Pathway guide
Firefighting Pathway Guide
At a glance
This guide covers a high school firefighting pathway in Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Hawaii. It sets out the rules that differ by state. The how-to for staffing, partnerships, approvals, facilities, curriculum and scheduling sits in six implementation toolkits, linked in the launch steps at the end.
What the pathway leads to
Firefighters are certified, not licensed, and the certificate comes from each state’s fire training agency, not the education agency. The core credentials are Firefighter I and Firefighter II, built on the national standard NFPA 1010 (2024), which replaced NFPA 1001, and accredited by IFSAC or the Pro Board. Hazardous Materials Operations is a prerequisite in most states, and several states also require emergency medical training, so the pathway pairs naturally with Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) or EMT. After high school, students join a career or volunteer department, enter a department recruit academy, or continue in a college fire science program.
The decisions you face
- Whether students can certify before graduation. Virginia certifies at 16 with parental consent; Pennsylvania allows 17 with conditions; Michigan lets registered cadets and explorers test at 16 to 18. North Carolina, Arizona and (per its own HazMat booklets) Missouri wait until 18, and Hawaii has no state certification. Where certification waits, plan a testing step after graduation.
- Which fire department you partner with. Almost every youth route runs through department membership: a cadet, explorer or junior program. The partner also supplies live fire training, gear and often the instructor.
- Who teaches it. You need a teacher who meets both the education agency’s industry route and the fire agency’s instructor rules. Some states require a qualified fire instructor or an approved proctor who is not the teacher.
- How you handle live fire. Live burns are the sharpest limit for minors. Follow the national live fire training standard, keep a state-credentialed instructor on site, and get written parent and chief permission where the state requires it.
- Whether to add EMR or EMT. In several states EMR, EMT, CPR and HazMat are the credentials a student can actually earn before 18.
Where the states differ most
| Topic | Range across the seven states |
|---|---|
| Age to certify as Firefighter I | 16 with consent (Virginia) to 18 (North Carolina, Arizona, likely Missouri); no state certification in Hawaii |
| Under-18 routes | Virginia at 16; Pennsylvania at 17 with Act 155 permissions; Michigan cadets and explorers aged 16 to 18 |
| National standard in use | NFPA 1010 (2024) in Michigan, Missouri and Pennsylvania; NFPA 1001 (2019) in North Carolina; NFPA 1001 with no edition stated in Virginia and Arizona |
| Junior firefighter law | Statute in Virginia and Pennsylvania; guidance in North Carolina; course-access rule only in Michigan; none found in Arizona, Missouri or Hawaii |
| Projected job growth, 2024 to 2034 | From 1.4% (Michigan) to 8.1% (Virginia); not published for Pennsylvania or Hawaii |
Items are labeled Confirmed, Confirm with the agency, or Changing. Last checked October 5, 2026.
Jobs and pay
Paid firefighter jobs are projected to grow in every state with published projections, fastest in Virginia and slowest in Michigan. These figures count paid workers only: many firefighters are volunteers who are not counted in the federal wage survey, so volunteer departments are an added source of placements and future members in every state.
Firefighter jobs are projected to grow fastest in Virginia and slowest in Michigan
Projected change in paid firefighter jobs (SOC 33-2011), 2024 to 2034. Pennsylvania and Hawaii not published.
Show the numbers
| State | Projected change, 2024 to 2034 |
|---|---|
| Virginia | +8.1% |
| North Carolina | +6.0% |
| Arizona | +5.7% |
| Missouri | +3.5% |
| Michigan | +1.4% |
| United States | +3.4% |
| State | Median annual wage, May 2025 | Jobs in 2024 | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $54,640 | 8,060 | 610 |
| Virginia | $58,670 | 11,070 | 940 |
| North Carolina | $37,940 | 18,140 | 1,490 |
| Arizona | $59,280 | 4,940 | 400 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,460 | Not published | Not published |
| Missouri | $49,080 | 5,650 | 440 |
| Hawaii | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| United States | 344,900 | 27,100 |
Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state file (Firefighters, SOC 33-2011); jobs and openings are from state long-term projections via Projections Central. Pennsylvania’s projections and all Hawaii firefighter figures are not published in these files. Ask your county or regional departments, career and volunteer, about their hiring and membership needs before you decide.
