Office of the State Fire Marshal
Check their website for current class schedules through out the state:
http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/ClassSchedule.asp
Center for Domestic Preparedness offers various trainings and pays for most of the expense from accomidations to flights.
Click here for more info:
http://cdp.dhs.gov/training.html
Firefighting Strategy and Tactics
IEC Training Center - B. RAMIREZ
610 Elm Street, Suite 206
San Carlos, CA 94070
http://store.iec-caer.org/osb/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2404
FireRescue Expo
http://www.firerescueexpo.com/app/homepage.cfm?appname=100388&moduleid=1681&linkid=28078&campaignid=61357731&iusercampaignid=32246921
Some Changes from the State Fire Marshal and Community Colleges:
Office of the State Fire Marshal
If you are thinking about becoming certified as a Fire Officer, Chief Officer, or any of the other certifications the OSFM has (Instructor, Prevention Officer, etc.) a few key changes are coming soon. In the past if you sent in your fee and application for the cert. you were locked in at the current requirements. Anything added you would not be responsible for. The last major change was adding Fire Command 1C to the Fire Officer. Now, they are going to do away with locking in the requirements. Any new requirements added must be completed until you have fulfilled everything needed, sent in copies of your qualifications, and received your certification.
Another new change being considered is a "capstone" exam for each certification. You would have to pass an exam testing your knowledge of all required courses you took for the cert. They will be making a class available for review of each capstone exam.
No date has officially been set for the changes but a call made to the OSFM had them saying the "lock in" feature was already discontinued. One reason for the changes is to make the certifications more relevant and consistent with national education models. Of course, the other big reason for the changes is to increase the revenue they are taking in.
One last note is that City College is offering Fire Instructor 1A in the fall as an on-line hybrid course. You only have to physically attend three of the five days. The other two days are on-line.
Associate's Degree through Community Colleges
If an Associate's Degree is your goal then you should know that a class, Fire Hydraulics Firefighter Safety Course, is being added to the required core courses needed for graduation. There won't be any grand-fathering in for this class, if it's added as a requirement and you haven't completed your degree, you'll need to take it.
Also, just for City College of San Francisco, a change in the Math requirement is coming. In the past a high enough score on the entrance placement exam was good enough for graduation depending on your major but soon you will have to pass a minimum level class. It isn't set yet, but it will probably be an algebra class at the minimum. Of course, you are only responsible for the requirements in place when you first enroll as long as you are continuous student (meaning if you leave and come back you are subject to the new standards in place when you return).
Also, if not having some of the general education requirements is keeping you from trying to complete your Associate's degree you should know that City College offers both on-line classes and telecourses that can be much less challenging time wise than regular classes. Some even cover several requirements at once. And if you would prefer to take your Fire Science classes on-line, Allan Hancock College offers their entire program on-line. Keep in mind that if you apply for graduation from City College certain classes will be waived because you are currently employed in the City as a firefighter.
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