SANFORD - Dwight Dixon, the new director of Central Carolina Community College's Emergency Services Training Center, brings an impressive background to his position.

Dixon had a 29-year career with the federal government before his recent retirement. For 23 of those years, he served as a law enforcement officer with the National Park Service, achieving the rank of chief ranger.

He served at 10 different duty stations up and down the East Coast, gaining experience in emergency medical services, fire, and technical rescue operations. He also served as assistant chief of the New Site Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Service, in Alabama.

During his last six years with the federal government, he worked for the Department of Homeland Security at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Brunswick, Ga., where he was an instructor and managed the Criminal Investigator Training Program.

Dixon is a native of North Carolina and graduated from East Carolina University in 1983.

"I am thrilled to be back in my home state and I am excited about my new position," he said. "The ESTC at Central Carolina Community College is a great asset to the community, region and state. The facility and training grounds are unique and offer exceptional training in law enforcement, fire fighting, EMS, rescue, motorcycle safety, and auto restoration."

The ESTC opened in 2001 at the site of the former Sanford-Lee County Airport, off Tramway Road, as a regional training center for first responders from Lee, Harnett and Chatham counties. The quality of its training programs attracts emergency personnel from around the nation and from other countries. Graduates of its fire and police academies are highly sought after, many graduating with standing job offers.

The facility's 116 acres provide ample space for emergency scenarios such as train-car, bus, tractor-trailer, and concrete mixer-car collisions. The classroom/administration building provides space for multiple classes at the same time. A live burn building and technical rescue building provide invaluable training for firefighters and rescue workers.

A 385-foot N.C. Highway Patrol VIPER tower is located on-site and used for tower rescue training. The two runways are ideal for police driving, vehicular pursuit, motorcycle safety, pursuit intervention techniques (PIT), and other specialized training.

"With the dedicated ESTC staff, I hope to continue with the successes, expand our curriculum and provide all students with the knowledge and tools they need to be successful," Dixon said.

For more information about the Emergency Services Training Center, visit its Web site at www.cccc.edu/estc or call (919) 777-7769.