Term Effective: Spring 2011

The requirements for this program of study are effective beginning the semester shown above. If you began working on this program before the effective semester, you may not be affected by the changes. Consult with the program contact person or the department chair to determine your eligibility to complete the program under previous requirements.

Description:

The Fire Technology Major provides practical and technical instruction to meet the requirements of various fire service agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. This is accomplished by training in fire prevention, public education, fire suppression, arson investigation, emergency medical services, heavy rescue, and hazardous materials management.

The Fire Technology program is accredited as a regional fire academy by the Office of the State Fire Marshall and the State Board of Fire Services.

Students who have completed the Firefighter I Completion and/or the Fire Technology Career Certificates have fulfilled a portion of the Fire Technology Major. For students interested in a certificate program, a Fire Technology certificate is also available. More information on the Fire Technology program can be found on the Public Safety Department website.

The program also prepares students for transfer to a four-year institution in order to pursue a career as a fire marshall, fire investigator, and other positions on the county, state, or federal level.

Most job growth will occur as volunteer firefighting positions are converted to paid positions. In addition to job growth, openings are expected to result from the need to replace firefighters who retire, stop working for other reasons, or transfer to other occupations. The fire academy reviews and administers a physical agility test. A valid Class C and/or B drivers license may be required for employment.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this major, the student will be able to:

1. Identify minimum qualifications and entry level skills for firefighter hiring. The student will be able to describe the following elements: application process, written exam process, physical agility exam, oral interview, chief’s interview, background investigation and the firefighter;
2. demonstrate the ability to analyze, appraise and evaluate fire and emergency incidents and identify components of emergency management and firefighter safety including: size-up, report on conditions, the Incident Command System, RECEO, the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders, the 18 Situations that shout “Watch Out”, the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives and the common factors associated with injuries and line of duty deaths;
3. identify and comprehend laws, regulations, codes and standards that influence fire department operations and identify regulatory and advisory organizations that create and mandate them, especially in the areas of fire prevention, building codes and ordinances and firefighter health and safety;
4. analyze the causes of fire, determine extinguishing agents and methods; differentiate the stages of the fire and fire development, and compare methods of heat transfer;
5. identify and describe the equipment and apparatus used in the fire service and the maintenance of said equipment and apparatus;
6. identify and describe common types of building construction and conditions associated with structural collapse and firefighter safety; and
7. differentiate between fire detection and alarm systems and identify common health and safety concerns of firefighters and first responders.

Recommended Sequence of Courses

Students interested in a suggested order for taking classes in this program, please view the recommended course sequence.

Course Prerequisites and Advisories:

Courses in a program of study may have prerequisites or advisories; that is, courses that must or should be completed before taking that course. Please check for prerequisites or advisories by clicking on the course numbers in the Program Requirements section.

It is important that students who are completing an Associate Degree and desire to transfer to a four-year institution meet with a counselor to plan their lower division coursework. While many majors at SRJC are intended to align with lower division major preparation required by California public universities, specific lower-division major requirements vary among individual campuses. See a counselor, visit the Transfer Center, and check Guides For Transfer in Specific Majors, and ASSIST to review transfer preparation guides for specific schools and majors.

Notes:

FIRE 71 is a prerequisite to FIRE 208.1.
FIRE 71 can be challenged if the student has six months experience with a fire department as a volunteer. A letter from the chief is required. This does not waive the requirements to complete the program courses.

The following courses are suggested to help the student fulfill the minimum of 60 units in courses numbered 1-299 required for the associate degree: AJ 221.9, EMC 100, EMC 104, FIRE 56, FIRE 61, FIRE 77, FIRE 200.1, FIRE 200.2, FIRE 200.3, FIRE 201B, FIRE 203, FIRE 204A, FIRE 204B, FIRE 204C, FIRE 206, FIRE 208 and FIRE 208.1.

Please see the catalog for a complete listing of degree requirements. All courses taken in conjunction with this program must be completed with a letter grade of 'C' or better.