Fire Science covers the science, strategy and leadership behind modern fire and emergency services. It’s designed for students preparing to join a fire department and for working firefighters who want the education that leads to promotion.
What you’ll learn
- Fire behavior and combustion
- Building construction for fire protection
- Fire prevention, codes and inspection
- Hazardous materials awareness and operations
- Fire service leadership and incident command
Why Palmetto Ridge
Courses combine online coursework on RidgeLearn with hands-on sessions in partnership with local fire departments and the regional training grounds. Many lectures are scheduled around 24-hour shift rotations so working firefighters can attend. Instructor Cedric, a retired battalion chief, and instructor Laura, a fire marshal, bring real incident experience to every class. Credits can be combined with our EMT-Paramedic program, a pairing that makes candidates highly competitive for firefighter-paramedic positions. The certificate also aligns with national fire service professional development standards, and all credits apply toward a future degree.
Careers & next steps
- Firefighter
- Fire Inspector
- Fire Prevention Specialist
- Firefighter-EMT
- Fire Investigator (with experience)
Ready to start?
Applying is free. An advisor will help you map every class from day one to graduation.