The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Fire and Emergency Services Technology (FEST) prepares students for employment in the fire service and other emergency services organizations.
Students will also receive preparation to continue study in the fields of paramedicine, nursing, physician assistant or other allied health professions. This program provides entry-level knowledge and skills for students planning a career in emergency services. It also can provide career advancement and professional development for those already employed in the emergency services field.
Licensure and/or Certification
- Students that complete EMT A130 and meet FEST and State of Alaska requirements are eligible to test for the State of Alaska and National certification for EMT I.
- Students that complete EMT A230 and meet FEST and State of Alaska requirements are eligible to test for the State of Alaska EMT II certification.
- Students that complete EMT A231 and meet FEST and State of Alaska requirements are eligible to test for the State of Alaska EMT III certification.
- Students that complete EMT A235 and meet FEST and State of Alaska requirements are eligible to test for National Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) and apply for State of Alaska AEMT certification.
- Students that complete FIRE A131, FIRE A133, FIRE A135 and FIRE A137 and meet FEST and State of Alaska requirements are eligible to test for Firefighter I certification.
- Students that meet FEST and State of Alaska requirements are eligible to test for Fire Investigator certification.
This program is designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in the State of Alaska. However, the program might not meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in other states. Please see UAA’s Licensure and Certification website for more information.
Admission Requirements
- Complete the Admission Requirements for Associate Degrees.
Special Considerations
Practicum placement may require background checks, proof of immunizations, liability release forms, proof of health insurance, and other requirements as dictated by individual sites.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the General University Requirements for Associate Degrees.
- Complete the General Education Requirements for Associate of Applied Science Degrees.
- For the Quantitative Skills requirement MATH A105 or higher is recommended.
- Complete the following major requirements with a minimum grade of C in all FIRE and EMT courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Natural Science General Education Requirement with lab | 4 | |
| Social Science General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| EMT A130 | Emergency Medical Technician I | 8 |
| FIRE A101 | Principles of Emergency Services | 3 |
| FIRE A105 | Fire Prevention | 3 |
| FIRE A121 | Fire Behavior and Combustion | 3 |
| FIRE A206 | Building Construction Issues Related to Fire Protection | 3 |
| FIRE A214 | Fire Protection Systems | 3 |
| FIRE A221 | Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival | 3 |
| FIRE A295 | Fire and Emergency Services Practicum 1 | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete 12 credits of electives. These electives can be from the FEST program listed below (FIRE and EMT) or advisor-approved electives: 2 | 12 | |
| Emergency Medical Technician II | ||
| Emergency Medical Technician III | ||
| Firefighter I, Series I | ||
| Firefighter I, Series II | ||
| Firefighter I, Series III | ||
| Firefighter I, Series IV | ||
| Wildland Fire Control I | ||
| Selected Topics in Fire and Emergency Services | ||
| Principles of Emergency Management | ||
| Total | 48 | |
- 1
Placement in FIRE A295 requires department approval and will require various forms of documentation, which may include background checks, proof of immunizations, release forms, proof of insurance and others as dictated by individual sites.
- 2
Advisor-approved electives will have a fire/emergency services relevance or will be preparatory classes for other healthcare-related fields of study (e.g. paramedic, nursing, physician assistant, etc.).
A minimum of 60 credits is required for the degree.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Fire and Emergency Services Technology will be able to:
- Discuss the history, support organizations, resources, incident management, training and emergency operations and relate how each plays a role within emergency services.
- Define and use basic terms and concepts associated with the chemistry and dynamics of fire.
- Relate how fire prevention and fire inspections are connected.
- Demonstrate the importance of public education in relation to fire prevention.
- Identify the equipment and systems used in control and extinguishment of fire.
- Identify the types of building construction and their uniqueness under fire conditions and how these components are related to firefighter and life safety.
- Relate how the basic principles and history related to the national firefighter life safety initiatives foster the need for cultural and behavioral change throughout the emergency services.
Sample Plan
The academic plan below is one pathway through the degree/certificate. It includes all requirements, taking into account recommendations from program faculty. Each student’s plan may vary according to their initial course placement, intended course load, additional majors and/or minors, and their placement into required prerequisite courses. Any change in the plan below can have an unforeseen impact on the rest of the plan. Therefore, it is very important to meet with your academic advisor to verify your personal academic plan.
Please review the following terms, definitions, and resources associated with the sample academic plan below.
- Each course in the far left column links to a pop-up bubble with a course description, prerequisite requirements, and associations with university requirements. For example, if a course fulfills a general education requirement, you will see that in the pop-up bubble.
- GER: indicates a General Education Requirement. GERs that also count toward degree/certificate requirements appear as a specific course in the plan. For these courses, "GER" is not indicated explicitly in the table, but if you click on the course, you will see the course's GER status in the pop-up bubble.
- Program Elective: indicates a specific course selection determined by program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
- Elective: indicates an open selection of 100-400 level university courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate.
- Upper Division Program Elective: indicates a specific 300-400 level course selection determined by the program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
- Upper Division Elective: indicates an open selection of 300-400 level courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate. These courses must be upper division in order to meet General University Requirements for the particular degree/certificate type.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| FIRE A101 | Principles of Emergency Services | 3 |
| FIRE A105 | Fire Prevention | 3 |
| MATH A105 or higher | 3 | |
| WRTG A111 or higher | 3 | |
| GER Oral Communication Skills | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EMT A130 | Emergency Medical Technician I | 8 |
| FIRE A121 | Fire Behavior and Combustion | 3 |
| GER Written Communication Skills | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| FIRE A214 | Fire Protection Systems | 3 |
| FIRE A221 | Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival | 3 |
| GER Social Sciences | 3 | |
| Program Elective | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| FIRE A206 | Building Construction Issues Related to Fire Protection | 3 |
| FIRE A295 | Fire and Emergency Services Practicum | 3 |
| GER Natural Sciences w/Lab | 4 | |
| Program Elective | 6 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |