Fire Science & Safety
About the Program
A growing trend in fire service nationwide is the creation of a college-educated fire-fighting workforce. The goal of the Fire Science and Safety program is to enhance technical competencies in the following areas: fire suppression, fire prevention, fire service management, life safety, and other related topics.
AWARD TYPES: Occupational Skills Award, Associate of Applied Science, Certificate Level 1
AREA OF STUDY: Public Safety, Transportation & Consumer Services
Degrees and Certificates
Learn more about the Degrees and Certificates offered by this program by visiting the HCC Catalog.
Program Outcomes
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Fire Science and Safety Technology students will be able to: Name the principles, theory, and practices associated with leading edge fire science and management, including issues associated with tactical fire operations, fire safety, firefighting leadership and management, and community fire issues. Recall aspects of fire department organization, operations, tools and equipment, the role of the fire fighter, hazardous materials awareness and the mission of the fire service. Use fire ground operations and fire suppression, hazardous materials operations and rescue techniques. Complete certifications by successfully passing a written and practical state exam in the specialty discipline by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection based on National Fire Protection Association standards. This reflects professional preparedness.
Fire Instructor students will be able to: Demonstrate a lesson plan using instructional aids and evaluation forms. Develop a lesson plan, schedule training sessions, and conduct a class using lesson plans. Develop a comprehensive training curriculum and write equipment specifications from specific curriculum information.
Program Information
General Requirements - Fire Science and Safety Technology
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) allows students to earn only one AAS in Fire Protection and Safety Technology. Students must choose from one of the following three specializations: Fire Officer, Fire Fighter, or Industrial.
You can not be placed in any Fire Safety AAS plan until you have completed the TCFP certificate (Basic Fire Fighting Academy)
TSI testing required prior to first enrollment for all AAS degrees and Level II certificates.
General Requirements - Fire Instructor
The series of three courses provides training required to apply for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) Fire Instructor I, II, and III certifications.These courses also provide a three-course certification step to becoming a Training Program Manager. To obtain the TCFP Fire Instructor I, II, and III certification, participants must have a Basic Fire Fighter certification with TCFP and pass the Knowledge and Skills tests for each level of certification. An application fee of $15 per certification must be paid to TCFP when submitting an application to take the final assessment from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
TSI testing required prior to first enrollment for all AAS degrees and Level II certificates.
Basic Fire Academy Orientation
Orientation Dates:
In-person - April 1, 2025 6:00pm
555 Community College Dr. Houston, Texas 77013
Full-Time Day Academy Class
Coordinator:
Larry Spann
larry.spann@hccs.edu
713-718-8327
Monday - Thursdy
Day Class Instructor:
Cleto Hernandez
cleto.hernandez@hccs.edu
713-718-5236
Tuesday - Friday
Start Date: October 22, 2024
Class Hours:
- Mon - Thur (7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) for approximately 4 months.
- FIRS-1301 - 21009
- FIRS-1407 - 21010
- FIRS-1313 - 21011
- FIRS-1203 - 21012
Night & Weekend Class
Coordinator:
Newton Smith
newton.smith@hccs.edu
713-718-8390
Class Hours:
- Monday & Wednesdays: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 7:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m.
Academy Administrative Assistant Contract Info:
Delores Gibson
delores.gibson@hccs.edu
713-718-8370
Fire Academy Advisor Contract Info:
Angela Cormier
angela.cormier2@hccs.edu
713-718-2164
Licensure/Certification Exam Results
The HCC Fire Science and Safety program graduates are certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP).
The State of Texas recognizes IFSAC (International Fire Service Accreditation Congress) certificates from other jurisdictions in its basic structural fire protection, aircraft rescue, hazardous materials technician, hazardous materials incident commander, incident safety officer, driver/operator-pumper, driver/operator-aerial, fire inspector, plans examiner, fire investigator, fire instructor, fire officer, and fire & life safety educator disciplines.
The Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) is the license authority for the HCC Fire Science & Safety program. Students are encouraged to contact TCFP regarding licensure, reciprocity and certification information.
Please note, every attempt is made to ensure the above information is accurate and up to date; however, some information is subject to change.
If you have any questions or encounter problems contacting the appropriate licensing board, please contact the Program Director at (713) 718-5298.
2022-2023 Third-Party Licensure/Certification Exam Results
Occupational licensure and/or certification pass rates reported by academic calendar year (Sept. 1–Aug. 31). Results for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years are provided for comparison.
| Program/Aligned Award | Agency Standard | HCC Standard | 2020-2021 Pass Rate (#Passed) | 2021-2022 Pass Rate (#Passed) | 2022-2023 Pass Rate (#Passed) | 2022-2023 Results |
| Fire Science & Safety/Firefighter AAS | 70% | 75% | 50% (4) | 74% (28) | 89% (24) | Above Expectations |
|---|
Employment
There are 5,471 Municipal Firefighters employed in the Greater Houston Area. This number is expected to increase by 8.4% over the next four years.
The estimated annual job openings is 293 jobs a year.
Median Wages - $24.18 hourly, $50,000 annually
Online Program Restrictions
Language Option Restrictions
Some online programs require students to participate in foreign language courses as part of the program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements and available language options. If you would like to take courses in a language that is not offered online, you would have to do so on campus.
Elective Course Restrictions
Some HCC Online programs may have a limited number of elective options available, based on which of the designated electives are currently offered online. If an elective course is not available online, it will be denoted in the program’s degree plan.
Required Course Restrictions
Some HCC Online programs may require students to participate in one or more campus-based courses as part of a given program’s required curriculum. If a program requires participation in a campus-based course, the campus-based course will be denoted in the program’s degree plan.
Potential Course Restrictions
Some courses may require students to participate in campus-based laboratory sessions or proctored examinations. Please review your course syllabus to determine if your online course has an on-campus laboratory or examination requirement.
Hybrid Programs Restrictions
Hybrid programs allow students to take a mix of online and face-to-face courses. Hybrid programs offer 50% to 85% of their courses online and the remainder of the curriculum is taken in-person on one of HCC’s campuses. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.
Language Option Restrictions
Some hybrid programs require students to participate in foreign language courses as part of the program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements and available language options. If you would like to take courses in a language that is not offered online, you would have to do so on campus.
Elective Course Restrictions
Some hybrid programs may have a limited number of elective options available, based on which of the designated electives are currently offered online. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.
Required Course Restrictions
Hybrid programs require students to participate in campus-based courses as part of a given program’s required curriculum. Please contact your advisor for more information about specific program requirements.
Potential Course Restrictions
Some online courses may have face-to-face requirements for exams, laboratory sessions, and other activities. Please review your course syllabus to determine if your online course has an on-campus laboratory or examination requirement.
Marketable Skills
Learn more about the marketable skills—skills valued by employers that can be applied in variety of work settings—so you can communicate these to potential employers. Click on the relevant award title below to see descriptions of marketable skills for that area.
Fire and Arson Investigation, A.A.S.
Career Opportunities
Explore real-time labor market data on occupations you may pursue post-graduation, offering insight into career opportunities, potential earnings, and job demand in the Greater Houston region.
For more in-depth information about this career and other career pathways, visit Career Coach.
Resources
Search for a Fire Science & Safety Professor or request more information
Get in touch
Fire Science & Safety
Newton Smith
713-718-8390
Vedron Bordeaux
713-718-5298
Cleto Hernandez
713-718-5236
Larry Spann
713-718-8327
Dwight Allen
713-718-8092
Hours of Operation: Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm