COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) has expanded its outreach efforts throughout Texas with funding provided by the 88th Texas Legislature to offer training assistance in what officials said are three disciplines essential to communities: Fire and Emergency services, Law Enforcement and Protective Services, and Critical Infrastructure/Water and Wastewater Management and Recovery.

According to officials, the TEEX Extension Program is a program that provides state-funded classroom and hands-on training and on-site technical assistance to local agencies throughout the state. Officials noted the program is part of the Texas A&M University System’s “Keeping Texas Prepared” initiative to ensure agencies and teams from the A&M System are equipped to prepare for and respond to statewide emergencies.

“The goal of the program is to prepare our public servants to be proactive in serving Texas communities and in responding to emergency situations,” said David Coatney, TEEX agency director. “The desired result is to prepare our state for disasters by providing training and technical assistance to achieve the community resilience needed to withstand and recover from emergencies.”

Officials with TEEX stated instructors provide training courses for departments and communities that meet or exceed certification and continuing education requirements, and technical experts provide in-depth, on-site assistance to solve local problems and issues through planning, assessments, troubleshooting, repair, and recovery.

Officials also stated the extension program services are provided through six regions that cover the entire state and the TEEX regional managers and coordinators live in the regions they serve.

“Our robust regional network of coordinators and directors are our ‘boots on the ground’ to assess and respond to a department’s needs in fire and emergency services, law enforcement and critical community infrastructure,” said Tony Crites, TEEX deputy agency director and chief operating officer. “Our experts can provide on-site assistance and training in these areas and connect to other TEEX services as well. No job is too big or too small for us to tackle.”

Those who want to learn more about services offered and the TEEX region where a certain county is located are encouraged to visit the TEEX website.