Fire Science Degree for a Volunteer??

[bryncvp]

I have a question for you guys

I am fortunate enough to work for a college that offers a Fire Science BS and AAS degrees. I would cost me nothing to attend these classes (except to buy books). I am probably only going to volunteer for a FD but who knows what the future holds.

Do you think that a Fire Science degree is worth the investment if I may only end up volunteering??

 

[MMiz]

Are you kidding? If it's offered for free, get the degree! You never know when you'd use it, and if you plan on making a career out of EMS/Fire, then it's a no brainer.

Do they offer any other types of degrees for free that have a more universal appeal to employers?

 

[MusicMedic]

I have a question for you guys

I am fortunate enough to work for a college that offers a Fire Science BS and AAS degrees. I would cost me nothing to attend these classes (except to buy books). I am probably only going to volunteer for a FD but who knows what the future holds.

Do you think that a Fire Science degree is worth the investment if I may only end up volunteering??

id say go for it, itll help you out in the long run if you acutally decide to get into Paid FD

and even here in CA some Volunteer departments prefer you have a Fire science degree...

 

[bryncvp]

Do they offer any other types of degrees for free that have a more universal appeal to employers?

They offer a bunch of other degrees and they are only free because I am a full time employee here. I already have a BS and a masters and would only probably be able to do the AAS degree (only because I dont want to deal with general ed classes that wouldnt transfer in).

Would these classes make me a better fire fighter or is practical training still the best? I dont want to waste my time if I am going to get more out of a Fire I class. What about becoming an officer...do those types of job usually go to people with Fire Science degrees???

 

[LucidResq]

Would these classes make me a better fire fighter or is practical training still the best? I dont want to waste my time if I am going to get more out of a Fire I class. What about becoming an officer...do those types of job usually go to people with Fire Science degrees???

Whether or not they will make you a better firefighter is debatable. Experience and the training provided to you by the dept. is usually better granted you are volunteering with a well-run dept. A dept. will put you through Fire I. Now again, granted you are volunteering with a dept. that puts on quality trainings, it may be better to go through Fire I with the dept. you plan on working with rather than take it at the college. Reason being, a) they'll probably make you do their own Fire Academy anyways, b) Each dept. has their own quirks and SOPs and wisdom and equipment, which you will gain knowledge of by going through their own academy and getting Fire I through them.

My boyfriend is currently in an fire science AAS program, and is a volunteer FFer. A few of the classes required for the degree are helpful in the day-to-day firefighter stuff, like his EMT-B, gen ed stuff, and a few of the tech rescue classes. Some of it is more geared to either getting hired as a paid FFer or becoming an officer.... he even needed to take a "job-seeking" class. Of course, I can't speak to your specific program. The dept. he volunteers for put him through his Fire I, and it fulfills part of his degree requirements.

I'd say that his on-the-job training and experience with the FD are most relevant to him learning the skills, reality and politics of being a firefighter. The benefits of the degree.... we'll see those more when he gets hired, starts looking at promotion, and works towards his BS.

My biggest question would be, why do you want to volunteer and what are you looking at getting out of it? If becoming an officer one day appeals to you, or if you have any interest in making a career in firefighting, the degree would probably be well worth it.

 

[bryncvp]

Well I MIGHT make it a career... I would really have to love it to walk away from my job now. I want to volunteer because, as my wife put it, I can have the best of both worlds...have a job that I love (my career) and a hobby I am passionate about (Fire/EMS). I orginally got into EMS as a way to get CEUs for my athletic training license, but towards the end of my class, we have a lab day at the firehouse where we were introduced to the equipments (first time for me), cut up a bunch of cars, practiced taking pts out of them and I was hooked. I love the idea of being part of a team and helping people when the need it the most.

I would like to be involved and maybe work my way up to an officer, but as of right now, Id settle for just doing a Private. I am thinking about taking the class because I want to be the best I can be at the job...so...will this help? I am getting from everyone that it wouldnt hurt and more knowledge is always helpful. I dont think it would take the place of a Fire I class...I think it is a degree program only...in fact I am 99% sure of it.

 

[46Young]

A fire science degree would help more at the company officer level, particularly at or around the BC level. As a basic FF, getting your FF1 and 2 from an accredited institution would be of much more benefit. If you need more on building construction or maybe fire protection systems, you could attend a conference to get that. You could also buy the text that the class uses, since fire sicence online degrees are popular. You're not paying for the credits, but you're still getting the same education.

Some volunteer depts do the right thing by sending their probies to an accredited fire academy. Others just give OJT tailored to their first due. They may not train you in truck work, VES, RIT, high rises, etc. At my employer, we regularly drill suppresion and EMS in house in accordance with our monthly training matrix. One month may mandate company evolutions for RIT and ropes/knots, a live burn or maze training, as well as powerpoints for garden apartment tactics, a LODD/close call, and hydraulics. EMS may be a drill with Fairfax One, our PD medevac, powerpoints on heat emergencies, COPD and asthma, as well as our quarterly continuing ed at our EMS training center, run by PA's, an RT and an RN. The common misconception with the fire service is that we sit around all day, eat, nap, and play X-Box. As you can see, we have that training I listed, along with daily equipment checks, housework, public education, requests to attend social functions such as block parties and church gatherings, collection and participation for various charities such as Fill The Boot, a smoke alarm initiative, mandatory PT, building walkthroughs and preplans, and calls, of course. The first 12 hours or so are actually quite busy. If your volly house is slow, there ought to be drilling and such.

If you're getting even half of this volume of training on a monthly basis, I feel that the fire science degree is unnecessary. Regarding career development in the fire service, degrees either help with or are mandatory for promotions, depending on where you work. It can be any degree, so you're already set. For the DC or AC level, a degree in Pub Admin, Emergency Management, or Business Admin would likely set you apart from other prospects.

Edit: For further knowledge, I recommend Francis Brannagan's book on building construction, Truck Company operations by John Mittendorf, and FDNY's forcible entry manual if you know where to get it.

 

[Seaglass]

It sounds like you've got no good reason not to do it, so I say go for it. You never know where it will take you, and it's not going to hurt if you have enough cash for the books.