Merced College fire academy earns State Fire Training Accreditation

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced College is helping to capable the request for firefighters crossed the country.

Three twelve students started the Spring semester connected the way to their caller careers.

"We person a ample Academy. It's the archetypal clip we've had an academy this big," Director of Fire Technology and Fire Academy Programs Donnie Roe said.

He walked the caller students done the basal skills they'll need.

This people volition postgraduate acceptable to statesman a firefighting vocation and present they'll besides permission with a "State Fire Training Fire Fighter 1" certification.

That's due to the fact that Merced College is present officially an Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP).

That confirms the college's program meets the highest authorities and nationalist occurrence work standards.

"Now these students, erstwhile they postgraduate with the ARTP Fire Fighter 1 academy grads, these guys, tin not lone work, not conscionable present astatine metropolis oregon region oregon adjacent the authorities of California, but immoderate authorities successful the country. So that -- it's huge, it's opened truthful galore doors and possibilities for them," Roe said.

This is the 2nd cohort that volition postgraduate with the certification.

Andrew Busko was portion of the archetypal people to person it.

He's already seen the benefits arsenic a caller firefighter with Cal Fire.

"It did benignant of acceptable maine apart. My cousin, helium came done Merced College's academy erstwhile it wasn't accredited. So helium got a occupation with Cal Fire. But past aboriginal connected successful his career, helium had to spell down the Riverside to get his existent Fire Fighter 1 accreditation," Busko said.

The occurrence academy has a longstanding concern with the Merced City Fire Department.

Fire Chief Casey Wilson went done the academy himself successful 2004 and has hired aggregate firefighters successful the past.

"We're truly seeing high-quality, well-trained firefighters travel retired of this program," Wilson said.

He says his bureau and others volition payment from the further certification students volition receive.

"So erstwhile we prosecute employees and bring them done our academies to larn however we bash concern successful our department, they truly person a truly coagulated accomplishment acceptable that is allowing them to excel, and it's really redeeming america grooming connected our extremity and benefiting the assemblage arsenic a whole," Wilson said.

The programme volition adjacent enlistee for the Spring 2027 cohort.

There are requirements that indispensable beryllium met for admittance into the academy. You tin find much accusation by clicking here.

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