Texas City, TX – When a residential fire impacting several homes broke out in Dickinson on Monday, March 16, 2026, College of the Mainland (COM) Fire Academy cadets stepped up for their community and put months of rigorous training and instruction into action.
After professional crews from the Dickinson Volunteer Fire Department and neighboring agencies from League City, Bacliff, Texas City, La Marque and Santa Fe brought the blaze under control, COM Fire Academy Cadets including Ashtin Anderson, Jackson Elliott, Isaiah Kam, Dakota Lloyd, Jordan Lowe, Efrain Perez and Ruben Sanchez from class 0226 arrived on scene to assist with exterior cleanup, rolling up fire hoses and loading equipment. The kind of essential, hands-on work that keeps fire response operations running smoothly and safely.
Dickinson Volunteer Fire Department Chief and COM Instructor Tim Johnson was responding to the scene when he contacted fellow COM Instructor Stan Kozlowski to ask the cadets if any of them were interested in coming to help after class Monday. For many of the cadets it was a defining moment, a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with working firefighters and contribute meaningfully to their community before receiving their certifications.
“This is exactly what we prepare our students for,” said Johnson. “Not just the technical skills, but the mindset of service. When their community needed help, our cadets showed up. That says everything about who they are and what they will bring to this profession.”
College of the Mainland’s Fire Academy is built on the belief that great firefighters are made not only in the classroom and on the training ground, but in the moments when our communities need real help. The program equips students with the knowledge, skills and character to protect and serve, and Monday’s response was a testament to that mission in action.
“This is why I wanted to do the job in the first place,” said Ashtin Anderson, COM fire academy cadet. “It was a pretty exciting experience to be on the ground and working before I’m considered a full-fledged firefighter.”
As the next generation of fire service professionals, COM cadets are already proving that when disaster strikes close to home, they are ready and willing to answer the call.
College of the Mainland’s Fire Technology Program consists of three areas of fire service training: Fire Academy, Fire Technology Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, and Continuing Education courses. These programs are designed to build upon each other toward a career in the fire service. For more information, visit com.edu/academics/fire-technology/.
Photo: (Left to right) Dickinson Volunteer Fire Department Chief and COM Fire Academy Instructor Tim Johnson, COM Fire Academy Cadets Jordan Lowe, Efrain Perez, Ruben Sanchez, Dakota Lloyd, Ashtin Anderson, Isaiah Kam, Jackson Elliott.
