Firefighter-1 Information

- Firefighter 1 Academy
- Firefighter 1 Certification
- Student Firefighter Work Experience Program
- Other Firefighter 1 Academies in California

FIREFIGHTER 1 ACADEMY

The Firefighter 1 Academy is accredited by the Office of the State Fire Marshal / State Fire Training, and is offered once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester. We do not offer a summer firefighter 1 academy, and at this time, Solano College in Fairfield is the only one I know of that does. Their website can be found below.

The academy consists of six courses, Fire Technology 90A, 90B, 90C, 91A, 91B, and 91C.  Fire Technology 90A, 90B, and 90C meets at the Alameda County Fire Department Training Tower in San Leandro on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and all day Saturday for a total of 12 weeks.  Fire Technology 91A, 91B, and 91C meets at Chabot College on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and all day Saturday and Sunday for a total of 4 weeks. Basically, 90A, 90B, and 90C meet for the first 12 weeks of a semester, and 91A, 91B, and 91C meet for an additional 4 weeks (after the 90 series has completed).  The Alameda County Fire Department Training Tower is located at 890 Lola Street in San Leandro, off of Alvarado Street and Davis Street, just west of the BART tracks.

CLICK HERE to download a map to the Alameda County Fire Department Training Tower.

NOTE: Fire Technology 91A, 91B and 91C can be taken out of order and can also be taken prior to taking the 90 series.

A student successfully completing the Academy (Fire Technology 90A, 90B, 90C, 91A, 91B, and 91C) receives a Firefighter 1 Academy completion certificate (not a Firefighter 1 certificate).  Additionally, the student will have completed the educational requirements for State Firefighter 1 certification.  To become a State certified Firefighter 1, a person must also complete either 6 months of paid experience as a full-time firefighter or one year of experience as a volunteer firefighter.

Prerequisites to get into the Chabot College Firefighter 1 Academy:

Fire Technology 50, 51, 52 and 89; Health 81, all completed with a grade of "C" or better. EMT certification received at another college or institution is also acceptable in lieu of Health 81.   Students must also have current EMT certification before acceptance into the academy.

NOTES:

- Fire Technology 51 and 52 are only offered at Chabot College and Las Positas College.  There are no similar courses that will be accepted from other colleges.

If you are planning on attending the Chabot College Firefighter 1 Academy, you will need to attend and successfully pass Fire Technology 89 BEFORE attending the Academy.

- Although not required as a prerequisite, you are highly encouraged to complete the following classes prior to the start of the Firefighter 1 Academy:

• Successful completion of the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) - go to www.cpatonline.org for more information.

• Successful completion of the Physical Education Fire Science Conditioning class at Chabot College (PE2FSC). This class is focused on the academy and has the students use many of the tools that are utilized in the academy and tend to give students the most problems.

- If you took your EMS First Responder (Health 61) or your EMT (Health 81 and 83) at a school other than Chabot or Las Positas College, you need to take your transcript and/or current EMT certificate to a counselor and have them transfer it into the college so the registration computer recognizes it come registration time. You will have to fill out a "Prerequisite Challenge Form" and have the Fire Technology Coordinator (Bob Buell) and the Dean of Applied Technology (Tom Clark) sign the Prerequisite Challenge Form for it to be entered into the computer.

Firefighter 1 Academy - Registration Information:

At the request of numerous students, I want to include this information regarding registration. Many students have had problems that they would like me to share with you, so that you may have a greater chance of success at getting into your classes.

·        The firefighter 1 academy (Fire Technology 90A, 90B, and 90C) also fills up shortly after registration begins (when I say shortly, I mean either on the first day or registration or the second day of registration).  This does not surprise me either, based on the fact that we have reduced the number of prerequisite classes from eight to six (Fire 50, 51, 52, 89. Health 81/83).  Every semester, the firefighter 1 academy accepts 32 students (versus 44 for lecture classes).

