In Pflugerville, high school students are gaining early firefighting experience through a Fire Academy and EMT Program, boosting career readiness.
PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — The Pflugerville Independent School District’s Fire Academy and EMT Program is giving students a head start into one of Central Texas’ most vital professions. Offered in partnership with the Pflugerville Fire Department and Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2, the program trains high school juniors and seniors to become certified firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
Retired Temple, Texas, fire captain Michael Rhea – who now teaches the academy – said the program mirrors the structure and discipline of an actual fire station.
“This is not our classroom, this is our station,” Rhea said. “At the end of the day, they clean up, take out the trash, sweep the floors, just like firefighters would.”
Students enter the two-year program as juniors, taking classes like Firefighter I and Firefighter II along with courses on hazardous materials. In their senior year, they complete the EMT course and sit for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection exams, qualifying them as job-ready first responders by age 18.
Rhea said hands-on learning is a major focus. Students spend several Saturdays each year training at the Pflugerville Fire Department’s facility, where they conduct live burns and participate in hose drills and rescue exercises under supervision.
“We’ll do five or six drills a year, lighting fires, flowing water, running scenarios,” Rhea said. “By the time they graduate, they’ve experienced what it’s really like out there.”
Junior Sofia Torres said those training days have been pivotal for her.
“It’s really inspiring being on the drill field, seeing the environment firefighters work in,” Torres said. “This program sets you up for the future.”
When senior Thanh Bui signed up for the Fire Science Career Academy, he wasn’t sure what his future held. Now, he’s days away from earning his state firefighter and national EMT certifications before he even walks the stage at graduation.
“I definitely feel a lot more confident about my future because of this academy,” Bui said. “Even if college doesn’t work out, I can work as an EMT or for a fire department.”
The Fire Science Academy is one of several Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered across Pflugerville ISD. CTE Director Latasha Wilson-Walker said these pathways are designed to prepare students for meaningful futures, whether through college, the workforce or military service.
“Our commitment is to ensure that by 2029, every PfISD student is enrolled, employed or enlisted,” Wilson-Walker said. “Programs like the Fire Academy teach teamwork, discipline and life-saving skills that benefit the entire community.”
Rhea said the academy has already helped several students launch careers in nearby departments.
“We’ve had more success in the last few years than ever before,” he said. “It’s great for these kids, and it’s great for the fire service in general.”
For Bui, the lessons go beyond certification.
“The beautiful thing about high school is that you can explore,” he said. “I learned that firefighting isn’t just about breaking down doors. It’s also about thinking, problem solving and helping people. That’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”