Lone Star College-Kingwood dedicates new fire training pavilion to late local firefighter

Lone Star College-Kingwood's new fire training pavilion was dedicated Aug. 5 to honor late local firefighter Gary Lee Staley, officials announced in an Aug. 14 news release.

The inspiration

Staley joined the Porter Fire Department in 2000 and participated in over 300 fire calls while also working a separate full-time job, per the release. In 2003, Staley died in an explosion while rescuing fellow firefighters from a burning building.

His parents, Don and Ruby Staley, later started the Gary Staley Memorial Fund to provide scholarships to current firefighters pursuing advanced training. Per the release, the fund has since created an endowed scholarship with the Lone Star College Foundation and has awarded more than $90,000 in grants to nearly 200 students to date.

About the program

The Gary Lee Staley Fire Pavilion is located next to LSC-Kingwood's Fire Science Burn Building, which will open for student training in the upcoming spring semester. Per the release, the Fire Science program is offered at LSC's CyFair, Kingwood and Montgomery campuses and teaches students basic and advanced skills, including:

• Operating fire streams
• Performing various rescues
• Using firefighting equipment

Graduates of the two-year program are able the enter the industry as qualified firefighters and emergency personnel.

What they're saying

• "Lone Star College-Kingwood is truly honored to dedicate our new fire pavilion after Gary, whose passion and dedication to community service and the fire profession will be a tremendous inspiration to and an incredible role model for our students," LSC-Kingwood President Melissa N. Gonzalez said in a statement.
• "The foundation will always be grateful for the Staleys' incredible ability to turn their pain and their son's lifelong dream into helping Lone Star College students become trained firefighters," LSCF Executive Director Nicole Robinson Gauthier said in a statement. "Their commitment to honoring Gary's memory while helping others in the process is an inspiration to others and the epitome of what Lone Star College Foundation strives to do."
• "Gary was an extremely dedicated and hard-working volunteer firefighter who took the craft to another level," PFD Chief Carter Johnson said in a statement. "His commitment, passion and dedication continue to set an excellent example for students, especially those who seek a career as a firefighter."