I received numerous emails from students that did not get into the academy this semester (and every semester that I have been the fire technology coordinator). Many students felt it was unfair that they did not get into the academy.  Some felt it was going to delay their getting to become a firefighter.  Well, not to be harsh, but life is not fair sometimes.  But think about how we do registration.  It might not be fair to their situation, but it is fair as a whole.  Since we do not have "waiting lists," per se, adds are done on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as by priority number. So it is fair to those students who have the highest priority numbers (meaning they have been attending the college the longest, and have also completed more units than someone with a lower priority number). 

The priority number system doesn't play favorites and allows registration based on merit.  Based on this, don't be surprised if the academy (or other popular classes) fill up quickly the next few semesters. At some point it should level out, but then again, maybe it won’t.  Also, the economy or the state budget crisis haven't helped either.  More people are looking for work (especially with the government - like firefighter positions) and the colleges are cutting classes or not allowing additional classes to meet the increased demand of students. A double-edged sword! 

Here are my suggestions for future registration to help reduce your frustration:

·        Sign up for classes the first day your are eligible to do so.

·        If you don't get into a class because it is closed (full), check the CLASS WEB section on the main Chabot website at www.chabotcollege.edu DAILY!  It is not uncommon to have someone drop a class after registering for it or getting dropped because they did not pay their fees or have outstanding fees due to the college.  So if you are lucky enough to register, make sure you pay your fees so you don’t get dropped! I realize things happen, but I have very little sympathy for students that lose their spots for not following through on their obligation to compensate the college.

• Now the firefighter 1 academy is a little different. Of the 32 spots, I doubt there has ever been that many (if any) no-shows on the first night. Before you get frustrated about not getting into the academy your first time you attempt to register, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE! It is not uncommon to get over 30 + calls / emails per semester from students like you that are mad because for whatever reason, they did not get into the academy.

Granted, even if you show up the first class session, there are no guarantees that you will be added in (remember that adds are done based on priority number). An instructor has no obligation to add you into a class.  If they do, it is not a right you have, it is not something you are "entitled to," it is something that is a privilege they are extending to you. The instructors are not getting any more money for having more students than is required for them to have in their union contract.

·        If all else fails, you should have had a better plan in place!  Before you go to the "woe is me" thought process, think about this.  Most successful people in life don't try to get ahead (or stay ahead) by always doing things without a backup plan (or plan b, or contingency plan; whatever you want to call it).  As the old saying goes, "DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED," and "DON'T PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS INTO ONE BASKET." 

I get students calling me saying "I want to get into Chabot because I've heard it's the best."  Well, I appreciate the compliments, but I also have to wonder why they put their eggs into one basket?  When you are testing for the position of firefighter (which everyone can agree is very competitive), you always have to have contingency plans in place because things almost never go the way you expect them to go. 

Let's say that your dream is to become a San Francisco Firefighter, and you only take that test.  Your chances for success are drastically reduced because there are so many variables to think about.  Classes get cancelled.  Hiring goes in waves.  Requirements to get hired can change (hopefully you have properly looked into the future to predict these changes, and have thus properly prepared yourself.  Requiring a paramedic license is a good example of this.  Many candidates were (and still are) blindsided by this concept. 

What if S.F. only tests every other year or every three years (which is not uncommon)?  By not taking other fire department exams or continuing your education in some form or fashion, you run the risk of being passed by or being left out in the cold (and it was very predictable that it would happen to you because of your lack of planning!). Don't let this happen to you - always have backup plans in place. If you don't get into Chabot's academy for example, well have you also been applying for other academies?  Have you been looking into paramedic schools?  Have you been looking at spending the semester finishing your other degree requirements?  The list can go on and on.

To view websites of other Firefighter 1 Academies around the state, go to the LINKS page of the Chabot College Fire Technology website and scroll down to FIREFIGHTER 1 ACADEMIES.  As much as I would like you to attend our Academy, I understand it is my job to also point you to another one if that would best fit your situation.  I look at myself as a resource to you, even if that means sending you to another college. You have to do what you have to do!