Credentials students can earn
Firefighter I and II are issued by each state’s fire training agency, not by a national testing company, and the agency sets the age, prerequisites and course rules. The table shows the national pieces every state builds on.
| Credential | How it works | What a school needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter I and Firefighter II | National standard NFPA 1010 (2024) combines the former NFPA 1001, 1002, 1003 and 1005. Firefighter I is Chapter 6, Firefighter II is Chapter 7, and a new Support Firefighter level is Chapter 5. NFPA sets no minimum age. | An approved course through the state fire training agency, with its instructors, proctors and live burns. The agency, not the school, holds IFSAC or Pro Board accreditation. | . : states are moving from NFPA 1001 to 1010 on different dates. |
| Hazardous Materials Operations | National standard is now NFPA 470 (2022), which replaced NFPA 472 and 1072. A prerequisite for Firefighter I in most states. | Usually delivered with or before Firefighter I. Check the age rule: Missouri’s HazMat booklets set 18. | |
| Emergency medical training (CPR/AED, first aid, EMR or EMT) | Required for Firefighter I in Pennsylvania (CPR/AED and emergency medical training), North Carolina (Emergency Medical Care) and Arizona (provider CPR before testing). EMT is often available earlier than Firefighter certification. | A CPR provider course; for EMR or EMT, a state-approved EMS training program. See the EMT Pathway Guide. | |
| Incident Command System (ICS 100, 200, 700) | FEMA courses, online. Prerequisites in Missouri and North Carolina. | No school approval needed. |
The EMT Pathway Guide covers EMT ages and course rules by state: EMT Pathway Guide.
What each state counts
| State | Credentials a student can earn in high school | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Michigan Firefighter I and II with Hazardous Materials Operations through the Fire Fighters Training Council (FFTC). Under-18 students can sit the final exams only as registered cadets or explorers (see Licensing and outside approvals). Example: Careerline Tech Center (Ottawa ISD) lists Firefighter I and II and HazMat Operations. | . : whether a cadet who passes at 16 or 17 is certified at once or at 18. |
| Virginia | VDFP Firefighter I and II exams (free; Firefighter I is 100 items, 120 minutes, 70% to pass). Students can certify at 16 with parental consent. Example: Fairfax County’s Chantilly Academy adds CPR, HazMat Operations and Mayday Awareness. | |
| North Carolina | In school: NCOSFM Firefighter Technology I, II and III course credentials (stackable, lifetime, 70% to pass, no retakes, proctored by an approved OSFM proctor who is not the teacher). State Firefighter certification waits until 18 and needs a diploma or GED. | |
| Arizona | 2026-27 list for Fire Service (43.0202.00), counted for A-F and CTED: AzCFSE Fire Fighter I and II, Animal Decontamination, APCO Public Safety Telecommunicator-1, BLS for Healthcare Provider, CPAT, EMR, EMT, HazMat First Responder Operations and Awareness, Wildland Firefighter. FEMA EMI and Eastern Arizona College Fire Science Levels 1 and 2 count for CTED only. AzCFSE testing waits until 18, so EMR, BLS, HazMat and CPAT are the credentials students usually earn while enrolled. | |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Fire Service Voluntary Certification: Firefighter I at 18, or at 17 with the conditions below. Prerequisites: HazMat Operations to NFPA 470 within one year, Support Firefighter (NFPA 1010 Chapter 5), CPR/AED and emergency medical training. Program examples also list Essentials of Firefighting, HazMat Awareness, NIMS and NREMT EMT. | |
| Missouri | Division of Fire Safety (DFS) Fire Fighter I and II (NFPA 1010; IFSAC and Pro Board). Prerequisites: DFS HazMat Awareness and Operations, ICS 100, 200 and 700, first aid with CPR and AED, department membership, and a high school diploma or GED. Whether DFS certifications are on DESE’s approved credential list was not found. | for DFS rules. : minimum age and DESE list. |
| Hawaii | No state Firefighter I or II certification for school programs. Students can earn CPR and first aid through county youth programs such as Maui Fire Department Next Gen. |
In Missouri, the DFS HazMat booklets (2019) set 18 and a diploma, home school completion or verified college acceptance, with other cases reviewed one by one. One career center reports 17 by October 31 of the training year. Ask DFS before you promise a credential at graduation.
Working with minors
For the full federal and state rules, a task-by-task decision path and a student-learner agreement template, see Working with Minors in CTE Pathways.
