealand called the University of Applied Research & Development Ltd (UARD). These companies produce outstanding training for our responders, which is continually monitored by TEEX/ESTI to make sure what is received is of the highest calibre.
Samson Tiara (ST)
Samson Tiara has over 25 years’ experience in the Indonesian market and offers a range of internationally accredited training programmes for workers in hazardous industries. Their flagship training centre just outside of Jakarta is equipped with an extensive fireground, which includes a three-story compartmental fire simulator, a three-story smokehouse and ship accommodations mock-up, tank fire, helideck, leaking flange and Xmas tree props, amongst others. Additionally, they have a dedicated high-angle rescue tower, confined-space module, SCBA technical lab and Major Emergency Management (MEM) suite on site, from which they offer basic through advanced firefighting and emergency response team training, confined-space entry, confined-space rescue, incident management team and onshore incident commander training. All their instructors are bilingual, allowing the delivery of training in both English and Indonesian, and all hold A1/V1 assessors certification. Jim Truesdell, an Internationally recognized specialist in major oil-well fire responses (such as Kuwait in 1991) and provider of technical assistance to all Oil & Gas producing organizations, is the President Director of ST and can be contacted on jpt@survival-systems.com.
University of Applied Science & Development (UARD)
The University of Applied Research & Development is a different kind of CLC which utilizes many institutions such as Samson Tiara to offer the ‘hands on’ training element, which is part of many degree programmes they offer. Their statement is reflective of what this university is all about: ‘To gain the skills to be an outstanding educator and leader in a range of institutional settings and contribute to the development of your profession.’ Dr Craig Hansen, the President of UARD can be contacted on craig@uard.ac.nz.
Bintulu Emergency & Safety Training (BEST)
Bintulu Emergency & Safety Training situated in Sarawak, Malaysia offers many emergency response training courses to both Industrial and private/municipal response personnel. They have been a CLC with TEEX/ESTI for several years offering hazmat, medical, fire warden, rope high-angle rescue, confined space, command & control and industrial firefighting, for example. BEST is a highly reputable training organization, training many global Oil & Gas organizations such as Shell and Petronas. Like Samson Tiara, BEST instructors are bilingual in English, Mandarin and Malay. The CEO of the company, Malik Arshad can be contacted on: malikarshad@best-ert.com.
TEEX /ESTI also provide innovative, customized training programmes not only for our CLCs but also many clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies, governmental agencies, city fire brigades, industrial response teams from chemical and petroleum companies, and volunteer/part-time fire brigades. which focus on their own in-country requirements and standards. They also provide a professional Technical Assistance programme for our overseas clientele ranging from curriculum development to assisting in training centre design and operation.
One issue that we have all been facing is this dreadful pandemic, which has altered the training schedules and delivery methods which we all adopted. This was expected as serving the public with Emergency Response has its own unique challenges (notwithstanding the obvious quarantine periods that we all abide by should the unthinkable happen, together with lost downtime), but training is essential in maintaining our ability to provide the expertise that is paramount to delivering a successful outcome to any incident attended. So, how do we undertake training whilst still maintaining a safe environment for the responders, their families and the public alike. One way TEEX and many of our CLCs have developed is online classes, both live instructor-led and recorded.
Following an initial enquiry from a prospective CLC, we undertake many checks and balances to assure ourselves that they may possibly be a good fit for our network. Once we are ready to proceed onto the next step, we make contact again with the company concerned, produce an applicable proposal for their perusal and if all accepted, move to inspect the facility and equipment, their instructor cadre, their curriculum and safety records by at minimum two TEEX/ESTI employees at a mutually convenient date. We also undertake live fire inspections of any prop that can support this type of training along with sufficient water supplies and delivery methods. A full detailed document of our inspection is produced and if all found to be positive, then that company will be awarded as one of our prestigious CLCs. As we are extremely vigilant in protecting our brand name and the professional standard of training that is produced by our CLCs in a safe environment, not all companies that apply to become an International CLC for ESTI are approved following an initial site inspection. With that said, many fail on safety items within the facility, or records kept, for example, which can be rectified quickly and normally at either a minimal or zero cost. Any safety items found upon the inspection when documented by us to the companies concerned are normally put right whilst we are on site, and if these cannot be rectified due to many reasons, then we give the company a timeline to have the works satisfactorily completed and documented to us by either photographs or video. Most of these CLCs operate differing programmes ranging from fire, to rescue, hazmat, leadership and some marine, for example, to suit their own country’s needs, which we assist with as requested by either sending our own instructors or working hand in hand with their own.
You will find a TEEX/ESTI CLC around most parts of the globe, and we are expanding annually, bringing new centres to countries such as Germany, Spain, Hungary, Qatar, Taiwan and Dominican Republic soon, a full list of our current CLCs can be found on our International Programme web page.
Pictures, videos and feedback on our classes can be found on many social media sites or by visiting our website at www.teex.com/esti
If you require any further information on our International CLCs or TEEX courses, please contact Brian on brian.freeman@teex.tamu.edu or Ulises Penalver at ulises.penalver@teex.tamu.edu
For more information, go to http://www.teex.com/esti
About the Author
Brian Freeman joined TEEX/ESTI in 2010 and was formerly a London Fire Brigade (LFB) Officer in the UK for 30 years specializing in Search & Rescue and Special Operations. He attended many serious incidents throughout his career and was a team leader of the LFB elite 12-man operational and training Urban Search & Rescue Unit.