·        Don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to burst your bubble or de-motivate you.  I'm actually trying to do the opposite. I'm trying to motivate you to be the best you can be, to have as little disappointments in getting that badge as possible, and to be successful in your pursuit of becoming a firefighter. I'm just trying to be realistic. You deserve reality and up front information, not something that has been sugarcoated to reduce "hurting your feelings."

·        If you have taken ANY of the required prerequisites to get into the Firefighter 1 Academy (Fire 50, 51, 52, Health 61) or the EMT program (Health 81) at another college or private institution, you need to take copies of your transcripts and/or completion certificates to a counselor BEFORE registration begins. If you don’t do this, the college computer won’t recognize your having completed a required prerequisite class, thus not allowing you to register for the class you want. Finding this out after registration begins is usually too late because by the time you solve the problem, the class will already have been filled up.

·        Also, don’t think that this problem of classes filling up quickly exists only at our college. It occurs across the state. Why? Supply versus demand. In my experience, there are not enough academies around the state (or paramedic programs for that matter) to handle the demand of students. Many academies are even tougher to get into than ours.

·        Most importantly, learn how to work the system. Now don’t think I am asking you to do something that is illegal, unethical, or immoral; I would never do that and I would hope you would never do that either. What I am asking you to do is “think outside the box” and learn how to get ahead in life. How can I do that you may wonder?

1.      First of all, don’t believe everything you read. The college website registration system states that the CLASS WEB registration system operates between 7 am and 11 pm. Well, I know numerous students who tried registering at midnight on the day they were allowed to register. Wow, that’s creative, isn’t it? That’s the type of person that will make a successful firefighter; someone that is aggressive and creative. What’s the worst that could have happened to them for trying to do that? Nothing I can think of. When I tell students to try that, I even get arguments from adamant students who state “that can’t be true” or “it says 7 am to 11 pm.” Moral of the story? Don’t believe everything you read, try to find out firsthand for yourself. Also, take the time you are arguing with me and channel that energy into planning to work the system better.

2.      Learn how to increase your priority number. Every semester, I have a few students call me saying they are stuck in an “endless cycle” of not getting into the academy because their priority number only allows them to register on the third day of registration. Well, if that is you, one suggestion to you – FIGURE OUT HOW TO INCREASE THAT PRIORITY NUMBER!!!  I’m not going to give you all of the answers, you need to do some research on your own. How can you find out more information relating to registration and increasing your priority number? I bet you could go to the main college website at www.chabotcollege.edu and navigate to registration and priority numbers and learn some things you can do. Also, I’ve heard that if you participate in the “Pathways to Success” program and meet with a counselor to develop a career plan, that you might get a reward of a “day one priority number.” Wow, a no-brainer in my book.

3.      Learn how to get around computer problems. Does the college’s computer system have problems? Of course it does; every computer program has problems at some point. For the past few semesters, many students who have been eligible to register for the firefighter 1 academy have been given an error message to the effect of “prerequisite test score error” when they attempted to register.

How did the successful students handle this problem? Many of them immediately went down to the college and met with a counselor to explain their problem and also show them proof that they qualify. The counselors helped them solve their problem and they got in that same day. Also, some of them contacted me immediately after discovering that problem and asked me for advice. I told them they needed to immediately go down to the college and see a counselor, my Dean, or I (if I was still on campus).

How did the unsuccessful students deal with this problem? They did not contact me until after the academy was already full (by the second day of registration or even a week after registration began and the academy had long been filled up). They did not take the time to immediately go down to the college and try to solve their problem. One student even said he waited a few days because he “didn’t want to bother me.” While I appreciate that, remember that I am here to serve you, especially in these situations. I always have my cell phone on and I usually check my email daily (even on nights and weekends when I’m not at school). What’s the worst I could have done? If you had called me at a bad time, I would have either had my phone go right to voice mail where you could have left me a message, or I would have taken your number and told you I would call you back when I had a moment to spare.

·        Please do not ask us to do any special favors for you. How dare you ask! That is unethical and immoral. Also, why should we pull any strings for you? Even if you were the best student in a class you took from us or a good friend, that would still not be fair to everyone else who is trying their best to get ahead (and is not asking for special favors).

