2008 Woodie Awards
Fire Academy Open House Promotes Cadet Program
Arpee Markarian
Issue date: 5/28/08 Section: News
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They had gathered for the Fire Academy Open House, an event that gave students hands-on demonstrations of firefighting gear, and that highlighted the college's Fire Academy program, a one-year training curriculum that prepares students to become firefighters.
The program is a partnership between GCC, the Glendale Fire Department, and the Verdugo Fire Academy, accredited by the office of the state fire marshal. It meets the training requirements for certification as Firefighter I in the state of California.
Upon completing 920 hours of combined classroom lectures and extensive hands-on instruction at the fire department training grounds, students earn an associate's degree in fire technology. Courses are taught by instructors from various fire departments, such as LA City, Glendale, Vernon, Santa Monica, and San Diego, among others.
"It's a very rigorous program," said Cadet Tim Walker, a five-month trainee who wants to give back to the community by becoming a firefighter. "It takes up your weekend. You're making a year-long sacrifice. There's a lot I'm giving up to be at this academy … but it's worth every bit of it."
Walker said he chose the Verdugo Fire Academy because it's the only one in California that offers the most hours of training and certifications, compared to the 300 hours others offer.
Newly appointed Glendale Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, who replaced interim fire chief Don Biggs, received his associate in science degree in fire science from Glendale in 1994, before the academy program began. He then earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in public administration.
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