View source for Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service

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{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name     = Texas A&M Engineering <br />
Extension Service
|logo            = Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service logo.svg
|logo_width      = 
|logo_caption    = Official TEEX logo
|seal            =
|seal_width      =
|seal_caption    =
|formed          = 1919
|jurisdiction    = [[Texas|State of Texas]]
|headquarters    = [[College Station, Texas]]
|latd            =  
|latm            =  
|lats            =  
|latNS           = 
|longd           = 
|longm           = 
|longs           = 
|longEW          = 
|employees       = 
|budget          = [[United States dollar|$]]76.4 million (FY2013)
|chief1_name     = David Coatney
|chief1_position = Director
|chief2_name     = Alphonse Davis
|chief2_position = Deputy Director
|agency_type     = [[extension agency]]
|keydocument1    = 
|website         = [http://www.teex.org www.teex.org]
|map             = 
|map_width       = 
|map_caption     = 
}}
{{commons category|Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service}}
'''Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service''' ('''TEEX''', pronounced "teeks") is a state [[extension agency]] that offers training programs and technical assistance to [[public safety]] workers, both in Texas and around the world. Established in 1940 as the Industrial Extension Service, the agency took on its current name when it joined The [[Texas A&M University System]]  in 1948. The agency sponsors the state's primary urban [[search and rescue]] force, [[Urban Search and Rescue Texas Task Force 1]], and operates the Brayton Fire Training Field. Brayton is the largest firefighting training facility in the United States, and also contains a mock city for conducting training operations for emergency responders.

==History==
The first step toward the formation of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service was the passing of the [[Morill Act|Morrill Land-Grant College Act]] in 1862, which led to the founding of several land-grant colleges, including the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1871, which later became known as [[Texas A&M University]].<ref name="75YearsofCE">{{cite book |title=Taking the University to the People: Seventy-five Years of Cooperative Extension |url=https://archive.org/details/takinguniversity00rasm |url-access=registration |last=Rasmussen |first=Wayne  |year=1989 |publisher=Iowa State University Press |location=Ames, Iowa |isbn=1-55753-267-2 |oclc=18835646 }}</ref><ref name="TAMUHandbook">{{cite HOT |title=Texas A&M University |id=kct08 |date=December 2, 2015 |first=Henry C. |last=Dethloff}}</ref> Despite its name, the college taught no agricultural classes, leading to protests by farmer groups and to much of the college's leadership being replaced. Other land-grant colleges around the country were also struggling, as farmers felt they had little incentive to adopt [[intensive farming]] methods and other advanced agricultural technologies. In response to the growing criticisms and lack of agricultural research being conducted,  Congress passed the [[Hatch Act of 1887|Hatch Experiment Station Act of 1887]], which provided funding for agricultural experiment stations in each state.<ref name="75YearsofCE" />  This led to the founding of the [[Texas AgriLife Research|Texas Agricultural Experiment Station]] in 1887, tasked with conducting research in all aspects of crop and livestock operations.<ref name="HistoricBrazos">{{cite book |title=Historic Brazos County: An Illustrated History |last1=Borden |first1=Robert |year=2005 |others=Commissioned by the [[Brazos Heritage Society]] |publisher=Historical Publishing Network |location=[[San Antonio, Texas]] |isbn=1-893619-41-9 |oclc=173165657 |chapter=Sharing the Heritage |page=92}}</ref> While considered a big step toward improving farming, the stations struggled to effectively communicate their findings to farmers.<ref name="75YearsofCE" /> In 1903, [[Seaman Asahel Knapp]] (1831–1911), a [[US Department of Agriculture]] agent, created a demonstration farm, where he could show other farmers how new farming techniques and production methods could benefit them.<ref name="HistoricBrazos" /> His success got Congress' notice and led to the passing of the [[Smith-Lever Act]] on May 8, 1914, which gave states the ability to establish official extension agencies affiliated with their land-grant universities. The Act helped to "extend" the research findings of the colleges and Experiment Stations in practical ways that helped the citizens in every county.<ref name="ExtensionHandbook">{{cite HOT |title=Texas Agricultural Extension Service |id=amtpw |date=September 4, 2013 |first=Irvin M. Jr. |last=May}}</ref>  Texas quickly took advantage of this new act and formed the [[Texas Agricultural Extension Service]] in the same year, associating it with the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas (Texas AMC).<ref name="HistoricBrazos" />

