Skip to Navigation

Wildland Fire Suppression Certificate

Your career in Wildland Fire Suppression is within reach! FLCC’s Wildland Fire Suppression certificate offers a solid foundation in wildland fire suppression. This certificate will provide you with the training wildland fire fighters need for the Federal Interagency "Red Card" and will meet and exceed the minimum requirements for state and federal agencies that hire wildland fire fighters.

If you plan to pursue employment with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, this program is for you! This certificate also is perfect for you if you have a general interest in wildland fire suppression; if you are a volunteer firefighter who would like to expand your knowledge and career opportunities; or if you are currently enrolled in one of FLCC’s conservation degree programs and would like to supplement your education.

Courses are offered in the evening and on weekends to accommodate the schedules of busy adult students and employed students.

You also will receive federally-recognized certification through the completion of Wildland Fire Suppression (S130/S190); Portable Pumps and Water Use (S211); Fire Fighter Type I (S131/S134); Wildland Fire Chain Saws (S212); Basic Incident Command System (I100/I200); and Fire Operations in the Wildland/Urban Interface (S215).

If you are a prospective firefighter, you must first complete WFS 130/CON 255 Wildland Fire Suppression, offered as part of this certificate program. This course provides the required training to obtain the S130 and S190 state and federally-recognized certification. Additionally, you must pass an employer’s physical fitness test consisting of a timed run or "pack" test.

FLCC was the first college in New York state to offer this course to the public.

Curriculum Requirements

For this certificate, you must successfully complete the following:

Humanities

  • COM 110 Public Speaking OR COM 115 Interpersonal Communication

Wildland Fire Suppression

  • WFS 100 Orienteering
  • WFS 101 Fire Science Agencies and Careers
  • WFS 130/CON 255 Wildland Fire Suppression
  • WFS 131 Firefighter Type I
  • WFS 200 Basic Incident Command System
  • WFS 211 Portable Pumps and Water Use
  • WFS 212 Wildland Fire Chain Saws
  • WFS/CON 256 Fire Ecology
  • 2 credit hours of Wildland Fire Suppression Electives

Conservation

  • 6 credit hours of Conservation Electives

Physical Education

  • PE 214 First Aid – Responding to Emergencies

General Elective

  • 1 credit hour of General Electives

Recommended Sequence

First Semester (15 Credit Hours)

  • COM 110 Public Speaking (3) OR COM 115 Interpersonal Communication (3)
  • WFS 100 Orienteering (1)
  • WFS 101 Fire Science Agencies and Careers (1)
  • WFS 130/CON 255 Wildland Fire Suppression (2)
  • WFS 211 Portable Pump and Water Use (2)
  • Conservation Elective (3)
  • PE 214 First Aid – Responding to Emergencies (3)

Second Semester (13 Credit Hours)

  • WFS 131 Fire Fighter Type I (1)
  • WFS 200 Basic Incident Command System (1)
  • WFS 212 Wildland Fire Chain Saw (2)
  • WFS/CON 256 Fire Ecology (3)
  • Wildland Fire Suppression Elective (2)
  • Conservation Elective (3)
  • General Elective (1)