BIG SANDY, Texas — A unique group of men is getting hands-on training to become the next generation of first responders and leaders at ALERT Academy in Big Sandy.
Founded in 1994 by Ron Fuhrman, the academy was created for training and disciplining young men and preparing them to lead in their families, churches, and communities.
Since then, it's helped to prepare thousands of young men looking to use their skills in acts of service.
"I love the mission of investing into young men's lives and then helping young men go out and use their skills for lives of service," said director of the Alert Academy, Jesse Boulden. We train our guys to be EMTs, Special Response divers, and rescue technicians."
The academy also provides search and rescue training for cadets looking to serve in save and rescue missions.
"We trained in search and rescue, underwater search and recovery. So kind of helping guys get a bunch of skills in their toolbox so when they graduate, they'll be able to step into the workforce," Boulden said.
On July 3, the cadets' skills were put to the test by the Kilgore Police Department when they asked them to assist in locating a missing man in Kilgore.
"We quickly realized that we didn't have the resources to carry this out on our own, so we've reached out to them," said assistant police chief at Kilgore Police Department, Johnathan Gage. "We were able to get 22 of them here and we had, you know, just a limited number of people on duty. Just the manpower enabled us to search a greater area more quickly, which resulted in us locating the guy."
The academy also serves as an aid to local law enforcement agencies.
"What we're trying to do here is be a local aid to the local law enforcement and fire departments in the area, to be able to deploy and help support them in their missions," Boulden said.
Those missions can sometimes take a toll on young cadets. To help combat the stress, the academy offers discipleship classes to train these men to rely on their faith during acts of service.
"We're a faith-based organization," Boulden said. "Christ has served us; let us go out and serve other people. As young men come into maturity, we think life's all about us and we want to help young men lift their heads up and realize no life is something bigger. We're helping these guys realize that life's not about them, that they're made for life of service."
The academy offers nine months of training to men 17 years and older in three phases: basic, intermediate and advanced.
Click here to learn more about the program and the prerequisites to join.