Three years later, Congress passed the [[Smith-Hughes Act]] for establishing public vocational technical training.<ref name="TEEX History">{{cite web |url=http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=teex&templateid=1216 |title=TEEX History |publisher=Texas Engineering Extension Service |access-date=November 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125195937/http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=teex&templateid=1216 |archive-date=January 25, 2010 }}</ref> Texas AMC began offering a limited industrial teacher training service. In 1919, the school began offering the Trade and Industrial Teacher Training Service. Supervised by the school's Agricultural Education department, the program was designed to train industry professionals to teach trade and industrial courses at Texas public schools.<ref name="TEEX History" /><ref name="Handbook">{{cite HOT |id=kct21 |title=Texas Engineering Extension Service |first=Karen |last=Riedel |date=June 15, 2010}}</ref> The School of Vocational Training took over the program in 1924, with the offerings split into three departments: Rural Education, Agricultural Education, and Industrial Education.<ref name="TEEX History" /><ref name="Handbook" /> The Industrial Education department offered training conferences for oil field foremen, covering topics related to job planning and work supervision. The legislature and the State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association established a firefighter training school at the school in 1929.<ref name="TEEX History" /> With the closing of the Vocational Training school in 1935, the Industrial Education department moved to the Engineering school.<ref name="TEEX History" /><ref name="Handbook" />

The Industrial Extension Service was founded in August 1940 and began offering training programs to water and sewage plant operators, custodial workers, [[police officer]]s, [[firefighter]]s, [[emergency medical technician]]s, and [[automobile mechanic]]s. The firefighter school was merged into the agency in 1947.<ref name="TEEX History" /><ref name="Handbook" /> In July 1948, Texas A.& M. College formed The [[Texas A&M University System]], incorporating seven related agencies, including the Industrial Extension Service which was renamed to the Texas Engineering Extension Service.<ref name="TEEX History" /><ref name="OverviewFAQ">{{cite web |url=http://www.tamus.edu/overview/faq.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090623061041/http://www.tamus.edu/overview/faq.html |archive-date=2009-06-23 |title=Agency Overview FAQ |publisher=[[Texas A&M University System]] |access-date=November 10, 2009 }}</ref> The agency was charged with "providing occupational and technical training services on an extension basis to the citizens of Texas".<ref name="TEEX History" />

==Organization model==
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service operates as part of The [[Texas A&M University System]] and is overseen by the university's board of regents.<ref name="Handbook" /> The agency is composed of six divisions: Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI), Infrastructure Training & Safety Institute (ITSI), National Emergency Response & Rescue Training Center (NERRTC), OSHA Training Institute Southwest Education Center, Law Enforcement & Security Training (LAW), and Knowledge Engineering (KE).<ref name="Leadership Team" />  It maintains an office in Galveston, and has training facilities in [[Abilene, Texas|Abilene]], [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], [[Houston]], and [[San Antonio]].<ref name="Handbook" />

In 1993, the agency had an annual operating budget of  [[United States dollar|$]]38 million and conducted some 5,700 training classes attended by 120,000 students.<ref name="Handbook" /> By 2013, its budget had grown to $76.4 million, and had reached some 183,750 students through over 2.84 million contact hours.<ref name="TAMUS">{{cite web |url=http://www.tamus.edu/agencies/teex.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104000000/http://www.tamus.edu/agencies/teex.html |archive-date=2009-11-04 |title=Texas Engineering Extension Service |publisher=[[Texas A&M University System]] |access-date=November 10, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Fact Sheet">{{cite web |url=http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=teex&templateid=1156 |title=TEEX Fact Sheet |publisher=Texas Engineering Extension Service |access-date=November 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125195935/http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=teex&templateid=1156 |archive-date=January 25, 2010 }}</ref> The agency's current director is Gary F. Sera, who became the director in December 2007 after serving as the agency's interim director for nine months.<ref name="Leadership Team">{{cite web |url=http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=teex&templateid=1217 |title=TEEX Leadership Team |publisher=Texas Engineering Extension Service |access-date=November 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125195930/http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=teex&templateid=1217 |archive-date=January 25, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://teexweb.tamu.edu/TEEX/documents/GarySeraBioPage.pdf |title=Gary Sera, Agency Director |publisher=Texas Engineering Extension Service |format=PDF |access-date=November 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125221217/http://teexweb.tamu.edu/TEEX/documents/GarySeraBioPage.pdf |archive-date=January 25, 2010 }}</ref> Serving under the director are the deputy director, two associate agency directors, and six division heads.<ref name="Leadership Team" />

