Firefighter I Academy

The Firefighter I Academy Skills Certificate is intended for pre-Fire Service students and Fire Service professionals (volunteer and paid fire fighters) to train in an accepted State curriculum, and as an Accredited Regional Training Program, the Academy is certified by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. In addition to the Academy completion certificate, candidates will need to complete field experience (1 year volunteer or 6 months fulltime) in order to obtain their Firefighter I certificate. The academy includes over 481 hours of instruction and basic firefighting skills needed for the entry level professional firefighter to perform his/her duties safely, effectively, and competently. The curriculum is based on the 2013 edition of NFPA 1001, Standards for Firefighter Professional Qualifications, the 2012 edition of NFPA 1051, Standards for Wildland Firefighter Professional Qualifications, and the 2008 edition of NFPA 472, Standards for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents. The seven overarching themes of the California State Firefighter I curriculum are: general knowledge germane to the profession, fire department communication, fire ground operations, rescue operations, preparedness and maintenance, wildland suppression activities, and hazardous materials/WMD. In addition to the curriculum identified in these standards, students receive additional instruction in the areas of Auto extrication, the Incident Command System (ICS), Low Angle Rope Rescue Operations (LARRO), an expanded Wildland Firefighting component that meets the requirements necessary to obtain a Cal Fire Basic Firefighter Certificate, Confined Space Awareness and a rigorous physical training component. The Firefighter I Academy does not include emergency medical care skills that are required to work as a firefighter. Prior to enrolling in the academy, students must complete EMT (EMC 105) or First Responder (EMC 100). For students interested in an Associate degree, a Fire Technology major is also available. More information on the Firefighter I Academy program can be found on the Public Safety Department website.

Number of sections of core courses to be offered annually: 29 Headcount of student annual enrollment in core courses: 714 Estimated completers at the end of the second year: 67 Estimated completers at the end of the fifth year: 268

Upon successful completion of this certificate, the student will be able to: 1. Describe fire department organization and the expectations of entry level firefighters; 2. Differentiate types of fire behavior and its impact on structural and wildland situations; 3. Demonstrate and apply the use of fire department equipment through its selection for given firefighting tasks; 4. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of strategies, tactics and incident command through the selection and implementation of firefighting methods and the application of the Incident Command System (ICS); and 5. Demonstrate safe practices by using minimum standard safety procedures.

Semester Course and Title Units 1 EMC 100 – Emergency Medical Responder 2.00 – OR – EMC 103 – Emergency Medical Technician Basic (5.50 units) FIRE 71 – Fire Protection Organization 3.00 FIRE 208 – Introduction to Firefighter I Academy 1.50 2 FIRE 208.1 – Firefighter I Academy 15.00

The Firefighter I Academy certificate has been offered by Santa Rosa Junior College for over 30 years. This is a revision to convert it from a skills certificate to a certificate of achievement. At Santa Rosa Junior College, faculty members with discipline expertise develop all certificates and majors. For AA-T and AS-T degrees, faculty members with appropriate expertise determine which courses align with the C-ID descriptors. The Supervising Administrator(s) then review the application to assure that it aligns with Chancellor’s Office criteria for approval and SRJC guidelines for financial feasibility and community need. The Majors Review Committee reviews the application and suggests any changes to assure than all guidelines have been observed. The item is then placed on the Curriculum Review Committee agenda for approval, and when approved, is submitted for approval by the Board of Trustees.