ATS Fire Science

Fire Science is a Seniors only program and is only offered during the A.M.

The Fire Science/EMS Technology program introduces students to a career as a firefighter.

Firefighter I & II covers a variety of topics, including: firefighter safety, fire behavior, fire suppression, types of building construction & the impact of fire on buildings, extinguishing agents, fire hose & streams, water supply, fire streams, ground ladders, forcible entry, loss control, auto extrication, community risk reduction, basic first aid/CPR, and hazardous materials. This class encompasses about 240 + hours of training and education.

Students will be eligible to take the Firefighter I and II & Hazmat Awareness & Operations State Certification practical and online certification exams after successful completion of these courses. Passing the practical and online certification exams will certify an Individual to the NFPA 1010-2024 Professional Qualifications for Firefighters Standard & NFPA 470-2022, Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Standard for Responders. There are 4 state certifications that the student can be eligible to become certified in. These certifications include Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness & Hazardous Materials Operations. The student must complete & pass all course work for all 4 courses to be able to obtain state certifications.

State Certification for Fire Fighter I & II and Hazmat is administered through the Missouri Division of Fire Safety. Students will be able to take the practical exams and online certification exams at Jefferson College on specific dates (listed in the syllabus & calendar). Applicants must be 18 years of age or meet the requirements for High school graduation as established by the Missouri Department of Education and have successfully completed the required coursework to be eligible to take the test(s). Students who are under 18 will be able to take the test(s), but the Missouri Division of Fire Safety will not issue state certificates until the student obtains & sends in their high school diploma.

First-Aid/CPR will also be provided during the Firefighter I & II course. Students will become certified in CPR, & the cards are good for 2 years, before they must be renewed. There will be an out-of-pocket cost for the CPR card.

Students enrolled in a Career Education Program are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Students must be able to understand & follow instructions and work as a member of a team to achieve the course objectives. Students must be physically fit and able to lift heavy objects. Students are expected to regularly attend class & communicate with the instructors if unable to attend (attendance will be strictly enforced – too many absences will disqualify the student from any state testing). Students are expected to have a positive attitude and treat instructors and fellow students with respect. Instruction will involve a lot of classroom time! There will also be plenty of hands-on learning experiences throughout the course to learn the practical skills portion of the class. There will be Saturday practical sessions that the student will be expected to attend. The student must study outside of the class to pass the online certification exams. Class time with students is limited!

Students will also be required to take some online courses. These courses will be taken on the students’ time, but there will be a deadline for when the certifications are due (given later). The required online courses are ICS 100, 200 & 700 (FEMA. GOV) & Traffic Incident Management System (10-hour certificate) (respondersafety.com). During the 1st week of class, students will register for a FEMA SID# & Register on the Responder Safety site so that the student can work to obtain these required certifications.

Recommended High School Courses:
General Science, Biology and Chemistry, Health, Applied Math through Algebra

These are not established as prerequisites. Students who have been successful in any of these courses have historically demonstrated a higher degree of success in this career education program.

Estimated Tools/ Supply Requirement:
Uniform Shirt………………………………………………...$30 (this will be bought in the bookstore) (1 is Required)

Uniform Pants…………………………………………………$25 - $90 (Required)

Polishable Boots/Shoe (black)………………………. $85 on up (Required)

Black Belt………………………………………………………. $15 - $20 (Required) (plain & black in color)

Notebook Paper……………………………………………. $5 - $15 (Optional – Notetaking is strongly encouraged)

Three Ring Binder……………………………………………$1 - $6 (Required for State Practical Skills Books)

Index Cards……………………………………………………. $1 - $5 (Optional - for taking notes)

Plain black socks……………………………………………. $5 - $15 (Required to wear w/ Uniform)

Fire Gloves……………………………………………………. $42 - $90 (Required) – Sentinel Emergency Solutions – Prices may vary – these are just estimates.

Nomex Hood…………………………………………………. $80 - $125 (Required) – Sentinel Emergency Solutions – Prices may vary – these are just estimates.

CPR Card Cost………………………………………………. Cost may vary…The last few classes have been - $13.00. (CPR is Required)

Black Ink Pens & Highlighters

IFSTA Essentials Firefighter I & II Manual (8th) …………$125.00 (approximate price) (if student is purchasing their own book – Order on IFSTA.org, Amazon, or possibly in the Jefferson College Bookstore – please check with them before going to purchase from them, in the event they don’t have them)

IFSTA Hazmat for First Responders (6th) ………$93.00 (approximate price) (if student is purchasing their own book -– Order on IFSTA.org, Amazon, or possibly in the Jefferson College Bookstore – please check with them before going to purchase from them, in the event they don’t have them) Total Estimated Cost………………………………………. $480 – $712

Total Estimated Cost………………………………………. $480 – $712

IFSTA Essentials Firefighter I & II Manual (currently using the 8th edition) & Hazardous Materials for First Responders (currently using the 6th edition) – These books will be provided to the student; however, the books must be kept in good shape, and cannot be written in, highlighted, or destroyed. The books must be returned by the end of the 2nd semester (during the last week of ATS in May). It is strongly recommended that the books are purchased out of pocket, but it is not required. The reason we recommend the purchase of your own books is that if a student fails one of the MO state-certified online certification exams at the end of the 2nd semester, the student will have another opportunity to take a retest over the summer. If the student has their own books, they will have the opportunity to study & prepare before they schedule a retest date. This will be explained further at ATS Welcome Night and ATS Open Houses.

For more information on this program, please contact your high school counselor, the ATS Director, or the program instructor:

ATS Director - Suzanne Richardson 
sricha17@jeffco.edu
(636) 481-3340

Fire Science Technology Lead Instructor/Program Manager - Deputy Chief Shannon Peters 
speters3@jeffco.edu
(Instructor cannot be contacted via phone)