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APGA Completes Propane Lab at Bevill

State Community College in Hamilton

After more than a year of discussions, the PERC Propane Curriculum has been approved by the
Alabama Community College System for a 3 hour credit elective course to the HVAC and Plumbing
programs. APGA is using our $25,000 PERC Grant for propane lab installations. On July 30th and 31st,
APGA installed its first propane lab at the Hamilton location of Bevill State Community College. The
following individuals were on the Install Team: Ed Balkcom and Joe Hodges from Gala Gas in Eufaula;
Brian Rogers and Jason Watson from Holston Gases in Decatur; Brandon Barnwell from Blossman Gas in
Alexandria; and Lisa Hill with APGA The following equipment was installed in the propane lab:

Equipment Donated by
420 lb. Propane Tank Holston Gases
Propane Wall Heater Holston Gases
Propane Tank Water Heater Southern Pipe & Supply/Rheem
Propane Tankless Water Heater Southern Pip & Supply/Rheem
Propane Furnace Dealers LP Equipment/RE Michel
Propane Range Blossman Gas
Propane Dryer Leran Gas Products/Home Depot Pro
Regulator Test Board/Electric Circuit Board Blossman Gas
Regulator Cutaways MTankCo

We are in the process of acquiring additional props for the classroom
On August 5th, Lyndon Rickards, Director of Safety & Compliance with PERC, conducted a two
hour virtual training with the instructors from both the Hamilton and Sumiton locations of Bevill State He
stated it went very well and left it open for them to contact him for additional training
Mark Nelson has offered his assistance and his inspectors Mark has also agreed to work with the
college to allow students to take the serviceman’s exam after completing the course If passed, the stu-
dent can advertise that they have passed the exam and will get their card when employed by a permit
holder
This has been a tremendous endeavor from the start to the approval of the propane curriculum
to the completion of our first propane lab. We would like to thank everyone involved in this process. The
plan is to now complete the Sumiton propane lab then move south to Wallace Community College in
Andalusia and Eufaula ■

10 Alabama Propane Gas Association | September / October 2020