When disaster strikes, first responders trained at Nash Community College are often the individuals running toward the emergency while others run away. Nash County voters have the opportunity to support those who don’t think twice when responding to the needs of others.

2012 Nash Community College Outstanding Alumnus Award recipient Donnie Daniels earned an associate degree in applied science in Emergency Preparedness Technology at Nash Community College in 2006. He is Battalion Chief of Operations for the city of Rocky Mount Fire Department and serves as a Fire Service Instructor at Nash Community College.

“I was very fortunate that Nash Community College offered a flexible course schedule that allowed me to attend class. I knew in order to get where I wanted in life I needed a college education,” Daniels said.

On May 8 or before, Nash County voters can support students like Donnie Daniels by voting on the Community College Bond Referendum. A “yes” vote will support students working full time, raising families and giving back to their community by providing expanded instructional space and tools for Nash Community College Continuing Education and Public Services.

Last year, Nash Community College’s Fire and EMS programs trained more than 2,700 volunteer and career fire and rescue personnel and experienced a forty-three percent increase in fire and rescue training.

A March 17 Rocky Mount Telegram article lauded bystanders for saving a burn victim.

“Rocky Mount firefighter Gary Atkinson has been going to fires for years,” the article said, “and has seen burn victims many times, but he had never seen anyone burned the way his friend was burned. He’s alive today because other people responded. There was no thinking twice about it.”

Atkinson has received more than 2,300 hours of career training at Nash Community College in the last seven years.

The Nash Community College Fire and Rescue program offers various regional training events. In 2011, “The Art of Reading Smoke” drew over 200 professional firefighters from across North Carolina. These visitors helped generate revenue for local hotels and restaurants. Nash Community College’s Fire and Rescue program assisted in delivering rope rescue training to medics of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in preparation for overseas deployment.

Last year, Nash Community College’s largest Basic Law Enforcement Training class graduated. Many of the graduates went on to serve in your local municipalities. It is estimated that over 95 percent of local law enforcement officers receive in-service training at Nash Community College.

A March 12 Telegram article said Rocky Mount Police Chief James Moore cited the department’s biggest challenge as raising the training within the members, especially the supervisor staff.

“I am a big proponent of training – career development training, management supervision and arrest, search and seizure training,” Moore said. “I’m a big proponent of aggressive, ethical and legal policing. That is how you make a difference in your crime rate. And to do that, you have to make sure your officers are trained with the best training available on arrest, search and seizure – those are the three basic components to what we do.”

Public safety is not the only area where expanded offerings are needed. Nash Community College supports economic development by offering Customized Industry Training to meet local industry needs. The college recently entered into a partnership with PNC Bank to offer training opportunities for retained and displaced employees and offers regular training to numerous companies on a continual basis. Attracting, training and retaining a skilled and motivated workforce is crucial to any new or expanding company and greatly contributes to the greater economic good.

Continuing Education is fundamental to the college’s ability to adequately serve complex occupational sectors, and provide the best workforce development resources.

Choose to invest in your community on May 8 by supporting the future of Nash Community College and most importantly its students.