Federal rules
Federal child labor rules apply to employment. No federal hazardous occupations order covers structural firefighting, and the list of work barred for 14- and 15-year-olds (29 CFR 570.33) does not mention firefighting. Wildland firefighting is different.
| Federal rule | What it covers | Exemption? |
|---|---|---|
| HO 4, forest fire fighting (29 CFR 570.54) | Bars 16- and 17-year-old employees from forest and wildland fire fighting: controlling and extinguishing fires, wetting down areas, extinguishing spot fires and patrolling burned areas. Some fire prevention work is allowed when it does not support active suppression. | No. There is no student-learner or apprentice exemption. |
| HO 2, motor vehicle driving | Limits on-the-job driving by paid minors. | Keep juniors out of the driver’s seat; North Carolina’s junior standard also bars driving. |
| USDA Forest Service minimum age (2005 memo) | Sets 18 for hazardous wildland fire duties; crews of 16- and 17-year-olds only in logistical support. | Not applicable |
Volunteer status matters. Federal rules define a public-agency volunteer as someone who serves without promise, expectation or receipt of pay (29 CFR 553.101; DOL Fact Sheet 14A). Unpaid junior members of a public or non-profit department likely fall outside federal child labor rules, but DOL has issued nothing applying this to minors, and stipends or pay per call could change the answer. Whether a student placed at a fire department through a school course counts as employed is not settled (: DOL Wage and Hour Division). State junior firefighter rules are the working rule.
Keep wildland suppression content in the classroom, or delay it until 18, for any student who is paid. NIOSH’s 2024 junior firefighter guidance (Publication 2024-114) tells departments to follow state child labor law and to follow the national live fire training standard when juniors train with live fire.
State rules
| State | What 16- and 17-year-olds may do | What you file | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Volunteer fire company members aged 16 and older, with parental approval, are exempt from the child labor chapter to seek Firefighter I certification, take part in company activities and do nonhazardous work (Va. Code 40.1-79.1). They may not enter a burning structure until certified, except in training toward that certification (40.1-100(D)(3)). | Parental consent form to VDFP before the first class. | |
| Pennsylvania | Ages 14 to 17 need a work permit and the junior firefighter permission form with parental consent. At 14 and 15: training, first aid, cleanup outside danger zones and fire prevention only. At 16 and 17: firefighting with required training, advanced rescue and interior training. Act 155 of 2022 lets 17-year-olds train on live-burn interior modules with parent and chief permission and a credentialed State Fire Academy instructor on site. No interior live fire suppression at a real incident until 18. Hours at 16 and 17 during school: 8 a day, 28 a week. | Work permit; Act 155 permission form signed by parent and chief, with the student 17 on the first day of the accredited interior course. | . : codified section numbers (L&I). |
| North Carolina | Commission Junior Member Standard (2009, guidance): supervised training, riding belted in cabs, rehab support, cleanup after scenes are safe, entering structures with adults in non-IDLH areas, pump and hose work outside danger zones. Bars structure and vehicle fire suppression, technical rescue, driving, extrication and hazmat response beyond cold zone support. Silent on live fire training and SCBA. | Youth employment certificate for any paid work. | (guidance, not rule) |
| Michigan | No fire or volunteer provision in the Youth Employment Standards Act. The fire training rules control course access: cadets and explorers aged 16 to 18 in a council-registered department program (R 29.405). | Youth work permit through LEO’s online portal for paid work (from October 2, 2026). | . : the portal is new. |
| Arizona | No fire or volunteer provision on the state hazardous occupation list. CTE students are exempt from the state child labor sections (A.R.S. 23-235), but federal rules, including HO 4, still apply. | None found for 16- and 17-year-olds. | |
| Missouri | No junior firefighter statute found. State child labor restrictions reach under-16 only. | None found for 16- and 17-year-olds. | : Missouri Department of Labor |
| Hawaii | State hazardous occupation rules (HAR 12-25) have no firefighting order and no volunteer exemption. At 16 and 17, the logging order allows forest protection work such as clearing fire trails and serving as a fire lookout. Federal HO 4 still bars paid wildland suppression. Honolulu has no volunteer firefighters; Hawaii County volunteers start at 18. | Certificate of Age (eCL-3) for paid work. | . : DLIR on whether the posted rule text is current. |
The practical effect: any fireground or live fire activity by a minor runs through fire department membership, with written parent and chief permission where the state requires it. In Pennsylvania, never run a live burn with 17-year-olds unless a credentialed State Fire Academy instructor is on site; L&I fined a fire company in 2023 after a 17-year-old was hurt in an unsupervised burn.
