This year in the fall Rio Hondo and South El Monte High School have joined forces to promote different careers in the public safety department through a dual enrollment program at South El Monte High School. Juniors and seniors were encouraged to enroll if they were interested in the public safety sector. 

The class is called FTEC 121 EMERGENCY RESPONSE. It is taught by Rio Hondo’s very own Tracy Rickman and a team of 6 other instructors including firefighters, paramedics, etc. They provided a lot of hands-on training and drills that the students were able to participate in. All 32 students have now become certified in CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator). Most of the students have passed their first college class and earned dual enrollment credits, both high school and college credits. 

This spring semester, 28 students will be continuing the pathway with a class of administration of Justice, AJ101, a Rio Hondo class taught on our campus by yet another Rio Hondo instructor. This program on and off-campus is also a great addition to the Early College Academy for our upperclassmen. 

These classes offer an introduction and head start to several programs offered at Rio Hondo College including justice, corrections, fire technology, wildfires, home security, police academy, fire academy, and advanced officer training. These programs prepare our students for the real world and give them first-hand experience on what careers in those specific sectors fit their personality. It gives opportunities to work and train in those fields and help them decide if that is what they really want to dedicate their time to and pursue a similar career.