The Fall deadline is May 1st; the Spring deadline is Nov 1st. Late applications are accepted but will be reviewed only if classes need to be filled.

The Fire Academy is part of the Public and Social Service (PSS) Area of Study. More information about the Areas of Study can be found here.

The Fire Academy is 17 weeks long. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Physical training (FIRS 1203) is held two times a week, usually from 6:00 – 7:15 am.

Classes are held at the Austin Fire Academy at 4800 Shaw Lane, Building F, Austin, Texas 78744.

28 credit hours.

Fire Academy graduates can apply 12 semester hours to ACC’s Fire Protection AAS Degree. Contact the department chair for information about transferring to degree programs at other colleges.

Exact prices vary. See estimated costs for more information.

No.

No, however students may take the required training through ACC (“Emergency Medical Technician,” EMSP 1501) or other sources.

Yes, once you have completed all training requirements per the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and pass the TCFP Basic Firefighter test. Cadets must have completed approved emergency medical response training before receiving TCFP certification. See www.tcfp.texas.gov for more information.

Upon graduation and successful completion of TCFP written final exam:
Texas Basic FF Certification
IFSAC FFI and FFII, Haz Mat Awareness and Ops (must submit applicable forms and payment)
Trained to NFPA 1006 Rope Rescue I and Confined Space I

Texas is a member of the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). Once you receive a TCFP Basic Firefighter certification and obtain an IFSAC seal, you should be able to become certified in any state that is an IFSAC member, as well as the Department of Defense. See https://ifsac.org/about/frequently-asked-questions for more information.

Pre-Academy Physical Check

Automatic Disqualifiers:

In accordance with NFPA 1582 Standard on Medical Requirements for Firefighters and Fire Department Physicians, you will be expected to operate under the following, but not limited to, essential firefighting functions while at the ACC Fire Academy:

1. Operating both as a member of a team and independently in situations of high stress conditions
2. Spending extensive time outside exposed to the elements
3. Tolerating extreme fluctuations in temperature while performing duties; fire fighters are required to perform physically demanding work in hot (up to 400 degree temps), humid (up to 100%) atmospheres while wearing equipment that significantly impairs body-cooling mechanisms
4. Experiencing frequent transitions from hot to cold and from humid to dry atmospheres
5. Working in wet, icy, or muddy areas
6. Performing a variety of tasks on slippery surfaces such as rooftops or ladders
7. Working in areas where sustaining traumatic or thermal injuries is possible
8. Facing exposure to carcinogenic dusts such as asbestos, toxic substances such as hydrogen cyanide, acids, carbon monoxide, or organic solvents, either through inhalation or skin contact
9. Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) that weighs approximately 50 lbs while performing fire-fighting tasks
10. Performing physically demanding work while wearing positive-pressure breathing equipment with 1.5 in of water column resistance to exhalation at a flow of 40 L/min
11. Working for long periods of time, requiring sustained physical activity and intense concentration
12. Making rapid transitions from rest to near-maximal exertion without warm-up periods
13. Operating in environments of high noise, poor visibility, limited mobility; at heights; and in enclosed or confined spaces
14. Using manual and power tools in the performance of duties
15. Relying on senses of sight, smell, hearing, and touch to help determine the nature of the emergency, to maintain personal safety and to make critical decisions in a confused, chaotic, and potentially life-threatening environment throughout the duration of the operation

Category A Medical Conditions

Category A medical conditions are those that would preclude a person from performing as a member in a training or emergency operational environment by presenting a significant risk to the safety and health of the person or others. There shall be NO Category A Medical Conditions for the following:

• Head
• Neck
• Eyes and Vision- Far visual acuity at least 20/30 binocular, corrected. Peripheral vision shall be at least 140 degrees
• Ears and Hearing
• Dental
• Nose, Oropharynx, Trachea, Esophagus, and Larynx- Tracheostomy; Aphonic
• Lungs and Chest Wall- Active hemoptysis, Empyema, Pulmonary hypertension, Active tuberculosis
• Heart- Angina pectoris (current), Heart failure (current), Acute pericarditis, endo carditis, or myocarditis, Syncope (recurrent), Automatic Cardiac implantable defibrillator
• Vascular System
• Abdominal Organs and Gastrointestinal System
• Reproductive
• Urinary System
• Spine, Scapulae, Ribs, and Sacroiliac Joints
• Extremities
• Neurological Disorders- Ataxis of heredo-degenerative type, Cerebral arteriosclerosis as evidenced by documented episodes of neurological impairment, Multiple sclerosis with activity within 3 years, Progressive muscular dystrophy or atrophy, ALL epileptic conditions
• Skin
• Blood and Blood-forming Organs- Hemorrhagic states requiring replacement therapy, Sickle cell disease (homozygous)
• Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders- Diabetes mellitus, treated with insulin or an oral hypoglycemic agent and where an individual has a history of one or more episodes of incapacitating hypoglycemia, shall be a category A Medical Condition
• Systemic Diseases and Miscellaneous Conditions
• Tumors and Malignant Diseases
• Psychiatric Conditions
• Chemicals, Drugs, and Medications

Contact Ryan Grinnell, Fire Academy Director, at [email protected], (512) 223 – 9762; or Nate Zaleski, Department Chair, at [email protected], (512) 223-9764