Fire Science/Technology

Rapid population growth has resulted in the expansion of the firefighting departments at the city, county, state, and federal government levels, as well as the military and various private agencies. With that growth comes increased competition, however, and is why we've developed the technical and manipulative training at Columbia College to be one of the best offered anywhere.

Fire Technology program students receive individual instructor support through our Fire Academy. Columbia College is also one of only two community colleges in California to operate its own fire station, staffed by students enrolled in the program. Through an agreement with the Tuolumne County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the on-campus station responds to over 350 calls a year.

The Columbia College Fire Technology program is an Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP), as approved by the Office of the State Fire Marshal's State Fire Training Division. The Columbia College/Tuolumne County Fire Department Station 79 is a cooperative program between Columbia College and Tuolumne County Fire Department.   The design of the program is to take Firefighters who have graduated the Columbia College Fire Academy (or another accredited academy) and give them the opportunity to work at working fire station.