Altus Air Force Base Fire and Emergency Services has been selected as the 2023 SWTC Partner in Progress award winner with Southwest Technology Center. The Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education (OkACTE) Partners in Progress award recognizes businesses and industries that have made outstanding contributions to the improvement, promotion, development and progress of career and technology centers in Oklahoma.
Altus Air Force Base Fire and Emergency Department and Southwest Technology Center entered into a cooperative relationship in 2017 due to a need by the department for additional emergency medical technician (EMT) training. During the last five years, the training has grown to include the Emergency Responder. To date four classes of emergency Medical Technician training has resulted in the certification of 25 students since 2017. Emergency Medical Responder training began in 2021 and since then four classes resulting in 24 students have been trained and nationally certified.
Altus Air Force Base Fire and Rescue is the sole provider of emergency medical care to the instillation that serves over 8,000 personnel. Other services from the Fire Department are; aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), structural firefighting, emergency medical services, hazmat response, technical rescue, explosive ordinance disposal, fire prevention and inspection for Altus AFB is provided by the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron / Altus AFB Fire and Emergency Services, a subordinate unit of the 97th Mission Support Group comprised of a mix of civilian and military firefighters. Additionally, the Altus AFB Fire and Emergency Services also provides mutual aid to 11 neighboring agencies.
Chief Philip Fourroux stated, “ The EMT and EMR certification and training from Southwest Technology Center allows Altus AFB Fire and Emergency Services the ability to provide higher level of medical care to 8K personnel on the instillation. AAFB Fire Department is the primary medical responder on the instillation for all non-clinical medical emergencies.”
“Altus Air Force Base Fire and Emergency Services works diligently and consistently with the Southwest Technology Center Business Development Center,” said Kerry Evans, Business Development Center Director. He went on to say, “We are honored to have them as our Partner in Progress award winner.”