Austin unveiled a new fire station of sorts to the community Thursday night.

Riverland Community College held an open house to showcase the 3,500-square-foot new training center for the school’s new 60-credit Emergency Medical Service and Fire Training Program, and community members got to see what students will go through during the course.

“For all practical purposes, it’s a fire station,” said EMS and Fire Training Program Manager Brian Staska, who is running the program with his wife, Wanda.

The open house lured several dignitaries. Riverland President Dr. Adenuga Atewologun, Minnesota State Fire Marshal Bruce West, Austin Fire Chief Jim McCoy, the Gold Cross supervisor of Austin and Albert Lea Mike Juntunen, and the director of the Minnesota Fire Training Education Board, Steve Flaherty, took the stage.

West was impressed with the progress the program has made.

“You look at what Brian and Wanda did here and passion comes to mind,” West said during his speech. “Now they’ve got that opportunity for a tremendous amount of training in this facility.”

West went on to thank the Staskas toward the end of his speech.

“I take my hat off to both of you,” he said. “This is a job well done.”

McCoy was also excited for the new facility, as it will provide more training options for the Austin Fire Department.

“Thank you for giving Brian and Wanda such a large space we can utilize year round,” McCoy said.

One of the perks of the facility is that it can be utilized during the winter, where some of the other training centers cannot.

“We have a full-scale house indoors,” Wanda said.

The house includes a bathroom, two bedrooms, living room and kitchen, where students will learn how to help people out of many situations.

“Sometimes people fall in the bathtub, so they can actually practice getting people out of there,” Wanda said.

The college previously had a 16-credit fire degree, but the expanded 60-credit program is one of only a few full fire-fighting programs in the state.

Students will be able to practice helping someone out of a queen-size and twin-size beds, practice helping them through the house, and will practice rolling over carpet versus tile flooring, along with transitions to different rooms and around corners. Trainees will also learn how to operate a ladder and protect themselves.

Fire Instructor Terry Petersen was excited for the new facility.

“It gives us a lot more opportunity; it’s more realistic,” he said.

The house is fully furnished, and when trainees come in wearing their gear, they also have a shield over their eyes that simulates a smoke-filled or dark house. Brian explained students must work around chairs and counters to get to the victim. Many times, one student will move a chair, and the next student will then be blocked by that same chair.

“We let them make that mistake so they don’t do it in the future,” Brian said. “All this is what our firefighters have to go around when they come in here.”

Petersen said his students are excited for the upcoming training with the house, although it hasn’t been finished for them to utilize yet. Skill training is set to start in October.

“It gives them realistic props for fighting a house fire or doing a search and rescue in a house,” Petersen said. “It’ll be nice to see.”

Petersen also pointed out 14 trailers outside the expanded facility on Austin’s west campus in the old machine shop. The trailers are another key training spot, as they offer places where trainees can practice auto-extractions, along with a gear area to learn about equipment. Other trailers simulate a grain bin extraction and ventilating for fires.

“It’s really a super nice area,” Petersen said.

Although the facility is for the expanded fire program, Wanda said students will also take EMT training.

“A lot of times the fire and EMT go hand in hand; a lot of times the firefighters are first responders,” she said.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to perform professional firefighting skills, operate and maintain fire apparatus and fire equipment, execute hazardous materials response skills safely and perform rescue operations, all according to National Fire Protection Association standards. Students will also learn emergency management skills, as well as basic emergency medical technician skills, as identified by the Department of Transportation.

But the program isn’t only for new students. Students returning to further their education will be able to test out of introductory courses. Students can take hour-based classes, along with classes for credit.

The open house showcased the new facility, but it also showed the community how hard the students work for the safety of their communities.

“Just to recognize what the firefighters and EMTs do for their community,” Wanda said.

She added, “We hope that they realize the good resource that Riverland has, and what a great resource we are for their community, and a great education for those going into these careers, and for those already in those careers, and what we can do for them as far as their continuing education goes.”

Brian added, “This is just the beginning.”

For more information about the program, visit www.riverland.edu.