==Brayton Fire Training Field==
Brayton Fire Training Field is a {{convert|297|acre|km2 sqmi|sp=us|adj=on}} live-fueled firefighter training facility located adjacent to [[Easterwood Airport]].<ref name="BFTF" /><ref name="Fire World" /> The largest in the United States, the facility has 132 training stations and 22 fueled live-fire props, including full-scale buildings, tanks, and a ship, that enable trainees to experience lifelike simulations.<ref name="BFTF" /><ref name="Fire World">{{cite journal |url=http://www.fireworld.com/ifw_articles/henrysmith.php |title=ESTI Breaks Ground on New Complex |journal=Industrial Fire World |volume=21 |issue=2 |year=2006 |access-date=November 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130232455/http://www.fireworld.com/ifw_articles/henrysmith.php |archive-date=November 30, 2009 }}</ref> More than 4,000 firefighters and emergency workers visit the facility in the summer for its annual Texas Fire Training Schools.<ref name="BFTF">{{cite web |url=http://www.teex.com/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=TT&templateid=1160 |title=Brayton Fire Training Field |publisher=Texas Engineering Extension Service |access-date=November 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716202434/http://www.teex.com/teex.cfm?pageid=agency&area=TT&templateid=1160 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref>

Adjacent to Brayton's southern border is "Disaster City", a {{convert|52|acre|km2 sqmi|sp=us|adj=on}} mock city that serves as a training facility for [[emergency responder]]s.<ref name="Disaster City">{{cite web |url=http://www.teex.com/teex.cfm?pageid=USARprog&area=USAR&templateid=1117 |title=Disaster City |publisher=Texas Engineering Extension Service |access-date=November 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125221556/http://www.teex.com/teex.cfm?pageid=USARprog&area=USAR&templateid=1117 |archive-date=January 25, 2010 }}</ref> Costing $7.7 million to construct, the city was built in 1998 in direct response to the [[Oklahoma City Bombing]] which then director [[G. Kemble Bennett]] felt highlighted the need for "a world-class facility to train responders in near-lifelike conditions."<ref name="GovTech">{{cite web|url=http://www.govtech.com/gt/print_article.php?id=99424 |title=When Disaster Strikes |first=Chad |last=Vander Veen |publisher=Govtech |date=May 5, 2006 |access-date=November 15, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The city acts as the main training location for [[Texas Task Force 1]], and features collapsible structures that are designed to simulate various kinds of disasters and wreckage.<ref name="TTF1">{{cite web |url=http://usar.tamu.edu/main.cfm?section=fac&pageId=94 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040105033910/http://usar.tamu.edu/main.cfm?section=fac&pageId=94 |archive-date=2004-01-05 |title=Facilities |publisher=[[Texas Task Force 1]] |access-date=November 15, 2009 }}</ref> It also provides complex interactive disaster scenarios for state and federal urban search and rescue teams, U.S. military [[CERFP]] and WMD-[[Civil Support Team]] teams, Department of Health and Human Services [[Disaster Medical Assistance Team]] (DMAT) and NVRT teams, and other specialized international search and rescue teams.<ref name="IHT">{{cite news |title=Robots put through their paces in Disaster City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/25/technology/25iht-robot.3.6321335.html |work=[[The New York Times]] | first= Ralph |last=Blumenthal |date=June 25, 2007 |access-date=November 15, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Offcier">{{cite web |url=http://www.officer.com/print/Law-Enforcement-Technology/Preparing-for-disaster/1$40206 |title=Preparing for disaster |work=Officer.com Magazine |first=Staci |last=Semrad |date=January 2008 |access-date=November 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308003917/http://www.officer.com/print/Law-Enforcement-Technology/Preparing-for-disaster/1$40206 |archive-date=March 8, 2008 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://www.teex.org}}
* {{cite HOT |id=kct21 |first=Karen |last=Riedel |title=Texas Engineering Extension Service |date=June 15, 2010}}
* [http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-61552.html The Disneyland of Disaster] - slideshow by ''[[Der Spiegel]]''

{{Texas A&M University System}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Texas AandM Engineering Extension Service}}
[[Category:Texas A&M University System]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1919]]
[[Category:State agencies of Texas|Engineering Extension Service, Texas]]
[[Category:1919 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Firefighting academies]]