ROSCOMMON — Kirtland Community College will be the site of the state’s next regional fire training center.

Officials from KCC and the Richfield Township Public Safety Department were on hand at the college on Nov. 6 to make that status official. The Michigan Firefighters Training Council (MFTC) unanimously approved KCC be awarded that recognition at their Oct. 17 meeting in Traverse City.

As part of MFTC’s decision, KCC’s program will be placed on a two-year probationary period. At the end of that period, the MFTC could make the award permanent or extend the probationary period, according to Joseph Grutza, the director of the state Office of Firefighter Training.

Jerry Boerema, Associate Dean of Instruction at KCC, said he was proud that the MFTC selected KCC to put together the fire training program. “We’re pretty excited about this program,” he said.

READ MORE IN THE NOV. 16 EDITION OF THE HERALD-NEWS