San Antonio College President Dr. Naydeen Gonzalez-De Jesus joined Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Dr. Mike Flores and dozens of other SAC and ACD officials, first responders and community stakeholders for a ribbon cutting ceremony at SAC’s First Responders Academy Dec. 8.
The new state-of-the-art facility in Atascosa is one of the largest first responder academies in Texas, and instructors there train future first responders to protect public safety and build strong communities.
The $20-million facility was funded by the Alamo Colleges District’s $450-million bond program, which Bexar County voters approved in 2017 to make infrastructure improvements throughout the Alamo Colleges District.
Chancellor Flores said the facility is the 20th project completed under the bond initiative, which allocated $83 million for improvements to SAC facilities.
The academy features a large, “tactical room” that allows realistic room-clearing and tactical training with non-lethal “Sim” rounds, and a 77,000-square-foot driver-training course, among other amenities.
Chief Frank Poyner, director of SAC’s Regional Fire Academy, said the new facility allows the college to increase course sizes substantially and train dozens more cadets each semester.
“Our goal is to build the best fire and law training facility that the state of Texas has to offer,” Poyner said.
