Firefighter I Academy

The Firefighter I Academy is delivered four times per year, depending on demand.  This Academy meets NFPA 1001 standards for Firefighter I, and is aimed at taking new students and advancing them to a level of proficiency to serve on an engine company as part of a firefighting team.  Students completing this Academy are generally evaluated by their employing fire department, and supervised closely for a period to assure competence.

The Firefighter I Academy is generally offered on weekends, running from 8:00 am until 5:30 pm Saturday and Sunday.  This 85-hour Academy utilizes a combination of reading assignments and workbooks, lecture, and ample hands-on activities.  Students desiring to attend this Academy must first be accepted as a volunteer or paid employee for a State-recognized fire department (in general, the employing fire department must be in Jackson or Josephine county, but exceptions can be made on an individual basis).

Academy topics include:

• Orientation and Safety
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Fire Behavior
• Building Search and Victim Removal
• Ground Ladders
• Fire Hose
• Building Construction
• Ventilation
• Portable Fire Extinguishers
• Hazardous Materials Awareness
• Water Supply
• Sprinkler System Fundamentals
• Water Fire Streams
• Forcible Entry
• Ropes and Knots
• Fire Department Communications
• Class A, C, D, Vehicle, and Wildland Fire Control
• Fire Prevention and Public Education
• Salvage, Overhaul, Protecting Evidence of Fire Cause

The Firefighter I Academy is hosted by local fire service organizations. The professional firefighters employed by the host fire departments are happy to assist with the Academy and eager to answer any questions that students may have. Instructors for the various Academy topics are carefully chosen from a cadre of professionals in the field. These instructors, their professional approach to teaching, and their dedication to quality are key to the Academy's continued success.

For more information, or to find out how to become a part of the firefighting family, please contact:

Arlen Blenkush, Fire Science Coordinator

Tony Strickland, Assistant Fire Science Coordinator