Fire Science and EMT
Fire Science
Trainfor the call.
Pull hose, force entry, run EMS scenarios, and work the burn tower that local departments train in. You'll prepare for Ohio Firefighter I and II and EMT certification, the credentials Ohio departments hire on.
$59,280 median
What firefighters earn nationally. The top 10% earn more than $101,040.
2 Years, or 1
Start as a junior at 16. There is also a senior-only option for Firefighter I and EMT, and you must be 17 to begin it.
No Tuition
Lab fees are typically a few hundred dollars. Payment plans are available.
College Credit
Earn college credit toward a degree while you are still in high school.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Firefighters, May 2025 wage data. Pay varies widely by department, rank, and years of service, and many firefighters start part-time or volunteer.
Credentials You Can Earn
These are state and federal certifications, earned by passing the exam. We get you ready. The score is yours.
3
OHIO DIVISION OF EMS
State Certifications
- Firefighter I
- Firefighter II
- EMT – Basic
4
FEMA INCIDENT COMMAND
NIMS Certifications
- NIMS 100
- NIMS 200
- NIMS 700
- NIMS 800
You will sit for your state exams as soon as you're eligible; per Ohio regulations, your certifications will automatically activate on your 18th birthday.
Real Gear. Real Heat.
You can't learn this just from a book. You learn it in turnout gear, on air, carrying weight up a stairwell while somebody counts on you to keep moving.
- Turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatus
- Hose lines, nozzles, and water supply
- Forcible entry, ladders, and search
- Live fire behavior and suppression
- Vehicle extrication and rescue
- Patient assessment and emergency medical care
- Incident command and scene size-up
- Apparatus, equipment, and station duties
On the groundsA fleet of apparatus and a burn tower good enough that local departments train in it. You train where the professionals train.
Why WCCC
You train where departments train
The burn tower isn't a prop. It's a regional asset that departments use their own training, which tells you what it is: a real facility that real crews use, and you get it during the school day.
Keep your home school
You're still part of your home high school. Graduate with your class, and keep playing sports, going to prom, and showing up for homecoming.
Steady demand
About 26,800 firefighter openings are projected each year through 2035. EMS is the wider door: EMTs earn a median of $44,470 and paramedics $60,600, and most departments want you certified in both fire and EMS.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wage data and 2025–2035 projections.Where This Can Lead
This program is a head start, not the finish line. When you graduate, you'll have real options:
Start working
Part-time or volunteer firefighter, EMT on an ambulance service, or a full-time department
Keep training
Paramedic school, a fire science degree, or a department academy once you are hired
Keep building
Paramedic, driver or engineer, then officer ranks. Departments promote from inside
Take a Look Around
Applications open December 2.
See the grounds before you apply.