Licensing and outside approvals
The state fire training agency, not the education agency, controls Firefighter certification. Each has its own course approval, instructor, proctor and age rules, and each holds IFSAC or Pro Board accreditation for the certificates it issues. You need both state CTE program approval and the fire agency’s course approval.
| State | Agency | What it approves | Ages and hours | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Fire Fighters Training Council (FFTC), LARA Bureau of Fire Services | Registers each course before the council agenda deadline (R 29.402). Courses funded by fireworks fees need at least 8 people registered in the training information network 72 hours before the start. From October 1, 2025, the council approves only one curriculum: Jones & Bartlett Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills, 5th edition, with the JB Learning platform. Students must belong to an organized Michigan fire department or be preservice students at a recognized Regional Training Center. | 18 on the final exam date, unless the student is a cadet (16 to 18, in a council-registered fire or public safety department cadet program) or an explorer (16 to 18, in a council-approved Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of the USA explorer program, R 29.401(1)(j)). The department files a letter of declaration, the local government’s charter or resolution and the chief’s documentation. Firefighter I with HazMat Operations 240 hours; Firefighter II 55; combined 295. No more than 10% absence; 100% of practical skills hours. On NFPA 1010 (2024). | |
| Virginia | Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP), IFSAC and Pro Board | Issues Firefighter I and II certification. Students must be affiliated with a fire or rescue organization. How a high school registers its course with VDFP, and any lead time, was not found. | 16 to enroll; students 16 to 18 need a signed parental consent form before the first class or are dismissed without credit. Firefighter I about 162 hours and Firefighter II about 52, excluding orientation and exams. HazMat Operations required for Firefighter I. Students supply full PPE and SCBA with a spare cylinder (2021 guidelines). Accreditation page cites NFPA 1001 with no 1010 date. | (2021 guidelines). : current guidelines, course registration, NFPA 1010 date. |
| North Carolina | NC Fire and Rescue Commission and Office of State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM), IFSAC | Controls the school credentials through instructor qualification (a Qualified NCOSFM Fire Instructor for Firefighter Technology I) and approved test proctors who are not the teacher. No separate program registration step was found. | 18 for state Firefighter certification; coursework can come earlier. Prerequisites: diploma or GED, TIMS (FIP 7000), Emergency Medical Care (FIP 7001), Mayday/Safety and Survival (FIP 6413), HazMat Operations. Still on NFPA 1001 (2019). | . : any program registration. |
| Arizona | Arizona Center for Fire Service Excellence (AzCFSE), IFSAC | An approved adjunct instructor submits the program application at least 30 days before the program starts and the test request at least 60 days before the test date, and sends the final roster at least three weeks before the test date (AzCFSE Policies 2023). The older 2022 program sheet gives 14 days for the roster; follow the 2023 policy. Live burns are required to test; the syllabus states burn location, dates and types. No department affiliation required. | 18 before certification testing; HazMat and provider CPR first. No under-18 route found. AzCFSE’s 2023 policy names NFPA 1001 and does not state the edition. | . : the NFPA edition and any move to NFPA 1010, and whether the 2023 policy is still current. |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania State Fire Academy (PSFA), Office of the State Fire Commissioner; Pro Board or IFSAC | Accredits the Entry Level Firefighter I course used for testing. Courses run through the Local Level Training Program: the sponsor applies to the Educational Training Agency (ETA) serving its county, and most ETAs need at least six weeks’ lead time. Affiliation and fire chief approval required. Whether a CTE center can be its own ETA was not stated. | 18, or 17 with a PSFA-accredited Entry Level Firefighter I course including interior live fire, written parent permission and chief approval. A 17-year-old certified at Firefighter I may not do interior suppression at an incident until 18. General course enrollment from 14; suppression courses 18 except the Act 155 route. On NFPA 1010 (2024), effective March 1, 2026. | . : CTE center delivery (OSFC/PSFA). |
| Missouri | Division of Fire Safety (DFS), State Fire Marshal; IFSAC and Pro Board. A voluntary program under RSMo 320.202. | Requires an approved Fire Fighter course; courses may be delivered locally under the DFS Certification Program Handbooks. Applicants need a diploma or GED, Missouri residency or employment, membership in a Missouri fire department or emergency services organization, and no felony conviction. Approval steps and lead time are in the DFS Certification Policy and Procedure Manual (July 2025), which could not be read. | The statute sets no age. The DFS HazMat booklets (2019) set 18 for HazMat Awareness, a Firefighter I prerequisite. Firefighter I exam: 100 questions, 2 hours, 70%; Firefighter II: 50 questions, 60 minutes. On NFPA 1010. | for the requirements, including the HazMat booklet’s age of 18 (DFS booklet, checked October 5, 2026). : Firefighter I minimum age, lead time. |
| Hawaii | None. No state fire training or certification agency serves school programs. The only Pro Board accredited agency is the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports (aircraft rescue). | Not applicable. County departments train and certify their own recruits in-house. A school program partners with a county department youth program. | Honolulu Fire Explorers 14 to 21; Maui Fire Department Next Gen 16 to 21; Hawaii County volunteers 18. | . : whether any county certifies through IFSAC or Pro Board. |
Missouri’s certification program rests on RSMo 320.202 and DFS policy. No Missouri administrative rule sets firefighter certification terms, so the DFS policy manual is the document to ask about.
