Albany Technical College, Fire Science Technology Program, will host a unique program showcase on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, 10 a.m., Charles B. Gillespie, M.D. Center for Emergency Responders (EMR), Room EMR-112. On hand for the event will be current and former students, faculty, staff, and area employers. An introduction of the new Fire and Emergency Services Occupation Associate of Applied Science Degree will be discussed. This is the first degree of this kind in the state of Georgia. Starting in the fall, students will have an opportunity to sign up to be dual certified. It gives a student both components ‒ Fire and EMS. Plus, it also is a degree designed for promotional purposes at the occupational level.

Fire and Emergency Services Occupation Associate of Applied Science degree is five terms in length and is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the public safety areas of fire service and emergency medical services. Upon completion of the Fire and Emergency Services Occupation degree, students may be eligible for certification and/or licensure in the following areas: Firefighter I, Firefighter II, EMT, and AEMT.

“Today’s industry demands both certifications, Fire and EMS dual certified, creating more marketable graduates. Albany Tech’s programs are designed to put that workforce out there for in-demand jobs of the future. On the Fire side, your entry levels are Firefighter I and Firefighter II. On the EMS side, you have the Basic EMT and the Advanced EMT. Albany Tech is the first college in the state of Georgia to combine both Firefighter and EMT and create a new degree,” stated Frank Flanigan, Chair/Instructor, Fire Science Technology at Albany Tech.

Flanigan goes on to say, “Now, the student that comes in to take the program obtains both entry-level occupational certifications and they’ve also received a degree component attached to it for further promotional purposes. This is why it is called the “Entry Level Occupational Degree.”  At this point, a person can decide if they would like to further their education on the Paramedicine side or in the Fire Science side. Each one bridges into the other.”

Albany Tech was the first college to see a need for dual certification and a degree concept. Students have programs out there that provide both certifications at a diploma level.  The Fire and Emergency Services Occupation Associate of Applied Science Degree is the only degree of its kind offered in the Technical College System of Georgia.

Albany Technical College’s Fire Science Technology Program placement in-field in the service area, is 99%.  Firefighters from this program have been successfully placed locally and all over the state of Georgia, including Atlanta and even into Florida.

Employment of firefighters is projected to grow seven percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Employment of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) is expected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much quicker than the average for all occupations.