Westmoreland Offers a Gateway for Rewarding Careers in Public Safety
January 30, 2024Danielle Adamson of Claridge knew she was born to pursue a career in the realm of public safety. Most of her family - her father, mother, uncles, aunts and grandfathers all had belonged to the Claridge Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD).
“My father served at every rank throughout the years of my childhood,” she said. “Much of my youth was spent at the fire department through training nights, bingo, wing nights, fish fry’s and softball Sundays.”
At the age of 14, Adamson eagerly joined the CVFD as a junior member, and within six months, began taking the Essentials of Firefighting course at Westmoreland County Community College. She completed up to Module 3 prior to her sixteenth birthday.
“Throughout the years I remained active in the Claridge and Westmoreland City fire departments. I was given the opportunity to work at Central Westmoreland Career and Technical Center (CWCTC) as a classroom aide in Protective Services,” she said. “After a few short months of working at CWCTC, I knew my passion for the emergency services field had been reignited.”
Westmoreland was recommended to Adamson since her very first Essentials course. Since then she’s looked to the Westmoreland Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) due to its convenient location and knowledgeable staff.
“Though I have had many great influences during my time at the PSTC, I was strongly influenced by current instructors Stan Marinos, Jonathan Petrik and Mike Dortenzo,” Adamson said. “They have always encouraged me to reach for the stars and have gone above and beyond to help me along the way. The encouragement and knowledge of these instructors gave me amazing role models that I know I can always count on.”
Over the years, she acquired her National Registry EMT, PA DOH EMS Instructor, FireFighter I and II ProBoard, Fire Service Instructor I and II ProBoard, PSFA General Rescue ProBoard, Hazmat Awareness ProBoard, and Suppression Instructor Rating, among many other trainings.
The certifications Adamson gained through the PSTC have helped her secure a teaching position, not only at the college but also at the CWCTC in New Stanton. She has been offered numerous opportunities throughout the area due to her training.
“I now have a career that will allow me to prosper for the rest of my life,” Adamson commented.
In addition to currently working at CWCTC as a Protective Services Instructor, she also works in the same capacity at Westmoreland’s Public Safety Training Center, providing training for new emergency service workers.
“The opportunity to teach students, both at CWCTC as well as the PSTC has been very rewarding. Seeing the passion for public safety ignite in a student or seeing the lightbulb moment of understanding a new concept, is a very fulfilling and rewarding experience as an instructor,” Adamson concluded. “I am excited to continue educating and fostering growth in public safety for years to come!”
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The Westmoreland-Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) serves as the premier source for keeping the region's first responders up-to-date with essential skills by providing realistic fire service, rescue, hazardous materials, emergency medical services and law enforcement training. The PSTC is situated on an isolated167-acre site but very accessible by Interstate 70, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and airports. The facility features a two-story Class A burn building and six-story tower with an attached residential building that simulates industrial, commercial and residential structures. Also on site are an administration/classroom building, outdoor firing range, rope rescue and confined space rescue areas, structural collapse area, chlorine railcar, ponds and additional training props.
The PSTC also serves as the home of the college’s Municipal Police Officers' Training Academy. The academy provides police officers with the knowledge and training necessary to perform today's law enforcement tasks as well as a foundation upon which the officer may continue to enhance police skills and academic knowledge. The academy features a 17-station, 50-yard outdoor shooting range with a stone base and cement pads at all the required qualification yardages. In addition to the shooting range, the facility also offers an apartment complex with breachable doors for dynamic entry or simunitions training. The grounds can also be used for simulated traffic stops and active shooter situations.