Program: AS-25980

The Fire Science Technology Program is designed to allow fire service or fire protection professionals to enhance their technical competencies and prepare for career advancement. The program emphasizes the scientific basis of fire hazards and the control of these hazards, effective operating procedures at fires and other emergencies, and preparation for leadership and managerial positions.

Certain courses in this program require placement at the college level or satisfaction of developmental education requirements in reading, writing, and math.

Note: If a student is not currently a Florida State Certified Firefighter and would like to become one, he or she must earn the State of Florida Firefighter I and II certifications through a state-certified fire academy such as the one at Ridge Technical College, 7700 State Road 544, Winter Haven, FL 33881; telephone: 863.419.3060. The Ridge Center Fire Academy is a separate program from the Polk State Fire Science Technology Program.

As of November 18, 2013, a student must attain State of Florida Firefighter I Certification prior to pursuing the Fire Officer certifications that are part of the articulated credit requirement for this degree. Chart A, Option V: Fire Safety (below) is designed for the student who does not hold the Firefighter I Certification. This option is intended for the individual serving as a risk manager, as a member of safety personnel, a fire marshal, an insurance investigator, or fire engineer, among other specialized positions.

A firefighter who holds out-of-state, national, or military certifications (or who has completed other fire courses) must contact the Florida Bureau of Fire Standards and Training to ask for an equivalency review to determine what is needed to satisfy or convert these certifications to Florida certifications. For more information, a student should contact the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, 11655 NW Gainesville Rd. Ocala, FL 34482-1486; telephone: 352.369.2800.

Advisory Note: In October 2016, changes to the Fire Course Numbering System of the Fire College Department of Insurance Education (FCDICE) went into effect. Depending on where a course was offered, any 45-hour fire course may have been assigned three different prefixes (i.e., FFP, BFST, and ATPC), by the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training. The course title, four-digit number, and curriculum is same. All fire courses taken previous to this date retain Fire Fighting and Protection (FFP) status.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate is able to:
PLO 1: Demonstrate knowledge in the areas of chemistry of fire, fire behavior, and fire extinguishment theory.           
PLO 2: Distinguish concepts of fire prevention practices, fire protection systems, building construction with relation to fire behavior, and fire inspection practices.
PLO 3: Demonstrate knowledge of fire department organization and procedures, and use fire company managerial concepts and principles that lead to effective supervision and leadership.
PLO 4: Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to classroom instruction, course design, applicable legal/ethical/safety issues, evaluation and management.
PLO 5: Demonstrate knowledge of incident command, hazardous materials and response to terrorism incidents.        
PLO 6: Compare and contrast different firefighting strategies and tactics and display knowledge of fire fighter operational safety practices.
PLO 7: Demonstrate knowledge of legal, ethical, and safety-risk management principles as they relate to a modern, fire organization.
PLO 8: Demonstrate knowledge and skills to detect and determinate the origin and cause of a fire, and the legal guidelines for the fire investigator.