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Fire Science
Program Description
The Fire Science Program and Fire Academy at Arizona Western College provides students with the pre-requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to work as a career, structural firefighter. The Arizona Western College Fire Science Program has received a Certificate of National Recognition for its commitment to standardize education for Fire and Emergency Services by adopting the National Fire Academy’s model for fire science curriculum. The U.S. Fire Administration proudly recognizances Arizona Western college as an official Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) institution. Students who take courses that have been recognized as FESHE approved courses, and pass with a 70% or better grade, will have these courses recorded on a National Fire Academy (NFA) transcript and these courses will be nationally recognized the same as any National Fire Academy course. FEMA will also E-mail the student a Certificate of Completion. This Certification adds to the prestige of your course and your Associate Degree.
The Arizona Western Fire Academy Fire Academy delivers the knowledge, skills and abilities outlined by the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications (NFPA 1001). Testing is administered through the Arizona Center for Fire Service Excellence and successful completion of the curriculum and proctored testing will result in the awarding of an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) certificate for Fire Fighter 1 & 2, along with HazMat Awareness and Operations certificates.
Additional certificate programs in wildland firefighting, fire officer development, leadership and specialty fire are offered throughout the year with sufficient enrollment.
Nationally, employment opportunities for firefighters is projected to grow 6% from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. Physically fit applicants with paramedic certification will have the best job prospects (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The Arizona Western College offers a paramedic program and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certificates as well.
Program Requirements
Check the requirements below to learn more or contact Lupe.Fuentes@azwestern.edu with any questions.
Program Documents
| File Name | Downloads |
|---|---|
| Fire Academy Application Packet | Download |
Check the above for any necessary program documents.
Degree(s) / Certificates(s)
| Title | Local Bachelor's |
|---|---|
| Fire Science - A.A.S. Occupational Degree | - |
| Fire Academy - CERT Occupational Certificate | - |
Career Outlook
Successful completion of this program can open doors to various employment opportunities, many of which require further higher education at the university level. Below are examples of related occupations and their annual mean wages in Arizona, based on career and wage data from Pipeline AZ, which utilizes government sources for its reports and forecasts.
Description
Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
Duties/Tasks
- Rescue victims from burning buildings, accident sites, and water hazards.
- Dress with equipment such as fire-resistant clothing and breathing apparatus.
- Assess fires and situations and report conditions to superiors to receive instructions, using two-way radios.
- Move toward the source of a fire, using knowledge of types of fires, construction design, building materials, and physical layout of properties.
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents.
- Create openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance, using axes, chisels, crowbars, electric saws, or core cutters.
- Drive and operate fire fighting vehicles and equipment.
- Inspect fire sites after flames have been extinguished to ensure that there is no further danger.
- Position and climb ladders to gain access to upper levels of buildings, or to rescue individuals from burning structures.
- Select and attach hose nozzles, depending on fire type, and direct streams of water or chemicals onto fires.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$48,750
$48,750
Entry Level Salary
$31,530
$31,530
Mid Level Salary
$47,520
$47,520
Expert Level Salary
$63,760
$63,760
Average Hourly Wage
$23.44
$23.44
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$15.16
$15.16
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$22.00
$22.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$30.65
$30.65
Typical Education Level
High School Diploma
Description
Inspect buildings to detect fire hazards and enforce local ordinances and state laws, or investigate and gather facts to determine cause of fires and explosions.
Duties/Tasks
- Prepare and maintain reports of investigation results, and records of convicted arsonists and arson suspects.
- Testify in court cases involving fires, suspected arson, and false alarms.
- Package collected pieces of evidence in securely closed containers, such as bags, crates, or boxes, to protect them.
- Conduct inspections and acceptance testing of newly installed fire protection systems.
- Analyze evidence and other information to determine probable cause of fire or explosion.
- Photograph damage and evidence related to causes of fires or explosions to document investigation findings.
- Inspect buildings to locate hazardous conditions and fire code violations, such as accumulations of combustible material, electrical wiring problems, and inadequate or non-functional fire exits.
- Examine fire sites and collect evidence such as glass, metal fragments, charred wood, and accelerant residue for use in determining the cause of a fire.
- Instruct children about the dangers of fire.
- Subpoena and interview witnesses, property owners, and building occupants to obtain information and sworn testimony.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$62,170
$62,170
Entry Level Salary
$47,580
$47,580
Mid Level Salary
$61,130
$61,130
Expert Level Salary
$80,140
$80,140
Average Hourly Wage
$29.89
$29.89
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$22.87
$22.87
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$29.00
$29.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$38.53
$38.53
Typical Education Level
Post Secondary Certificate
Description
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in firefighting and fire prevention and control.
Duties/Tasks
- Assign firefighters to jobs at strategic locations to facilitate rescue of persons and maximize application of extinguishing agents.
- Provide emergency medical services as required, and perform light to heavy rescue functions at emergencies.
- Assess nature and extent of fire, condition of building, danger to adjacent buildings, and water supply status to determine crew or company requirements.
- Communicate fire details to superiors, subordinates, or interagency dispatch centers, using two-way radios.
- Serve as a working leader of an engine, hand, helicopter, or prescribed fire crew of three or more firefighters.
- Instruct and drill fire department personnel in assigned duties, including firefighting, medical care, hazardous materials response, fire prevention, and related subjects.
- Maintain fire suppression equipment in good condition, checking equipment periodically to ensure that it is ready for use.
- Evaluate the performance of assigned firefighting personnel.
- Direct the training of firefighters, assigning of instructors to training classes, and providing of supervisors with reports on training progress and status.
- Perform maintenance and minor repairs on firefighting equipment, including vehicles, and write and submit proposals to modify, replace, and repair equipment.
- Schedule employee work assignments and set work priorities.
- Inspect and test new and existing fire protection systems, fire detection systems, and fire safety equipment to ensure that they are operating properly.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$75,920
$75,920
Entry Level Salary
$50,540
$50,540
Mid Level Salary
$76,730
$76,730
Expert Level Salary
$102,540
$102,540
Average Hourly Wage
$36.50
$36.50
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$24.30
$24.30
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$36.00
$36.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$49.30
$49.30
Typical Education Level
High School Diploma
Description
Enforce fire regulations, inspect forest for fire hazards, and recommend forest fire prevention or control measures. May report forest fires and weather conditions.
Duties/Tasks
- Relay messages about emergencies, accidents, locations of crew and personnel, and fire hazard conditions.
- Conduct wildland firefighting training.
- Estimate sizes and characteristics of fires, and report findings to base camps by radio or telephone.
- Direct crews working on firelines during forest fires.
- Locate forest fires on area maps, using azimuth sighters and known landmarks.
- Extinguish smaller fires with portable extinguishers, shovels, and axes.
- Patrol assigned areas, looking for forest fires, hazardous conditions, and weather phenomena.
- Compile and report meteorological data, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and velocity, and types of cloud formations.
- Examine and inventory firefighting equipment, such as axes, fire hoses, shovels, pumps, buckets, and fire extinguishers, to determine amount and condition.
- Educate the public about fire safety and prevention.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$66,710
$66,710
Entry Level Salary
$47,580
$47,580
Mid Level Salary
$62,070
$62,070
Expert Level Salary
$82,550
$82,550
Average Hourly Wage
$32.07
$32.07
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$22.87
$22.87
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$29.00
$29.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$39.69
$39.69
Typical Education Level
High School Diploma
Classroom/Lab Tour
Program Photos
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Contact Information
Faculty/Staff Contact(s)
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe Fuentes | Administrative Assistant IV | (928) 317-6452 | Lupe.Fuentes@azwestern.edu |