Laredo College has established a historic partnership with the Laredo Fire Department to offer a new program for individuals interested in a career in fire service as firefighters or support personnel.
City of Laredo and LC announced at a press conference on Monday, Oct. 24 that Laredo College’s Fire Science Program will be debuting in spring 2023, offering comprehensive training in the fire service field.
The program will prepare students for the firefighter occupation with classroom experience, hands-on skills and physical training. In addition, this collaboration will allow participants to explore and gain a wealth of knowledge and possible state certification before applying for a fire protection agency position.
Students will have the opportunity to earn a one-year certificate which includes multiple task-oriented exercises. After the certificate, students can move forward and work towards the Associate of Applied Science degree. The program will cater to people seeking fieldwork and administrative responsibilities within the fire service field.
There is a steady increase in the demand for protective and emergency services with average turnover and community growth. As a result, firefighter positions are among the nation’s most sought-after emergency service occupations. In addition, students will be eligible to test for state firefighter certification, which will give them an added benefit when applying to fire protection agencies.
The Fire Science Program is a series of courses in basic preparation for a new firefighter. Seven firefighter certification courses satisfy the Texas Commission on Fire Protection curriculum for Basic Structural Fire Suppression. These courses can only be offered by institutions certified as training facilities by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. Additional courses cover health, safety and fire technology for new firefighters.
“The Laredo Fire Department is also excited about this new program because of the opportunity it gives firefighters who are already certified,” said Laredo Fire District Chief Ricardo Cedillo. “Given that the culture of leadership positions in fire and emergency services values a blend of educational and professional experience, the AAS degree in Fire Protection and Safety Management will provide our firefighters a competitive edge by exceeding the educational requirements.”
The program meets all of the requirements established by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Basic Structure Fire Suppression curriculum and encompasses all aspects of knowledge needed to be successful in fire protection, preparing students for state certification exams. The program will have one full-time instructor and several adjunct instructors working in the field to ensure all certificates and exams meet state and federal guidelines.
“Laredo College is excited to provide the Laredo community with another great program that will facilitate career aspirations,” said Program Director Dr. Michael Bailey. “We are grateful to the Laredo Fire Department for partnering with the college and facilitating the college’s designation as a certified training facility by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.”
Registration for the program will open in November 2022. Students are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible since this new program’s inaugural class is expected to fill up quickly.
Individuals interested in this program need to attend a mandatory informational session that will cover detailed information related to eligibility requirements. The basic eligibility requirements are a clear criminal background check, medical clearance and physical activity screening.
The first informational session will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fire Department Administrative Center at 616 E. Del Mar Blvd. Anyone interested in this career field should plan to attend the session. These sessions are the first step for admittance into the program and are a positive experience so that the student will fully understand what they are committing to if they are accepted into the program.
