After 14 weeks of training, the Wichita Fire Department welcomed a new batch of recruits on Friday. The class was the third class of 2023. Class instructor and WFD lieutenant Clint Gifford said they’re not starving for candidates, so they find the best of the best. “That would be our third class of the year 2023,” Gifford said. “A lot of participants would like this job. So it’s something that we haven’t struggled with. We still get the candidates that we need that are top-notch.” New WFD graduate Reed Norris said he’s taking up the mantle his grandfather had in Wisconsin as a firefighter, and he’s excited to serve Wichita. “My grandfather was a fireman back home in Wisconsin, where I came from,” Norris said. “But getting the opportunity to go to the firehouse and experience the difference that these individuals were making for the community was something that I found at a young age and that I found to be important. Something that I wanted to continue.” Norris also said he’s ready to hit the ground running to help people. “What I’m looking forward to most is getting the opportunity to take all of these skills and knowledge and experience that we’ve gathered from the instructors and use it to actually make that difference in someone else’s day,” Norris said. Wichita Mayor Lily Wu was also on hand to speak. “They respond with skill and swiftness,” Wu said. “Help those in need or in danger.” Brent Fischer, another graduate, said he appreciates the support of his family. “It feels like a great accomplishment,” Fischer said. “The training is one thing, but now we’re about to be on the floor and actually doing the job. You can’t do this job for a full career without the support of your family. It means everything.”
Source: KSN-TV

The new biomedical campus is on the way to downtown Wichita, and it will eventually bring up to 3,000 students and hundreds of faculty and staff to consolidate into one complex. It’s a collaboration between Wichita State University and the University of Kansas. While it’s being hailed as great for the ICT, some are asking where the housing will come from to meet the new demand. “Affordable housing is so important for just the stability and the quality of life of our community,” said Danielle Johnson, the Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity. Johnson says Wichita already needs up to an additional 50,000 housing units before the announcement of the new biomedical campus. “Many folks are excited about the number of folks that will help grow our population,” said Johnson. “With the biomedical center and all of the students, but that also just brings in a whole group of folks finding a place to live.” Johnson says different groups have been working to find and build affordable housing. The biomedical campus adds a new wrinkle to an already tight housing market. “First off, I’m excited for the opportunity and the collaboration between Wichita State and KU and Wichita Tech,” said Reverend Dr. Kevass Harding with Hope Builds Community. “I would love to collaborate, talk, and to help in that process for housing. Because there is a great need. There’s going to be a need. There’s already a shortage.” Dr. Harding says his Hope Builds Community group works to find good housing options for low to middle to moderate incomes. “Not just for low the moderate-income families but really for the workforce,” said Harding. “That’s going to be quite a few people coming to our community looking for housing.” Some former city council members say they have been looking to find new developers and find incentives for some time to build more housing, from single-family homes to apartments and duplexes.  “This is something I’ve pushed all along,” said former city council member Jeff Blubaugh. “We’ve got all this great growth. We’ve got the biomedical center coming here. Everything is happening for Wichita except for the affordable housing. And it’s very unfortunate. We’re starting to see some more spur up, but it’s not going to be near enough for the students we are going to see bringing in to Wichita.” Some current city council members say they are having workshops to move on housing issues.
Source: KSN-TV

Wichita State University released a new rendering of the eight-story building that will house classrooms and labs for WSU and the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Many factors have fueled the shortage of nurses over the years, including burnout, people retiring, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Another contributor is the cost of nursing school. Debra Pile, Chair and Associate Dean of Nursing Practice, said this new facility will help bring more students to WSU. “Having one to meet the needs of pharmacists and nurses physicians, all of those entities involved in the biomedical center is really exciting,” said Pile. She hopes that the new facility will also help to retain faculty in the medical field. Another effort is to train more nurses coming from Fort Hays State University, which has partnered with 11 Kansas community colleges. FHSU is guaranteeing admission for community college nursing graduates. “We make our tours to our community colleges. We really try to emphasize that these courses are not overwhelming. It’s going to be a lot of reflection, a lot of group discussion, and we want to make sure that they don’t feel overwhelmed,” Assistant Department Chair of Nursing Tanya Smith said. The WSU downtown facility in should be completed by the end of 2026.
Source: KSN-TV