Northwest Florida State College receives public safety accolades

The Public Safety Training Center at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville has been recognized for excellence across three of its programs: Law Enforcement and Corrections, Fire and Safety, and the Emergency Medical Technician program.

NICEVILLE, Fla — The Public Safety Training Center at Northwest Florida State College has recently been recognized for excellence across three of its programs.

Law Enforcement and Corrections received the recognition of “perfect” following a Florida Department of Law Enforcement audit. This was the first time in five years that the law enforcement program received this esteemed accolade. The program’s yearly audits review student admission, training and certification paperwork.

NWFSC students in the Fire and Safety Program achieved a 100% pass rate on the State Fire Practical Exam and a 100% pass rate on the State Fire Written Exam.  This outstanding achievement was attributed to increased availability of equipment, reduction of downtime and higher academic standards.

The most recent NWFSC Emergency Medical Technician class improved its passing rate to 81%, placing NWFSC above the state average of 77%.

“The leadership in the Public Safety Training Center has truly moved the department ahead and ensured that our students receive a ‘top flight’ educational experience,” said Dr. Devin Stephenson, NWFSC president. “Dedication to continuous improvement will ensure the program remains among the best in Florida and in the nation.”

Those credited for the prestigious audit recognition and passing rates for the 2019-2020 academic year at NWFSC are: Jeffrey McGill, Belinda Wise, Mike Traylor, Bill Jerard, Steve Hough, Jon Burdeshaw, Carl Hohenstein, Chris Brown, Gregory Lloyd, Don Pendergraft, Tim Rebholz, Megan Nelson and multiple adjunct instructors who dedicated time and effort to updating training methods and increasing standards.