Fayetteville Technical Community College will hold a ribbon-cutting and conduct demonstrations at its new swift water rescue training facility on Monday.
The ribbon-cutting will be at 2 p.m. at the facility, which is part of the Larry Keen Fire & Emergency Training Complex at 775 Tom Starling Rd. Training demonstrations will follow.
This is the only indoor facility of its kind on the East Coast. It provides emergency responders with year-round training for a variety of rescue situations in a controlled environment. The facility has a 140,000-gallon tank, 10 pumps that can blast water at a flow of up to 7 knots, and the ability to simulate a variety of training scenarios, including weather, water temperature, and night rescues.
SECU to sponsor second holiday toy drive
State Employees’ Credit Union has launched its second annual toy drive for families in need.
All 275 branches across the state will collect donated toys, according to a news release.
New and unwrapped toys, books and other gifts can be donated at each SECU branch through Dec. 8. They will then be delivered to children in the community with the help of local charities and organizations.
Last year’s toy drive collected more than 4,000 toys, the release said.
CFVH veteran named president of Bladen County Hospital
Spencer Cummings is the new president of Bladen County Hospital in Elizabethtown.
Cummings has been with Cape Fear Valley Health for 30 years and most recently was vice president of surgical services, according to a news release. His previous roles include laboratory medical technologist, lab information system coordinator, systems analyst, process redesign manager, site president of Health Pavilion North, and corporate director of patient accounts.
He received a bachelor’s degree in medical technology from the University of Mississippi and his master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in health care administration from Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville Fury to hold tryouts for soccer pros
The Fayetteville Fury indoor soccer team will hold open tryouts for prospective players on Nov. 18 and 19 at 691 S. Chippewa St. in Lumberton.
The franchise has both men’s and women’s team that compete in the National Indoor Soccer League.
Fury coach Miguel Sanchez and his staff will evaluate all players who try out. Returning players are required to attend.
Players should bring personal indoor soccer or turf shoes, water, skin guards, and athletic tape, if applicable, according to a news release.
The schedule for Nov. 18 is a women’s warm-up at 1:30 p.m. and tryouts from 2 to 3:30 p.m. That will be followed by a men’s team warm-up at 3 p.m. and tryouts from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
On Nov. 19, the men’s warm-up will be at 1:30 p.m. and tryouts from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Women’s warm-up will be at 3 p.m. and tryouts from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Pre-registration is $35 per player. Forms are available at the Fury website.
Athletes must be at least 16 to try out. Players under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
