CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Corpus Christi Fire Department is opening its doors to prospective applicants with three in-person recruitment open houses planned before the end of the year.
The events are part of the department’s effort to attract candidates for its upcoming 49th Fire Academy.
The first open house was held Saturday at Fire Station 3, the city’s newest and largest fire station located at 1525 Morgan Street.
Assistant Fire Chief Billy Belyeu, who oversees training, said the goal is to give interested applicants an inside look at the department and the expectations of academy training.
“We’re hosting an open house over here at our brand new beautiful station,” Belyeu said. “This is one of the busiest stations in the country.”
He said the event allows visitors to meet firefighters, tour the station, and see equipment up close.
“We’re trying to offer them as much information as we can,” Belyeu said. He said the hiring process takes about a year, and the academy itself lasts 18 months.
“It’s a highly competitive process,” Belyeu said. “But it’s a great job, it’s the best job, I believe, in the world."
Corpus Christi resident Zachary Cantu attended Saturday’s open house to explore the possibility of joining the department.
“The passion they have to help the community, every day is something different,” Cantu said. “They’re always doing something different, and I like that.”
Cantu, who currently works in security on a military base, said he’s drawn to the opportunity to serve the public.
“I love people,” he said. “I care about people, and I think this (firefighting) is a great way to do that.”
The fire department will host two additional open houses next month at Station 14 and Station 18. Both events will offer the same opportunity to meet firefighters and learn about the application process.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
