Training Staff

Assistant Chief Rick Trevino

Assistant Chief Rick Trevino has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since 1982.  He has promoted through the ranks from Firefighter to Firefighter II-EMS, Captain, Battalion Chief and is currently an Assistant Chief.  Chief Trevino is a Paramedic and certified as Advanced Firefighter and Fire Instructor III with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. He has been assigned to various disciplines throughout his career including Chief of Operations, Battalion Chief, Training Chief and currently is the Assistant Chief over Support Services.

Chief Trevino commands a staff of 5 Captains, 2 Firefighter II EMS personnel, and 1 Firefighter that handle all aspects of Training, Research and Development, Apparatus Specifications, Testing, Continuing Education, Background Investigations, Recruiting and Special Ops Training. He also oversees our Shop Maintenance and SCBA programs.

Captain Ernie Villarreal

Captain Villarreal has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since 1984.  He has promoted through the ranks from Firefighter to Engineer and to Captain in 1994.  Captain Villarreal is certified as an Advanced Firefighter and Fire Instructor I and II. He has been assigned to the Training Division since 2005.

Captain Villarreal is responsible for the Corpus Christi Fire Department’s apparatus specifications and purchasing and tools and equipment purchasing. He oversees the Corpus Christi Fire Department shop, apparatus maintenance programs, & pump testing. He also develops and teaches continuing education classes for the department and

Captain James Brown

Captain Brown has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Deptartment since 1982.  He has served in the field as a Firefighter/EMT, Engineer Driver/Operator.  He served in the Fire Prevention Bureau as a Fire Inspector and Arson Investigator.  Captain Brown is certified as an Intermediate Firefighter, Instructor I and II, EMT and he also holds a TCLEOSE Peace Officer certification.  Captain Brown has been assigned to the Training Division since 2002 and serves as the department’s PIO and Recruiter.

Captain Andy Longoria

Captain Longoria has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since 1989.  He has promoted through the ranks from Firefighter to Firefighter II- EMS, Engineer, and to Captain in 1999.  Captain Longoria is a Paramedic and certified as an Intermediate Firefighter, Fire Instructor I and II, and Inspector. Captain Longoria holds an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Fire Science.  He has been assigned to the Training Division since 2006.

Captain Longoria is responsible for the Corpus Christi Fire Department’s Continuing Education Program. He oversees the Corpus Christi Fire Department hose testing and repair program; he also develops and teaches continuing education classes for the department. He specializes in rescue.

Captain Douglas Matthijetz

Captain Matthijetz has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since 1990.  He has promoted through the ranks from Firefighter to Firefighter II-EMS, Engineer, and to Captain in 1999.  Captain Matthijetz is a Licensed Paramedic and certified as Master Firefighter, Fire Instructor I and II, and Fire Inspector. He holds an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Fire Science.  He has been assigned to the Training Division since 2007.

Captain Matthijetz is responsible for the Corpus Christi Fire Academy which trains all new cadets and he serves as the liaison between the Corpus Christi Training Division and Del Mar College. He is responsible for the Training Division’s website and web-based programs, weekly drills, and drill field activities; he also develops and teaches continuing education classes for the department.

Captain Michael Tressider

Captain Michael Tressider currently serves as the Fire Academy Supervisor and as a lead Fire and Emergency Medical Services Instructor. Captain Tressider is a Master Firefighter, Investigator, Inspector and Instructor with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and is a National Registered, Critical Care, Tactical and Texas Licensed Paramedic.  Captain Tressider is also serves as one of the departments certified Police Officers and Arson Investigators.  Captain Tressider has four Associate Degrees for Del Mar College, including two in Fire Science, one in EMS and one in Criminal Justice.  Additionally, Captain Tressider is completing a degree in Nursing from Del Mar College/Texas A&M Corpus Christi and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Safety from St. Edward’s University.  Captain Tressider has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since July of 1990, and was promoted to Captain in January of 2000. Captain Tressider was assigned to the Training Division in 2007. He has served in nearly all divisions of the department. His career highlights include, Captain assigned to Station 3’s Technical Rescue team, Captain assigned to Fire Prevention as an Inspector and Investigator, Firefighter II-EMS assigned to Stations 8 and 10 where he eared two lifesaving commendations and the department’s Medal of Valor for rescuing two teens from an automobile entrapment fire.  Captain Tressider is an Adjunct Instructor for Del Mar and Victoria College.  He is married and has three daughters.  His hobbies include Skydiving, Scuba diving and mixed martial arts.

Firefighter II Chris Grote

Chris Grote has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since 1988.  He was promoted to his current rank of Firefighter II EMS in 1993. Firefighter Grote is a Texas Department of State Health Services Certified Paramedic and is certified as a Texas Commission on Fire Protection Advanced Firefighter, Fire Instructor II, and Fire Inspector. He is also a TCFP Field Examiner. He holds an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Emergency Medical Services Technology.

Firefighter Grote’s primary responsibility is as an academy instructor in both the EMS and fire training programs. He has lead responsibility for physical training of the cadets during fire academies, and is a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department ALERT team, as well as holding certification as a tactical medic. He was officially assigned to the CCFD Training Division in 2000, but has actually taught with the paramedic training portion for the last fifteen Corpus Christi Fire Department recruit academies. He has taught extensively in EMS in the south Texas region for many years, and holds certification and instructor rating in many of the EMS “card courses.” 

He has previously been selected as “Firefighter of the Year”, and was selected as the 2008 Texas Association of Fire Educators George M. Hughes award winner for Fire Service Instructor of the Year.

Firefighter II Mike Stuive

Mike Stuive has been a member of the Corpus Christi Fire Department since 1998.  Mike has been assigned to the Training Division since March of 2010.  Mike is a certified Paramedic, Advanced Firefighter, and Field Examiner.  Mike holds a Associate in Applied Science Degree in Fire Science and Emergency Medical Services Technology.  Mike has been awarded the Corpus Christi Fire Department Medal of Valor and Fire House Magazine Heroism Award.