Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Thursday, December 03, 2009

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Students at Eastside Tech check out protective gear and equipment used by Lexington firefighters.

When the hazmat truck pulled up outside Eastside Technical Center this week, there was no emergency. It was simply the latest opportunity for hands-on career exploration by students in Travis Manley’s homeland security class.

Through a partnership with the county’s Division of Fire and Emergency Services, students discover what’s required in an emergency through realistic drills such as aiding passengers after a plane crash.

“They actually get to do it and see how tough it is,” said Manley, a former University of Kentucky police officer who launched the homeland security class three years ago.

During the fall semester, the fire department sends a crew to Eastside once a week to share various components of their job, including handling hazardous materials, operating ladder trucks and extricating accident victims.

Other times, Manley takes his students to visit sites like the fire training center here in Lexington, the police academy in Richmond and the crime lab in Frankfort. The class also covers emergency management, corrections and intelligence.

“There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the nation,” according to Manley.

For area teenagers, the course offers a chance to sample different career paths. Some, however, come into it already knowing their direction.

“Growing up, I took a shine to police officers,” said Todd Parsons, a senior at Lafayette High.

Though hazmat training wasn’t foremost for him, Todd said the all-around experience gives students a good overview of how law enforcement professionals are all part of the same team – especially police officers and firefighters.

“This class really helps you understand both sides and see it from both perspectives,” he said.

Classmate Tyler Love, who wants to be a firefighter, also likes seeing firsthand what the job entails.

“It helps me determine if I’m up to the challenge,” said Tyler, a senior at Tates Creek High School, who said the importance of saving lives and protecting the community played into his career choice.

For Lexington firefighters, the mentoring program allows them to interact with young adults like Tyler who are interested in public service and gives them a preview of potential recruits.

“We don’t have an opportunity to go into each high school. It’s a good opportunity to expose them to this segment of the job market,” said Maj. Brian Wainscott, who led the Dec. 1 hazmat demonstration, in which students donned protective suits and checked out the special equipment on the HM1 truck.

Manley’s homeland security program also partners with the UK Police Department, the Kentucky State Police and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The Lexington Division of Police will soon join in, too.

“The No. 1 goal is to give them the experience and background before they head off to college or the military,” Manley said. “They’ll know this is what they really want to do, and not waste four years obtaining a degree in an area they really don’t want to pursue.”