I would agree with Calientemama. I attended ASFA in CLASS 1!!!! It was great then, and from what I have heard and understand it is only getting better. Plenty of 'certs', and plenty of really good well qualified instructors. For my money and if I had to do it all over again.....It would be ASFA. Class One, Number One!!!

Awesome program. If you wan't the complete package, this is
the one. Don't bother if you aren't serious though. I know of
many people getting cut because they thought it might be an
easy program. Save your money also, it is not cheap but it is
the top program around and worth every cent.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the nice words.....

In a nut shell:

This is 12 months of life changing fire training. We will teach
you how to change your whole life. How to better workout,
how to eat better, oral interview advice from many of the top
Fire Officers and Firefighters in the area. Ladders, hose and
many FSTEP programs. Awesome vehicle extrication
experience. Flashover and backdraft recognition in live fire
training. Ask a graduate or someone who knows a graduate
about this program. Keep your eyes open on this site....we
will be giving FREE seminars on what you can do to get into
this academy as well as what to expect while in it. Our top
graduates are put into auxilliary programs from area cities.

Like the others have said:
This is not for those that are not 100% sold out on getting in
the fire department. It is hard core and at times very tough.
When you have been awarded the Certificate of Completion,
you are ready to shine in any environment that the fire
service has to offer.

Capt. Fish

www.glendale.edu/fire

Capt Fish

You were not yet at ASFA when I attended, however we have met a couple of times...and I must agree or echo your thoughts...ASFA is a TOP NOTCH program with top notch instructors who are more concearned with the graduating cadet being "top notch" and prepared then most. This is truely an academy that believes in the QUALITY of the cadet, not the Quantity of classes put through each year!

These strong sentiments will no doubt cause many candidates to consider ASFA. The ASFA website is full of excellent information:

http://www.glendale.edu/fire

Do you have any additional advice to help a candidate best prepare for admission?

Brian
Please no e-mail. Public replies only. Thank you!

How tough is it to get into this academy? Is there a long waitlist?
DAVO
OUT

Getting in is based on a serious of points - the more points you have the better. You get points for having your EMT cert, having taken Fire Technology classes, military background, letters of recommendation from Fire Chiefs, Captains, Marshal's, having been in an explorer program - there are lot's of ways to get points to get in. They only take 60 cadets a year so competition is high to get in. Applications are being taken until July 15th I've been told.

The toughest part of the program seems to be the PT portion - going out and taking either the Biddle or the CPAT would be of benefit and beginning a PT program now. You will need to be fit as a firefighter anyway so starting now is a good thing. You must pass the Biddle while in the academy to graduate. Have you seen the Biddle in action? A pretty tough test - 11 events in 9:34 - and cities are looking for those that can do it in 6 to 7 minutes! This is not for the faint of heart.

Santa Ana College, enough said...

Hardly. Glendale Arroyo Seco Fire Academy offers the chance to obtain more certificates because their program is a year in length - and isn't that one of the reasons you go to an Academy. The more certs the better - or why bother!

SAC124thCo.7 said:

Santa Ana College, enough said...

Would you speak to your Drillmaster like that?

Brian
Please no e-mail. Public replies only. Thank you!

Santa Ana has a great program. Always has....probably always will....Not as tough or respected as it was when it was "Rancho"!!! Academies have changed as have fire cadets....Santa Ana is good, as are Rio Hondo, Mt Sac and Arroyo Seco...Pick an academy that you can afford to attend, and one that is geographically friendly. Why drive for two hours to get to an academy when there is one one half hour away. In the end they are now all state "certified" and all have there pluses and minuses....JUST GO!!!! Be Dedicated, pour 100% of yourself into the program and you will get what you want from the program!!!! Soooooo....enough said (just jokin)
Be......OUT-standing!

"Be dedicated, pour 100% of yourself into the program and you will get what you want from the program.!!!!"

What I have pleasantly observed from those posting about Arroyo academy is a strong sense of pride. This pride was NOT expressed at the expense of any other fire technology program. Arroyo(nor any other fire technology program)does not need to make themselves look better by making other programs look less than what they are. Fire programs do not need to look out at other fire programs to FEEL better about themselves. This is not where you find pride.
There is a distinct difference between expressing the pride (esprit-de-corps) of the membership of any organization and slipping onto the dangerous ground of elitism.
It is one thing to do something that is unique and "elite" such as being a member of a SWAT team or Hazmat Team. It is a whole 'nother story to make yourself elite at the expense of someone else or another organization.
Elitism is self-qualifying and qualifies itself by degrading others. Elitism also sets the stage for a hard fall when everything comes crashing down. Elitism gets people hurt or killed.
I have attended fire technology classes through ten colleges. Not one fire technology program staff memember ever bad-mouthed another fire technology program ANYWHERE. If anyone has the ability to speak of the exclusivity/elitism of ANY fire program, it would be me. And I have to say, there is NO exclusive/elite program out there. There are, however, many many excellent programs.
Rather than look at the sheer numbers of certifications earned at a basic fire academy, (and at just how "GREEN" a recent academy graduate really is no matter how many certifications they may have), I'd rather look at the individual character of that recent academy graduation. No matter how many certifications you have, you still have to do well in the oral interview! MORE certifications does not earn you MORE interview points!MORE certifications will not get you hired!
I had the opportunity to view Santa Ana fire technology litature and I noticed this statement:

Santa Ana College is a member of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, which serves the residents of Anaheim Hills, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park and

FIREFIGHTERS EVERYWHERE.

Pretty classy huh? I think EVERY fire technology program would feel the same way. Best wishes
This message was edited by tomdeltazulu on 2-21-04 @ 7:39 PM

Has anyone here been to El Camino College Part Time Academy? How much was tuition including books and uniforms? The website says that academy starts at 5:30 PM, but do cadets arrive earlier for PT or something else? ( If so- what time is that?) Is there a long waiting list to get in? Any other pertinant information that you provide is GREATLY appreciated!


THANKS!

As TomDeltaZulu says....Its really up to you! YOU and your fellow cadets make the academy what it is. Give 100% and you end up having a great academy. Stay disciplined, but remember to HAVE FUN!!!!!
Be......OUT-standing!

Hello, I'm a new member and I was wondering if you are a firefighter and if you come to the bay area ever miss caliente? ;)Yo soy bombero en San Francisco , hit me up! Later

Does it make much of a diffence which academy you go to? I am looking for an academy in the Los Angeles area and haven't decided on one yet. Everything I've heard about the Arroyo Seco Academy sounds great, but I am looking for an academy that I can get through in less than 1 year. I am thinking about doing the El Camino Fire Academy since it is only a 10 week program. Have any of you heard anything good or bad about this academy? Any other suggestions in the LA area?

Has anyone attended the Oxnard Fire Academy?

Im a former oxnard college fire academy graduate, it is a great academy, great staff from departments all over So Cal (including LAFD), very militaristic, very discipline, and great training. It gave me a solid foundation for when i was entering the LAFD tower.

Bootskee
Getting the badge is the easy part, keeping it is the hardest part.

hey i wuz just wondering the school u go to is a college or it only dails with firefighter cuz am interested in becoming one and over here they all ask 4, 2 years of military or 60 to 90 hours of college

later thanks
jose muniz jr

am interested in becoming a fire fighter do u now of any place like the one you are offering i live in houston tx
jose muniz jr

were are ya located at am interested in it but we dont have anything like that her in houston is it a college or just a program
jose muniz jr