(WACO, Texas) – Learning about topics from bloodborne pathogens to power tools, several members of the Texas State Technical College community gathered for the 2025 Safety Fair held Wednesday, March 19, and Thursday, March 20, at the Waco campus.
The event was hosted by TSTC’s Environmental Health and Safety department. Guillermo De Leon, TSTC’s executive director of safety, said the event’s purpose was to raise awareness and build a safety culture on campus.
Sgt. David Sarabia, a member of TSTC’s police department at the Harlingen campus, talked to attendees about personal safety. He said some of the little-known services that TSTC’s police department provides for the campus community include bicycle registration and jump-starting vehicles.
“We want to do whatever we can do to make you feel safe,” Sarabia said.
Daniel Garza III, TSTC’s associate manager of engagement, taught a class on self-defense. He used his several years of experience in Brazilian jiu-jitsu to explain basic ways to handle oneself in dangerous situations.
Garza told attendees to always create space between themselves and their attacker and to have minimum movement for maximum results.
“All the power will generate from the floor,” Garza said as he planted his feet to get out of a student’s grip on his wrist during a scenario.
Lula Walker, a TSTC senior custodial worker, attended the session and said it was educational.
“I thought I knew women’s self-defense from training,” she said. “The steps we learned here were a lot more useful.”
Chris Cosper, operations manager at Firetrol Protection Systems Inc. in Temple, showed attendees how to properly use a fire extinguisher and talked about when to have it inspected.
“A lot of it is the fear factor of not knowing what it will do,” he said.
Emilio Ortegon, of Waco, has safety on his mind even more now that he is scheduled to graduate this semester from TSTC’s Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance program.
“It’s my calling to help people,” he said.
Ortegon said the safety fair was a good way to help people be ready, prepared and knowledgeable. One of his favorite outdoor demonstrations was by the Texas Department of Transportation regarding seat belt safety.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
