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Fire Training Academy

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About

The Washington State Fire Training Academy (FTA), located near North Bend, protects the citizens of Washington State through training, collaboration, and support of the fire service and other public safety professionals.

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Click here for NFA courses

HOW TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER

For more information on how to become a firefighter in Washington State, please click HERE.

HOW TO BECOME A CONTRACTED INSTRUCTOR

**CURRENTLY RECRUITING FOR NEW CONTRACTED INSTRUCTORS**

Click HERE for more information regarding Contracted Instructors at the State Fire Training Academy.

Click HERE for the application to become a Contracted Instructor at the State Fire Training Academy

Click HERE to apply to become an IFSAC TCO, Senior Evaluator, or Evaluator with the Fire Training Academy.

Training Offered

  • Recruit Academy Program

    Weekday Recruit Academy
    The weekday firefighting academy will provide comprehensive training in all aspects of basic firefighting skills. It is designed to prepare and train recruits to meet those skills established by fire departments as entry-level. Knowledge obtained from classroom instruction is transferred to fire-ground application during many hours of live fire training. This course meets all requirements for Firefighter 1 and 2 along with Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations levels based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1001, “Firefighter Professional Qualifications.”

    • 2024 Weekday Recruit Academy Announcement
    • 2024 Recruit Academy Catalog
    • 2024 Registration (Recruit Academy)

    • 2025 Weekday Recruit Academy Announcement
    • 2025 Registration (Recruit Academy)

    Company Officer Development Program
    The Company Officer Development Program is held in conjunction with both the Weekday and Weekend Recruit Academies. Company Officers play a very important role in the success of each Recruit Academy and serve as first line leaders. This program is intended to develop leadership and management skills. Company Officers will primarily assist state instructors with hands on training and teaching classes. They are responsible for the day to day activities and provide purpose, direction and motivation to the recruits. Some of the tasks that they will be expected to carry out include maintaining discipline, instilling leadership traits, completing weekly written evaluations, delegating assignments, and overseeing class projects.

    To register as a Company Officer please submit a Recruit Academy Registration Form (be sure to check off Company Officer).

    • 2024 Registration (Recruit Academy)
    • 2024 Weekday Recruit Academy Announcement

    • 2025 Weekday Recruit Academy Announcement

  • Open Enrollment Classes

    Open Enrollment Class Schedules
    • 2024 Open Enrollment Schedule by Course
    • 2024 Open Enrollment Schedule by Month

    • 2025 Open Enrollment Schedule by Course
    • 2025 Open Enrollment Schedule by Month

    How to Register for Open Enrollment Classes

    Both a registration form and IFSAC Candidate Application will be needed in order to register you for any Open Enrollment class with IFSAC testing (Live Fire Instructor Course, Fire Control 1, and Search & Rescue do not have IFSAC testing). To register please submit both completed forms to FTARegister@wsp.wa.gov

    The NEW online Live Fire Instructor course available through the WSU website, registration process detailed within the course announcement below.

    • Open Enrollment Registration Form
    • IFSAC Testing Candidate Application

    Offered Course Announcements List Below:

    Driver/Operator – Pumper
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Driver Operator – Open Enrollment Announcement

    • Drafting
    • Hydraulics
    • Apparatus Staging
    • Basic Maintenance of the Fire Engine

    Fire Control I
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Fire Control I Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Fire Control I Open Enrollment Announcement

    • Direct Water Application
    • Indirect Water Application
    • Combination Water Application
    • Water Application Principles
    • Interior Fire Attack (as part of an attack crew)
    • Class A Fire Behavior & Development

    Fire Officer I
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Fire Officer I Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Fire Officer I Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    This class covers:
    • Human Resource
    • Community/Public Relations
    • Fire Department Organization
    • Administrative Activities
    • Budgets
    • Reports
    • Investigation
    • Public Education
    • Emergency Operations
    • Safety
    • Fire inspection

    Fire Officer II
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Fire Officer II Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Fire Officer II Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    This class covers:
    • Fire Safety Inspection
    • Public Fire Education
    • Specialized Fire Protection Equipment
    • Organizational Communications
    • Strategic Planning and Tactics
    • Human Resource Management
    • Government Agencies
    • Supervisor and Employee Interactions
    • Budgetary Processing
    • Information Management Systems
    • Health and Safety
    • Managing Affirmative Action