The live fire training standard, NFPA 1403, has been folded into the new NFPA 1400 (2026), with live fire content in Chapters 16 to 21 (). Ask your state fire training agency which one it cites.
Who can teach
A firefighting teacher usually needs two approvals: the education agency’s CTE credential, often on an industry route, and the fire training agency’s instructor or evaluator status to deliver a certification course. Pennsylvania counts volunteer firefighting toward the teaching certificate. The Staffing toolkit covers recruiting, pay and shared staffing with fire departments: Staffing toolkit.
| State | Education credential for an industry hire | Fire agency instructor rules | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Public Safety/Protective Services (43.0100) is taught by instructors with recent and relevant experience in fire (occupational code 17.2801) or law enforcement training. An Annual Career Authorization is possible when no certified teacher is available, with experience within the prior 10 years. | FFTC Fire Instructor I needs Firefighter II and 36 months of experience (R 29.405c); Instructor II needs Instructor I, 5 years and 40 documented instruction hours (R 29.405d). | . : whether the classroom teacher must be an FFTC instructor. |
| Virginia | No teacher licensure rule appears on the Firefighting I and II course pages. | Not confirmed. | : VDOE and VDFP |
| North Carolina | License 74099, Trade and Industrial Education: Public Safety. Work experience in any public safety field: 2 years with a bachelor’s, 4 with an associate, 6 with a high school diploma. | A Qualified NCOSFM Fire Instructor is required for Firefighter Technology I. Course credential tests are proctored by an approved OSFM proctor who is not the teacher. | |
| Arizona | Standard CTE Industrial and Emerging Technologies certificate (SCTIET) or Standard Specialized CTE certificate (SSCTEIET). Option C: 6,000 hours of verified work experience plus 15 semester hours of CTE professional knowledge, no degree. | AzCFSE approved adjunct instructor to submit the program. Skills evaluators need Firefighter II, an instructor credential (Fire Instructor I, NFA Educational Methodology, EDU 250, M410 or equivalent) and practical instruction within 18 months. | |
| Pennsylvania | Career and Technical Instructional I. Experience options include four years of volunteer experience as a firefighter or EMT, or four years of wage-earning experience (two with a bachelor’s). Pass the occupational competency assessment (Protective Services Occupations) and complete 18 credits in an approved CTE teacher program. | A credentialed State Fire Academy instructor must be on site for any live burn with 17-year-olds. Departments can sponsor courses and hire instructors through the PSFA learning management system. | |
| Missouri | Career Education certificate on work experience (bachelor’s plus 4,000 hours, associate plus 5,000, or 6,000 hours). The fire-specific certificate title was not confirmed. | DFS Fire Service Instructor I and II need 3 years in fire protection or emergency services, or a director’s letter. | for DFS. : DESE certificate title. |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Teacher Standards Board CTE field, or a CTE Permit: HIDOE employee, no licensed teacher available, high school diploma, 3 years of full-time field experience and industry credentials where they exist. | None at state level; county department partners supply skills instructors. | . : the field name for Fire and Emergency Services. |
Instructor certifications worth funding
A Fire Instructor I credential from your state fire training agency lets the teacher deliver or evaluate certification courses where the fire agency requires its own instructors (Michigan, North Carolina and Arizona among them). Firefighter II is a prerequisite for it in Michigan and for skills evaluators in Arizona. If you add EMR or EMT, you also need a state-certified EMS instructor; see the EMT Pathway Guide.
