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<br />Matt Sullivan said this is an issue requiring continued focus. He said it is a desperate <br />need, and all appreciate the work Orange County Emergency Services has put into this. He <br />resumed the PowerPoint situation: <br /> Matt Sullivan said the fire academies are very strong. He said Chapel Hill High School <br />just had its first graduating class, and 16 people are currently enrolled. He said there is a <br />waiting list at Orange High School to get into the program. He said the academies are a great <br />opportunity to get local kids to participate. He said Durham Tech has also expressed an <br />interest in running an Orange County fire academy, and this is a better alternative than the <br />changeover in paid positions between areas. <br />Chair Rich asked if the academy graduates find jobs after graduation. <br />Matt Sullivan said when they graduate high school, they are two classes short of full fire <br />certification, if they have taken all of the high school classes. He said a hazmat course and the <br />live burn require a student to be 18, which is a challenge for high schoolers. He said the <br />graduates can apply for, and work toward a job. He said none have applied for a position yet, <br />but their participation in the in the academy will be a plus and the program is still new. <br />Matt Sullivan said cancer prevention is difficult, and is a major concern. He said the <br />Council is taking a very active role with this issue, and with mental health, and is looking into a <br />peer support team after a critical event. He resumed the PowerPoint presentation: <br /> Matt Sullivan said there is good news, but not the best news. He said Chief Nassar has <br />been the key in this process, and found a grant for $350,000, and there is now 10 acres of <br />Town of Chapel Hill property on Millhouse Road. He said f unding is coming from various <br />governments; Durham Tech, the Sherriff’s Department and other agencies have helped. He <br />said the training site was just tested today. He said this training facility belongs to the Orange <br />County Chiefs, not the County or Durham Tech, which results in the Chiefs having a personal <br />interest in making it last a long time. He said other agencies have not been able to sustain <br />these types of props, but the Council is working hard toward making this one last.