Marion Military Institute (MMI) held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for a new fire training burn tower and a tire training pumper engine as part of its First Responder Program.
The tower was funded through the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Workforce Development Grant while the engine was funded through the Delta Regional Authority’s (DRA) Workforce Development Program Grant.
MMI executive staff thanked MMI partners and supporters, representing ACCS, DRA, the Alabama Fire College, Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama, and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), along with MMI Trustees, state Senator Robert Stewart and Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton.
“Our Fire & EMS program would not be where it is today without the firm and steadfast support of the Alabama Fire College along with financial support provided by the Alabama Community College System and our own MMI Foundation," said MMI Senior Vice President COL Ed Passmore. "These organizations saw the value of what we planned to accomplish and invested time and resources over the last ten years to make it a reality.”
During the event it was noted that MMI’s First Responder Program has seen almost 150 cadets participate, with a number of them achieving FF1 and EMT basic and advanced certifications.
Some of the graduating MMI students have since become professional firefighters.
"The burn tower serves as a controlled environment for realistic instruction in fire suppression, search and rescue, emergency response and other lifesaving skills," said a press release from MMI.
"The fire engine provides cadets with hands-on experience in pump operations, hose deployment, water supply, apparatus management, and emergency response procedures. Also on display during the ribbon-cutting were MMI’s new rescue truck and two rescue boats."
The press release also noted that the MMI First Responder Program includes the Fall 2026 addition of Associate of Applied Science degrees in Fire Science & Criminal Justice and that architectural plans for a future model fire house designed by Barrett Kent Studio were unveiled.
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