For many kids, becoming a firefighter can be a dream come true. It can become a real career right after high school graduation, for students that are in the dual credit program through Del Mar College’s Regional Fire Academy.
This has been a strong program for 12 years, but Assistant Instructor for Fire Science, Michael Schmidt, says numbers this past year had declined and they almost didn’t have a program. Schmidt says CCISD graciously opened up the rest of their high school campuses for the dual credit program.
To be a part of the Dual Credit program through DMC Regional Fire Academy, students will begin as a junior. They will have courses they will take everyday for two years upon graduation of high school. During this course they will learn everything that is taught in a normal fire academy.
“Exact same things and we have the same equipment,” says Schmidt. “They have the same equipment and fight the same fires, put on the same gear. It’s all identical to what the college students do.”
Schmidt explains that this isn’t just a job, but a career. He says hundreds of firefighters have gone through the Del Mar College Regional Fire Academy and are working in 40 different fire stations throughout the country.
Cap space for the dual credit program, is 25 students. Spots fill up fast, but applications are still open, you can find that here.