Contacting us with your requests of me doing you a favor is not fair to the other students who have been plugging away at Chabot taking their other classes and building up their priority number.  Also, please don't ask for the contact information of the Academy instructors so that you can contact them and beg to get in or whatever. They do not need the extra phone calls.  They will take the 32 students that are registered when they get there on the first night. If for some reason there are no shows (very rare), then any adds will be done based on priority number; we do not utilize any type of waiting list.  

FIREFIGHTER 1 CERTIFICATION:

There are two (2) primary components to become California State Certified as a Firefighter 1:

1. EXPERIENCE:

To receive a California State Firefighter 1 Certificate, a person must complete either:

- 6 months of full-time experience as a paid firefighter or
- 12 months experience as a volunteer or part-time paid firefighter. 

Chabot College does not sign-off a student for their Firefighter 1 Certificate.  Only the Fire Chief of a fire department can sign the State Firefighter 1 application card. 

and

2. EDUCATION:

The second component of California State Firefighter 1 Certification is the education component. The educational component consists of 12 pages of various firefighter related competencies totaling a minimum of 348 hours of training / education. This education is typically provided by a fire department once you are hired, and make up the majority of training in most recruit academies. This training is also provided through Chabot College after successfully completing Fire Technology 50, 51, 52, 90A, 90B, 90C, 91A, 91B, 91C, and Health 61 (basically the firefighter 1 academy and all of the prerequisites to get into the academy). So you can either complete the educational component by completing a firefighter 1 academy (such as Chabot's) or by waiting until you are hired as a volunteer, part-time, or full-time firefighter and hoping (I say that loosely because not every department offers firefighter 1 certification or educational training) they will provide it to you.

More information:

For more information about California State Firefighter 1 Certification information, visit the California State Fire Training website section on Frequently Asked Questions at http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/TrainingQuestionAsk.html

STUDENT FIREFIGHTER WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM:

Chabot College has contracts with various bay area fire departments that allow the student to gain valuable experience.  Present contracts include:  Alameda Fire Department and the Oakland Fire Department Students have to enroll in Fire Service Technology 95 and 96 and then are assigned to a fire company within a given department.  Students will have the chance to work various shifts up to 24 hours in length, and have the chance to live in a fire station, while also training, responding to emergencies and non-emergencies, and taking part in the other various events that make up the day of a firefighter such as Fire Prevention, station and equipment maintenance, and public education.  You will be assigned to a shift and a station and it will be up to you to work out a schedule with the officer in charge.

The prerequisite for being a student firefighter include a Firefighter 1 Academy completion certificate, current EMT certification, and current CPR certification.

If you did not complete your firefighter 1 academy and/or EMT certificate at Chabot College or Las Positas College, you will need to have a "prerequisite challenge form" signed by the Fire Technology Coordinator (Steve Prziborowski) and the Dean of Applied Technology and Workforce Development before you are able to register for Fire Technology 95 and 96. You will have to attach copies of your EMT and Firefighter 1 academy certification to that form and then turn it in to counseling.

Students are allowed to participate in the program a maximum of four semesters. The program meets year round, and starts every January, June, and August (Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters respectively).

At present time, this work experience program does not lead to State Firefighter 1 Certification. It will definitely qualify as "experience" on your resume.

OTHER FIREFIGHTER 1 ACADEMIES IN CALIFORNIA:

It would be nice if every student that wanted to attend the Chabot College Firefighter 1 Academy had the opportunity to attend the academy. Unfortunately due to situations such as class size limits, work schedules, and bad timing, that is not always possible.  Because of this reason, I have provided you with links to other Firefighter 1 Academies in California:

CLICK HERE to view a list of "Accredited Regional Academies" through the California State Fire Marshal's Office.

To the best of my knowledge, this list is accurate. There may be additional academies in operation, but these were the only ones I was aware of.  If you find links to other firefighter 1 academies, please send me an email and I will put them on here.  This list is not an endorsement of any of the above academies. It is merely provided as a resource to you, the future firefighter.