    Firefighter II
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Firefighter II Only Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Firefighter II Only Open Enrollment Announcement

    Firefighters will receive training based on the NFPA 1001, “Firefighter Professional Qualifications” in:
    • Incident Management System
    • Fire Inspection Principles
    • Company Level Fire Investigations
    • Incident Reporting
    • Technical Rescue
    • Auto Extrication
    • Live Fire Control

    Live Fire Instructor

    The Fire Training Academy has partnered with Washington State University to offer an online Extension Live Fire Instructor Course.  For course information and registration details please view the course announcement:

    2024 Online Live Fire Instructor WSU Extension Announcement

    2025 Online Live Fire Instructor WSU Extension Announcement

    Provides an in-depth knowledge of NFPA 1403 principles and the Fire Training Academy’s (FTA) Live Fire Policy. This class also includes:
    • FTA Procedures
    • Guidelines for Conducting Live-Fire Events
    • Describe the Live Fire NFPA 1403 Requirements
    • Identifying Any Legal Requirements Associate with Live Fire.

    Fire Instructor I
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Fire Instructor I Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Fire Instructor I Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    Prepares personnel on how to deliver instruction from a prepared lesson plan. This class also includes:
    • Assembling Course Materials
    • Using Instructional Aides
    • Evaluation Tools
    • Reviewing and Adapting Lesson Plans
    • Teaching to Individual Students versus Groups
    • Organizing and Providing a Safe Learning Environment
    • How to Use, Prepare and Maintain Training Records in accordance with Bureau Standards.

    Fire Instructor II
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Fire Instructor II Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Fire Instructor II Online Open Enrollment Announcement

    Prepares the participant for planning and developing all aspects of course curriculum. This class also includes:
    • Needs Analysis
    • Task Analysis
    • Course Goals and Objectives
    • Lesson Plan Development
    • Instructional Support Materials
    • Evaluation Instruments.

    Search & Rescue
    View Course Announcement:

    2024 Search & Rescue Open Enrollment Announcement

    2025 Search & Rescue Open Enrollment Announcement

    This class covers the basic skills a firefighter needs to conduct interior search and rescue operations in:
    • Search Team Functions
    • Locating and Removing Victims
    • Primary and Secondary Search
    • Firefighter Emergency Procedures Search (Searching for firefighters that become separated from the search team or become disoriented)

  • Co-Op‚ Facilities Use‚ & Other Scheduled Training

    Co-Op Scheduled Training
    Co-Op Training provides opportunities for Fire Fighters to receive multiple company operations and live fire training using the burn tower or flammable liquids props. This training includes live fire activities, scenario dispatching, incident command, pump operator challenges, engine company operations, truck company operations, search and rescue, passport accountability, and more. Departments develop their own Live Fire Action Plans based on their own training needs.

    Additional Documentation for scheduled training:

    • Live Fire Action Plan Example
    • FTA Training Request Form
    • Blank Student & Personnel Roster
    • FTA Rules of Conduct
    • Live Fire Training Event Policy
    • FTA Housing Only Registration Form

    Facilities Use & Other Scheduled Training
    The FTA allows many different types of facility use from Law Enforcement Less Lethal Training to Rocket Tests to Fireworks Demonstrations. Please review the Prop and Facility Use Section below along with the FTA Rules of Conduct for more information.

    All Co-Op, facilities use and other schedule training is subject to: Availability of facilities, review, and approval by FTA staff prior to scheduling. Fill out the FTA Training Request Form and e-mail the completed version to FireTrainingAcademy@wsp.wa.gov to schedule your next training.

    2024 Fire Training Academy Co-Op Course Fees Announcement

    2025 Fire Training Academy Co-Op Course Fees Announcement

  • Regional Direct Training

    The Regional Direct Delivery (RDD) was created to establish and facilitate Basic Firefighter I Training in rural communities. This program provides training resources to rural volunteer fire departments, enabling firefighters across the state meet a basic level of safe performance and professional development. In addition, National Fire Academy (NFA) classes are created and ran out of this section.

    Basic Firefighter Training
    • Regional Recruit Academy – Basic Firefighter 1 curriculum delivered regionally on a specific schedule concluding with International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Firefighter 1 certification testing.
    • Regional Block Classes – One or two-day Basic Firefighter classes scheduled and hosted regionally.
    • FTA Block Classes – One or two-day classes scheduled and hosted at the FTA.

