Chief Fire Officer

Program Description

Fire protection is a highly specialized professional field, requiring extensive knowledge and use of scientific principles. The Chief Fire Officer Certificate of Achievement program teaches successful application of the fundamental principles of fire protection including suppression of fires, rescue, emergency medical services, hazardous materials mitigation, disaster response/recovery, community risk reduction strategies, pre-planning for fire protection, and long-term community preparedness. Designed for the aspiring chief fire officer, this program provides managerial and leadership knowledge for the individual charged with supervising a battalion.

To qualify for the Certificate of Achievement, students must satisfactorily complete the major requirements specified below. The completion time for this certificate program is generally 2 semesters. Completion time will vary based on student preparation and the number of units completed per semester. While some units in the program are transferable to many institutions, students wishing to transfer to a 4-year institution should meet with a counselor to develop a plan that addresses all transfer requirements.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities include promotional advancement into fire service administration for members currently employed in the profession. This certificate prepares company level supervisors (lieutenant and captain) for chief officer (battalion chief or higher) positions in fire service organizations.

Learning Outcome(s)

1. Describe the roles and responsibilities of a chief officer.
2. Discuss emerging issues in today's fire and EMS agencies.
3. Describe effective managerial and leadership principles for the chief fire officer.