Next Academy:
Saturdays and Sundays, January 28 - April 22, 2012
No class Easter weekend
Class Location:
Porterville Fire Station #2
500 N. Newcomb, Porterville, CA
Effective January 1, 2011 the CAL FIRE basic firefighter curriculum, commonly called the "CDF 67", was replaced with a new training requirement that includes 80 hours of safety training, plus 99 hours of formal courses (179 hours total). Our 2012 Wildland Academy will include all of this EXCEPT for Public Safety First Aid and CPR (because the majority of our Academy Cadets are already EMT's). Additionally, the Academy will now be extended to 12 weekends.
If you are seeking CAL FIRE employment , and do not already have a Public Safety level first aid and CPR card, you will need to take a separate Public Safety First Aid and CPR class, or a Medical First Responder class or an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class in order to meet all CAL FIRE Basic Firefighter training requirements. EMT classes are taught each semester at Porterville College.
Please click on the "Career Information" link at left for additional guidance on becoming a firefighter.
This rigorous twenty four days of training is specifically designed for those seeking a seasonal firefighter job with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) or a Federal forest fire agency such as the United States Forest Service (USFS).
Graduates of this Academy also meet the minimum wildland fire training requirements needed to apply for seasonal wildland fire control positions with most other fire agencies in California.
The Interagency Basic Wildland Firefighter Academy is conducted on Saturdays and Sundays for TWELVE weekends in the Spring (192 hours). Students are also required to complete substantial self-study and homework assignments each week.
In addition to the required wildland firefighting subjects, the Academy includes Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat FRO) and Confined Space Awareness training
We do not take early applications. However, continuing/returning students do have an opportunity to enroll ahead of new students and this class may be full by the time open enrollment begins!
Students must enroll on-line at www.portervillecollege.edu when registration for SPRING classes opens. This class typically fills very rapidly and slots are awarded on a first-come, first serve basis. Watch the College website for Spring semester class enrollment dates. Continuing/returning students, and those who sign up very early on the day enrollment opens will have the best chance of securing a seat. If you need enrollment assistance, please call the Porterville College Admissions Office at (559) 791-2220.
There are no prerequisites. However, to be successful in this Academy a student MUST be in top physical condition and able to perform arduous physical tasks such as hiking, climbing, dragging fire hose and cutting fire line with hand tools for extended periods of time.
Academy students must also wear an approved Academy uniform and provide certain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as outlined elsewhere in this document.
Certificates issued upon successful completion of the Academy may include: (Note: some certificates are optional and require payment of an additional fee NOT included in course registration)
NOTE! Only those students who successfully pass ALL written and hands-on skills evaluations required by CAL FIRE will receive the CAL FIRE certificate.
Cadets should be in uniform the first day of class. The proper uniform shall consist of:
Shirt: Dark blue. All-cotton T-shirt – with NO Logos, printing or insignias.
Pant: Dark Green USFS specification Nomex or cotton pant or,
Dark blue CALFIRE Specification work uniform pant or,
Dark Blue all-cotton denim pants (Levi’s, Wranglers, etc.)
Boots: 8” high, all leather, lace up, with lug soles.
Gloves: Leather work glove or wildland firefighter glove.
Additionally, each Cadet must bring one 3 inch, three ring, binder to hold printed class materials.
A very limited supply of Wildland personal protective equipment is available for loan, however, each Cadet should attempt to provide their own Nomex brush gear (shirt and pants), and web gear and fire shelter. Helmets, goggles and Nomex shrouds will be provided by the College.
Though not required to enroll in the Academy, and not taught during the Academy, when applying for a job most local and State fire agencies will want you to have current first aid and CPR certification at the Public Safety First Aid level or above. It is recommended that you consider taking the Emergency Medical Technician I class that is also offered at Porterville College.
Though past graduates of this Academy have been highly successful in getting jobs as seasonal firefighters, there is no guarantee, expressed or implied, that completion of this Academy will result in employment by any fire agency. In addition to completing this training, students will have to meet other pre-employment requirements established by the various fire agencies.
For more information, contact:
Rich Stover - rstover@portervillecollege.edu
Please limit inquiries to essential
questions. Due to the volume of emails received about our Fire Academies,
response to inquiries may not be immediate, but your
email will be answered as soon as possible.