    National Fire Academy Classes
    Coordinates and/or delivers courses on behalf of the National Emergency Training Center (FEMA) Outreach Training.
    • Current Two-Day Off-Campus Classes
    • Current Six-Day Off-Campus Classes

    FTA Basic Firefighter I Recruit Academy Scholarship
    There is tremendous value when firefighters achieve ISFAC Firefighter I certification. This value extends not only to the individual firefighter, but to the entire community being served. To assist firefighters in achieving ISFAC Firefighter I certification, the FTA is offering a scholarship program exclusively for volunteer firefighters. Successful candidates attend the Weekend Recruit Academy at the FTA every Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday for three months.

    Class Announcements for Open Classes

    Class announcements for RDD and NFA classes are posted via Daily Dispatch and via Washington State Fire Fighters’ Association (calendar).

    For more information please contact Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Howard Scartozzi at 425-401-7732 or via e-mail at Howard.Scartozzi@wsp.wa.gov.

  • Certification & Testing Only

    Many of the FTA’s Open Enrollment Courses conclude with IFSAC testing and evaluation. (check associated Course Announcement if IFSAC testing is offered with the course). Tests are conducted by certified IFSAC Evaluators. Once the test is complete, the State Fire Marshal’s Office Accreditation and Certification Program processes and approves the completed tests. Please contact the Accreditation and Certification Program directly if you have questions regarding IFSAC Certifications.

    Testing Only – Add-Ons for Practical and Written Testing Only
    Students may submit a Testing Only Registration form and IFSAC Candidate Application to add-on to any IFSAC testing scheduled at the Fire Training Academy. Applications will be placed on a waitlist and accepted on a space available basis, approximately 30 days prior to the test date. The cost for adding on to testing is $104.00 for practical only evaluations, $104.00 for written only testing, and $185.00 for both tests.

    Testing add-ons to Firefighter I and Firefighter II will be given the opportunity to participate in our Live Fire tests prior to the IFSAC testing dates if space is available and Instructional Staff approves of the add-on, please reference the IFSAC testing schedules below for the Live Fire dates associated with those tests. If you cannot make the Live Fire testing dates associated with Firefighter I or Firefighter II IFSAC testing, the Fire Training Academy will not allow you to add-on to future Live Fire testing dates. To register as an add-on to any Firefighter I or Firefighter II IFSAC testing, register for the main testing, not the Live Fire test date. The Live Fire test date will be verified with you via e-mail after registering for the main test date.

    Please e-mail FTARegister@wsp.wa.gov or call 425-453-3000 ext 0 with any questions regarding adding onto our tests

    • Testing Only Registration Form
    • IFSAC Testing Candidate Application
    • 2024 IFSAC Testing Schedule by Month
    • 2024 IFSAC Testing Schedule by Course
    • 2024 Live Fire Only IFSAC Testing Schedule

    • 2025 IFSAC Testing Schedule by Month
    • 2025 IFSAC Testing Schedule by Course
    • 2025 Live Fire Only IFSAC Testing Schedule

Facilities

  • Requesting Facility Use

    Please e-mail FireTrainingAcademy@wsp.wa.gov for more information regarding our facilities or to request a copy of our site map.

  • Apartment-Style Burn Building

    The Apartment Burn Building simulates a three-story apartment building that has five burn pits in total, which meets the NFPA 1001 requirements for Firefighter I. On the first floor, there are three burn pits. On the second floor and third floors, there is one burn pit on each floor. There are two forcible entry doors in this structure. The roof of this burn building offers a pitched roof prop, as well as a flat roof prop, which are available for training use. The building has a standpipe system built into it that departments are able to connect to and continue their fire attack. Though departments are able to utilize this standpipe system to fight fire, the system is not to be used as a safety line for the training. These buildings have the ability to have a smoke machine or a burn barrel to be utilized to create smoke and generate a zero- or limited-visibility training environment. This structure has the ability to conduct Multiple Company Operations (MCOs) and other live fire trainings. Please contact the Fire Training Academy for the floor plans for this structure.

