Fire Academy Home

About the Fire Service

Course Requirements

Course Schedules

Financial Aid

Continuing Education

Program Costs

TCFP Certifications

EMS and TCFP

How to Apply

Meet the Instructor

Online Computer Requierments

Meet the Instructor

Marion Oliver, or Ollie as he is called, is the Faculty Director of the Fire Protection Technology Department at Midland College. Ollie is a Navy veteran serving with the Naval Security Group as Communication Technician (CTR) as a petty officer. During his enlistment he was stationed in Penscola, Florida for basic CTR training,in Edzell, Scotland for 22 months and in Viet Nam during 1968-1969, and finaly in Imperial Beach, California U.S.A. where he was mustered out in July of 1970.

Mr. Oliver is a retired Paramedic/Firefighter holding certifications as a Paramedic and a certified lead instructor and skills examiner with the Texas Department of Health (TDH). He currently holds a Master Firefighter's certification, and a Master Instructor certification with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.

While working as a full-time Paramedic/Firefighter for the Midland Fire Department, he recieived his A.A.S degree from Midland College.In 1981 he began instructing part-time in the then Fire/EMS department and remained there for 16 years before taking over the Fire Protection Technology Department in 1997. While working for Midland College as the basic EMT lead instructor for four semesters, he saw a 100% pass rate, and had a class average of just below 90 for the last two semesters.

Mr. Oliver applied for the position of Faculty Director and was officially employed with Midland College August 4, 1997. After 22 years and 7 months of active duty with the Midland Fire Department he turned his retirement papers in on the last week of July 1997, and took a very short retirement, all five days of it.

Since his time with the college, he has redesigned the fire program to twoA.A.S. Degrees; one in Fire Science Firefighter (the basic firefighter certification course)and another in Fire Science Administrator.The basic firefigthter course is designed primarily for night attendance, making it possible for those with and family obligations to attend and get the training they need for certification as firefighters.