Welcome!
We are excited to show what the WSFF JATC has to offer for all Washington State Firefighters and are always hoping to bring more departments on board with our program!
Program Overview
The WSFF JATC was founded in 2002 and is one of two state-wide Fire fighter apprenticeships within the United States. Currently, Washington State does not have a mandatory training program for professional fire fighters. It also lacks a compulsory credentialing system to assure fire fighters have the proper credentials to perform on state mobilization and other interoperability events. Even though, the Washington State Fire Marshal's Office administers the International Fire Service Congress (IFSAC) certification program in the state of Washington, there is no requirement for fire departments to train their personnel to these standards due to the State Constitution’s home rule.
The WSFF JATC provides a conduit for entry level fire fighters to receive certified basic level fire fighter training. This training is offered through a fire fighter recruit training program which provides financial incentives in the form of substantially reduced tuition to fire departments and their employees. The WSFF JATC training program is a three- year academic and on-the-job training (OJT) program consisting of a mandatory 660 hours in resident fire fighter recruit school. 6000 hours of OJT and an additional 250 hours of academic training.
The WSFF JATC contracts with Bates Technical College to provide 29 college credits for each new apprentice completing the required recruit academy with FTE funds provided by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). To meet the demand, Satellite (Offsite) academies are used to provide academy training. Upon completion of the recruit academy, a recruit will have International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or Proboard (International Accreditation for Fire Service Organizations) certification in Fire Fighter 1, Fire Fighter II, and Hazardous Materials Operations and Awareness.
The WSFF JATC also works with Bates and other Washington community colleges to provide five online courses of the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) model that will lead to an associate degree.
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WSFF JATC Apprentice Map
The training received by recruit fire fighters is the foundation to their lengthy careers. This on- the-job training coupled with academic education sets up the recruit fire fighter for career advancement opportunities as outlined in the International Fire Chiefs Professional Development handbook. After a trainee has completed the Fire Fighter program, they have the option to continue their training in additional programs the WSFF JATC offers.
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Additionally, the WSFF JATC offers the Fire Officer program. This program is a two-year, 4,000 hours, of on-the-job training and 370 hours of higher education. Working with local colleges we offer these courses to the participating departments. At the completion of the Fire Officer program a fire fighter will have an Associate degree.
WSFF JATC Does not dictate Department Training
Regular Firefighter Career
A Firefighter that enlists through typical means go to a Fire Academy where they drill to become a phenomenal firefighter and is a great career path, serving and protecting communities.
WSFF JATC Apprentice
Through the WSFF JATC Apprenticeship, recruits are able to push their Firefighting careers even further with additional education in various topics such as building construction to understand how structures and fire impact each other, or to pursue other roles such as becoming a driver/opperator and fire officer.
Points of Interest
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