Major: Fire Science
USDA/Ken Hammond
When a fire truck comes whizzing around the corner, do you have an impulse to jump on board and lend a hand? If so, you have something in common with fire science majors, many of whom have known since childhood that it was their calling to fight fire.
As a fire science major, you’ll learn how to handle fire extinguishers, chain saws, and other tools of the trade. You’ll also learn how to control different types of fires, investigate fires, clear smoke-filled buildings, rescue victims, and deal with hazardous materials. You’ll even learn how to get along with your teammates at the firehouse.
Fire science majors learn the skills necessary to become firefighters.
Did You Know?
- Though many firefighters train at academies or in apprenticeship programs, going to college may increase your chances of getting hired -- and may also lead to higher pay.
Are You Ready To...?
- Practice using fire extinguishers and other equipment
- Bring a fire under control
- Clear a building of smoke
- Investigate a fire with your classmates
- Practice snapping photos of the aftermath
- Learn first aid and CPR
- Build muscles you never knew you had
It Helps to Be...
Physically strong and committed to public service. Being able to think and act quickly when emergency strikes is also essential.
College Checklist
- Does the program award a certificate, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor's degree?
- Will your training include actual work at a fire station? If not, does the school have a state-of-the-art facility where you can practice skills?
- Is the curriculum up-to-date, including training in natural disaster recovery and hazardous material cleanup?
- Are faculty members trained firefighters with substantial field experience?
- Does the school offer courses that go beyond basic fire science? For example, some schools combine fire science with training in basic emergency medical technology.
- Does the school assist grads in finding work?
Did You Know?
- In Colonial America, teams of people, or bucket brigades, fought flames by passing buckets from the town well to the site of a fire.
Course Spotlight
There’s more to fighting fires than jumping on the truck and racing to the scene, as you’ll learn in strategy and tactics, a required course. Your prof may give you different scenarios -- from apartment fires to hazardous material incidents -- and ask you to work in small groups to devise a plan of action for each. Since fire fighting strategy depends on teamwork, group exercises are a great workout.