  • Residential Burn Building

    The Residential Burn Building simulates a single-family residence with a daylight basement, meeting the NFPA 1001 requirements for Firefighter I. On the first floor, there are two burn pits with multiple other rooms. On the basement level, there is one burn pit with multiple other rooms. There is 1 forcible entry door located on this structure, with a functional ventilation prop on this roof of this structure. The building has a standpipe system built into it that departments are able to connect to and continue their fire attack. Though departments are able to utilize this standpipe system to fight fire, the system is not to be used as a safety line for the training. These buildings have the ability to have a smoke machine or a burn barrel to be utilized to create smoke and generate a zero- or limited-visibility training environment. This structure has the ability to conduct Multiple Company Operations (MCOs), fire behavior and/or attack labs (Fire Control I/Burn to Learn), and other live fire trainings. Please contact the Fire Training Academy for the floor plans for this structure.

  • Burn Tower

    The Burn Tower has been decommissioned from live fire burns, but is available for Search and Rescue and other non-live fire trainings. This structure is a six-story tower, which has a small room, a residential search prop, a commercial search prop, and a confidence builder (“The Maze”).

  • Burn Building Pole Shed (a.k.a. The Dirty Classroom)

    This building is in close proximity to the burn building that can be used for safety briefings, instructional talks, after action reviews, and as a rehab station. It is a “dirty classroom” which allows saturated PPE to be worn in this area. It has plenty of bench seating, lockers for hanging or storing gear, bottle racks for spare SCBA bottles, white boards and ICS accountability boards.

  • ARFF Building

    The ARFF building is designated for Weekday and Weekend Recruit Academies. It can be utilized for classroom instruction or meetings on a limited basis.

  • Classrooms

    There are three classrooms on our campus; Classroom D, Classroom M, and our Hazmat Classroom. Classroom D has restrooms and four shower stalls. All classrooms have lap top computers, DVD/VCR, and 60” TV’s.

  • Forcible Entry Prop

    This prop is a redesigned shipping container with multiple stations for hands-on, forcible entry instruction. The stations include a breachable cinder block wall, 6 cutting stations (secured window, secured door, lag bolts, roll-up doors, garage doors, rebar tree) and breachable inward/outward swing doors. This prop also has a dry wall ceiling prop used to simulate overhaul and extension.

  • Hazmat Building

    The Hazmat Building is a 100’ x 100’ high bay building with a classroom currently set up for 26 students. Available props inside the building include a search & rescue maze, a confined space area, a working hydrant and hose, simulated hose beds, simulated openings for ladder rescues, a Denver prop, an entanglement prop, and limited profile props.

  • Hazmat Outside Props

    Currently there are four props located outside the Hazmat Building. The props include a 1-ton chlorine container prop, the low pressure rail tank car, and the vertical tank prop.

  • Flammable Liquid Pads

    Flammable liquid fire training props at the FTA are designed for firefighters to have access to multiple types of flammable liquid fires. Firefighters can practice tactics and strategies in a controlled learning environment on the following props:

    • Flam Pad 1 – Cars at the Curb (a.k.a. Car Fires): Interior and engine fire simulations.
    • Flam Pad 2 – Overturned Tanker: Cooling of tank and valve shut off.
    • Flam Pad 3 – Portable fire extinguishers (Dry Chemical, CO2): Running flammable liquids and trough fires.
    • Flam Pad 4 – Pool Fire: Foam applications (Only Recruit Academy allowed to use at this time).
    • Flam Pad 5 – Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) fires, BLEVE valve prop, natural gas tree fires, household gas meter fires, class A fires, and dumpster fires.
    • Flam Pad 6 – – Helo Prop: Simulated helicopter fire.
    • Flam Pad 8 – Gasoline fed flange fires.

    Flam Pad Support Buildings with first aid room, seating and storage areas.

  • Ventilation Props

    The FTA has 3 ventilation props onsite. They are a commercial flat roof prop, a low-pitched residential roof prop, and a steep-pitched residential roof prop.

  • Dormitory

    The dormitory is a two story building that has 20 dorm rooms. Each dorm room has two beds with the exception of two Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant rooms that have two bunk beds and a restroom/shower in each room. There is a common room located on the first floor with a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffee maker, a sink, and storage areas. There are also two separate female and male restrooms and shower areas.

  • Dining Facility

    At this time food service is only provided for the Recruit Academy Program, for health and safety restrictions associated with our current food catering contract. Therefore no other agencies my use this facility currently. The dining hall was rebuilt in 2018 and can feed up to 40 people at one time.

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