Persons interested in a firefighting career have a few avenues of obtaining the necessary training. Fire colleges are institutions of higher learning that specialize entirely in firefighting training and generally offer on-site instruction and living arrangements. Firefighting training is also offered at most community colleges as well as technical colleges. Training at a fire college has the advantage of quicker course completion times, but community and technical colleges generally offer degree programs where students can continue their education to receive the medical training that most fire departments require as a condition of employment.
A common question asked about firefighting training is how long will it take? Depending upon the school, firefighting training can be completed in as little as three months or take as long as a year. Fire colleges typically offer courses where students live on campus for the duration of instruction, which is daily for a set number of weeks. Community and technical colleges offer courses in the semester format, allowing students the flexibility to work while attending school. Firefighter training through community or technical college is usually a minimum of nine months to a year long.
Firefighting schools exist to help those interested in a firefighting career obtain the training necessary to become certified for employment with a fire department. Most states require firefighters to have their Firefighter I & II certifications before they can be employed by a fire department. Attending a firefighter training school provides the necessary training needed to pass the state, and sometimes national, firefighting exams to become certified. In addition, most firefighters continue their education by getting specialized medical training to receive certification as an Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic.
Beyond certification as a Firefighter I & II, most fire departments require firefighters to be a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic at the time of hire or within a specified period of time after being hired. While fire colleges provide basic medical training, such as CPR, additional training is needed to obtain EMT and Paramedic certificates. Community colleges and medical technical schools are the primary source for obtaining the medical training necessary to pass state and national EMT and Paramedic certification exams.
Firefighter training requirements vary depending on which training school is attended. Requirements for admission can be based on physical fitness, on the results of an entry exam, on academics or in most cases, on some combination of these three criteria. All applicants must be 18-years-old and have a high school diploma or equivalent. They must also have had a physical exam performed by a doctor and be able to pass a physical fitness exam that mimics the physical demands of being a firefighter.