Fire Science Technology (A138)
This is a limited access program.
A firefighter’s survival depends on scientific knowledge, critical thinking, extreme training and teamwork. The Fire Academy’s core program is a combination of general education and professional courses that you to simultaneously earn an A.A.S. degree and fire officer certification.
Florida Community College’s Northeast Regional Fire Science Academy at South Campus is a certified training center that meets all State requirements and is considered one of the best in the country. The program is under the guidance of an advisory committee composed
of community leaders and administrators from local fire departments.
This ensures that you will receive modern, up-to-date instruction
that is relevant to current practices in the field.
Admission is based on upon stringent criteria, physical endurance and a background check. Coursework and practical exercises focus on the protection of lives and property. The emphasis is on the dynamics, analysis and behavior of various fire scenes and the tactics and strategies that control them. Physical fitness is a constant part of your training. Wearing 50 pounds of gear while you climb ladders, drag hoses, and lift and carry victims through the heat and dangers of a burning building takes super-hero stamina.
The academy’s on-site burn building and fire pits give you first-hand experience in vertical spread, structure failure and collapse from water and joisted masonry construction used in older factories and warehouses. You’ll learn to manage exposure to flames and smoke, poisonous and explosive gases, as well as chemical, radioactive and other hazardous materials.
You will assess differences in fire caused by mechanical electrical and liquid fuel sources. You’ll study fire prevention, home land security strategies, local building codes, emergency medical procedures and search–and–rescue operations. A special driving track provides safe training for high-speed conditions on wet roads and ways to avoid traffic accidents when responding to calls.
Fire science
and general education courses are offered on a primary night and
alternate night or day basis.
In addition to community fire departments, there are opportunities in government installations such as airports, as well as private fire fighting companies. There is also a need for inspectors, investigators, forest rangers and smoke jumpers. In all cases, employment is based on high test scores and outstanding skills.
The median base salary for fire fighters nationally is $42,000, plus excellent benefits and retirement programs. Experience and advancement can increase your salary to as high as $90,000 a year.
Graduates of this program will be eligible to sit for the state
certification exam for fire fighter.
This program is restrictive as to who can enter and certain prerequisites
exist. Contact the Dean
of Workforce Development on South Campus concerning admission
to the program.
Estimated tuition is $3,984 (for Florida residents, as of 7/06). Contact the
program manager regarding additional costs (textbooks, materials, fees).
Florida Professional Firefighters
Florida State Firefighters Association
Fire Science Technology (A138)
Curriculum
| General Education Courses |
| ENC 1101 |
English Composition I |
3 |
| ENC 1102 |
English Composition II: Writing About
Non-Fiction Prose |
3 |
| MAT 1033 |
Intermediate Algebra |
4 |
| *Humanities |
3 |
| *Social and Behavioral Science |
3 |
| |
Credit Hours |
16 |
| Professional Courses |
| FFP 2111 |
Fire Chemistry |
3 |
| CGS 1100 |
Microcomputer Applications for
Business and Economics |
3 |
| FFP 2811 |
Fire Fighting Tactics and Strategy II |
3 |
| FFP 2740 |
Fire Service Course Delivery |
3 |
| FFP 2120 |
Building Construction for Fire Service |
3 |
| FFP 1780 |
Company Officer |
3 |
| ***EMS 1059 |
First Responders: Emergency Care
Training |
2 |
| ***EMS 1119 |
Fundamentals of Emergency
Medical Care |
6 |
| ***EMS 1401 |
Fundamentals of Emergency Medical
Care Clinical Experience |
3 |
**Academic credits to be awarded upon
completion of Fire
Fighter II (5720) workforce
certificate
program and completion of nine college
credits as
a degree-seeking student. |
15 |
| |
Credit Hours |
44 |
Total Credit Hours: 60
*Refer to A.S. degree General
Education Requirements.
**The Fire
Fighter program is a selective admissions program. It can
be taken at any point in the degree. Contact the Dean of Workforce
Development Office at South Campus at 904.646.2182 for more information.
***Students who have current EMT or Paramedic certification or Nursing degree will be given credit for these courses.
Record of Conviction of a Crime
Neither have been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor directly related to the position of employment sought, nor have
pled nolo contendere to any charge of a felony. If an applicant has been convicted of a felony, such applicant must be in
compliance with s. 112.011(2)(b). If an applicant has been convicted of a misdemeanor directly related to the position of
employment sought, such applicant shall be excluded from employment for a period of four years after expiration of sentence.
If the sentence is suspended or adjudication is withheld in a felony charge or in a misdemeanor directly related to the
position or employment sought and a period of probation is imposed, the applicant must have been released from probation.
Applicants for a certificate of compliance as a firefighter shall submit a completed fingerprint card with
current processing fee. When Firefighter I and Firefighter II training are to occur contiguously, this submission should occur
at the beginning of the Firefighter I training. In any other situation the submission is required prior to entry into
Firefighter II training. Determination of good moral character is required prior to certification as a firefighter pursuant to Sections 633.34 (4) and 633.35 (2), F.S.
The Bureau of Fire Standards and Training shall consider the results of the fingerprint procedure outlined in Section 633.34,
F.S., in making a determination as to the applicant’s good moral character.
