In order to apply for Firefighter positions in some agencies, one may be required to either possess proof of graduation from a California State Fire Marshal (CSFM) accredited fire academy or provide verification of California State Fire Fighter 1 Certification. Chabot College is an Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP) that offers students the Academy Completion certificate and the testing to receive the Fire Fighter 1 Certificate from the CSFM.

California State Fire Fighter 2 Certification is not something that is required upon employment. However, many California Fire Departments lack the resources to provide this training to existing members of their organizations. Chabot College offers the Fire Fighter 1 Academy students an opportunity to train and test to the Fire Fighter 2 level, but the final certification requires completion of a Fire Fighter 1 and 2 Task Book along with either six (6) months of full-time paid Firefighter experience, or one (1) year of part-time paid, or volunteer Firefighter experience.

Other Accredited Regional Training Programs (ARTPs), also known as "Fire Fighter 1 Academies":

As of July 2025, there are 42 State Fire Training Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP) Fire Fighter 1 Academies in California. For a list of other California State Fire Training Accredited Academies (besides Chabot College), visit the Find an ARTP section of the State FIre Training Accredited Academies page.

More Info - State Fire Fighter 1 & 2 Certification:

For more information about California State Certification as a Fire Fighter 1 or Fire Fighter 2, please visit the California State Fire Training website for Professional Certifications under the California Fire Service Training and Education System (CFSTES).