Fire Science

https://dept.wwcc.edu/fire/

**The Fire Science program is no longer taking new enrollments. The program will end with the Spring 2024 Quarter.

Program available at/via: [Walla Walla][Online (partial)]

Department Overview: Fire Science provides students with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to function as an entry-level firefighter. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training is included as an essential component of the curriculum. Fire Science courses are taught through a combination of lecture and cooperative training. Many students volunteer with local fire departments to gain more hands-on practice of their skills. The Fire Science program at WWCC works closely with local fire departments and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system in order to offer a quality program and the curriculum is reviewed by an Advisory Committee composed of local and regional industry members.

Program Level Outcomes:

Support Fire Service agencies in providing quality service to their communities through training and education.
Ensure that all Walla Walla Community College Fire Science education courses reflect current industry standards.
Promote a culture of health, safety, and welfare for all Fire Service personnel and the public they serve. Ensure “everyone goes home” as our overriding philosophy of fire training and education.
Promote collaboration and sharing of training resources between agencies on a local and regional basis to more efficiently deliver fire training and education.
Design curriculum which promotes articulation between degree levels and educational institutions.

Degrees/Certificates: Students may earn an Associate in Applied Sciences Degree (AAS) in Fire Science upon completion of the two-year program of study. A Fire Science Certificate is available upon completion of the first year of the program. The first year prepares the student to take the Washington State Firefighter 1 Certificate Examination.

Industry Description: Every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Firefighters help protect the public against these dangers by rapidly responding to a variety of emergencies. They must be prepared to respond rapidly, regardless of the weather or hour. Firefighters have assumed a range of responsibilities, including emergency medical services; they rescue victims and provide emergency medical attention as needed, ventilate smoke-filled areas, and attempt to salvage the contents of buildings. They are frequently the first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic accident or medical emergency and may be called upon to put out a fire, treat injuries, or perform other vital functions. Most calls to which firefighters respond involve medical emergencies and about half of all fire departments provide ambulance service for victims. Firefighters receive training in emergency medical procedures and many fire departments require them to be certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). Firefighters work in a variety of settings, including urban and suburban areas, airports, chemical plants, other industrial sites, and rural areas like grasslands and forests. In addition, some firefighters work in hazardous materials units that are trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup of oil spills and other hazardous materials incidents.

Entrance Requirements: Students must apply to the Fire Science Program and the sequence of Fire Science courses begins in Fall quarter (even years). Students who miss the fall enrollment period may take the general education or Fire Science courses at any time in the course sequence. In order to start this program, the placement process must be completed through the Testing Center. Visit wwcc.edu/placement for more information. Due to the nature of the work, students wishing to enroll in the Fire Science program must submit to a Washington State criminal background check. Some Fire Science courses will require a physical endurance test.

Other Information: Students are encouraged to seek positions in the local student resident firefighter programs, in which lodging is provided in exchange for taking calls as a volunteer member of local fire agencies.

For additional information including regional employment data, completion rates, student characteristics, and employment see http://www.careerbridge.wa.gov.

Courses

Fire Science