HARRISBURG, Pa. – A group of firefighters from Taiwan wrapped up their 10-day specialized training on May 18, 2017, at the Senator John J. Shumaker Public Safety Center (PSC) on the Harrisburg Campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College.
 
The nine men and one woman were trained by HACC’s fire instructors on such skills as:
 
     a. Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) orientation/skill stations
     b. Firefighter survival (lecture and skill stations)
     c. Rapid intervention team operations
     d. Special vehicle rescue/large vehicle rescue
 
They also toured area volunteer and career fire departments to learn about the different apparatus and departments within Central Pennsylvania. In addition, members of the group plan to attend the Fire Expo at the Farm Show Complex & Expo Center on May 19 before returning to Taiwan.
 
On May 17, HACC President John J. “Ski” Sygielski, Ed.D., visited the trainees and watched as they drilled on rapid intervention team operations at the burn building on the PSC grounds. He was joined by Kenneth Shur, interim vice president of HACC’s Harrisburg Campus; Vic Rodgers, associate provost, Workforce Development; and Bob Stakem, PSC director.
 
These firefighters will take the lessons learned back to their individual departments to share what our region identifies as best practices in firefighting within the above programs.
 
This partnership allows HACC instructors and area fire departments to share common practices for firefighting and rescue in Central Pennsylvania. It is a unique opportunity for instructors and area departments to interact with an international cohort of firefighting professionals.
 
HACC was contacted by the group through a search of training locations in Pennsylvania. Additionally, Eric Richenbach, a HACC adjunct, has taught programs internationally, including programs in Taiwan, through another training organization.
 
The College does not regularly train international groups; however, this is not the first international contingent that has come to the PSC to train. In the past, HACC has partnered with organizations in the United Arab Emirates to provide emergency medical services (EMS) training.
 
Editor’s note: For photos, please visit https://flic.kr/s/aHskV2qtEQ on HACC’s Flickr account.
For further information, please contact: newsroom@hacc.edu.
 
About HACC
 
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the first and largest of Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges. HACC offers over 120 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately 19,000 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.