Program, curriculum and lab
A firefighting program needs state CTE program approval and, for certification, the fire training agency’s course approval (see Licensing and outside approvals). The Approvals toolkit lists each state’s CTE process and deadlines.
Program codes by state
| State | State program | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Public Safety/Protective Services (43.0100), the only law and public safety CIP on MDE’s list. Fire training runs inside it, often alongside law enforcement content. No separate fire science (43.0203) secondary program was found. | |
| Virginia | Firefighting I (8705: 280 hours, 2 credits, grades 10 and 11) and Firefighting II (8706: 140 hours, 1 credit, grades 11 and 12, Firefighting I first). Both require students to be 16 by the first day, with parental consent. Course pages cite NFPA 1001 (2019) and OSHA compliance. | . : CIP code. |
| North Carolina | Firefighter Technology pathway: Firefighter Technology I (IP31), II (IP32, concentrator) and III Honors (IP33: 135 to 150 hours, up to 25 students), with Public Safety I (IP11), Emergency Medical Technology I and II Honors (IP21, IP22), Emergency Management I Honors (IP51) and work-based learning. An approved Career and College Promise pathway. | |
| Arizona | Fire Service (43.0202.00). Fire Service I (43.0202.10) and II (43.0202.20) required; III, IV, dual credit, internship and cooperative education optional (dual credit and co-op need a Cooperative Education endorsement). State Technical Skills Assessment in fall and spring windows. At least 51% hands-on time. | |
| Pennsylvania | SOAR program of study Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (43.9999). No separate fire science program on the SOAR list. | . : whether PDE approves a stand-alone fire program. |
| Missouri | Not confirmed as a state program code. DESE lists a Fire Science/Firefighting curriculum profile (2002, modified 2006) under Skilled Technical Sciences. Current course and CIP codes sit in DESE’s Approved Course List, behind sign-in. | : DESE Skilled Technical Sciences |
| Hawaii | Fire and Emergency Services, one of three programs in the Law and Public Safety pathway, entered through Foundations of Law and Public Safety (TLL1000). | . : course codes and which schools offer it. |
In Missouri, schools offer firefighting now through area career centers. Cass Career Center’s Fire Science program (grades 11 and 12) prepares students for DFS Firefighter I and II and HazMat exams, NIMS, BLS and OSHA-10. To formalize a new program, ask DESE Skilled Technical Sciences for the course and CIP codes, then file the career education program application. In Michigan, schools formalize by running the FFTC course inside 43.0100 through a fire department cadet program, so students can test before 18. In Hawaii, a school program pairs the Fire and Emergency Services courses with a county department youth program.
The lab
The programs found run live burns at a fire department or regional training facility: Fairfax County’s Chantilly Academy uses the Fairfax Fire and Rescue Academy, and Arizona requires the syllabus to state burn location, dates and types.
- Live fire. Follow the national live fire training standard (NFPA 1403, now folded into NFPA 1400). In Pennsylvania, a credentialed State Fire Academy instructor must be on site for any burn with 17-year-olds.
- Gear. Virginia’s guidelines require each student to have full PPE and SCBA with a spare cylinder. Plan who supplies, fits and maintains it: the school or the partner department.
- Skills space. Hose, ladder, rescue and HazMat skills need an apparatus bay or drill ground. Arrange access with your partner department if you do not have one.
- Physical readiness. Arizona lists the CPAT physical ability test as a credential. No state certifying agency found requires a medical exam for trainees under 18 ().
PPE and SCBA are equipment and can fit state equipment funds: Michigan’s 61v (round 2 closed July 1, 2026; FY2026-27 shows $0), Pennsylvania’s Supplemental Equipment Grant and CTE Competitive Equipment Grant, Virginia’s CTE Equipment Grant and Missouri’s Enhancement Grant (75% for equipment of $5,000 or more per unit). The Facilities toolkit has the funding table.
Curriculum
Match the curriculum to your fire training agency’s requirement. Michigan’s FFTC approves only Jones & Bartlett Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills, 5th edition, with the JB Learning platform, from FY 2026. North Carolina uses the state Firefighter Technology courses. Check that course materials name the NFPA edition your state agency currently tests (1010 or 1001). The Curriculum toolkit has a review rubric.
Credit after high school
| State | College credit | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Statewide agreement posted by MDE with North Central Michigan College: 43.0100 to the Fire Science with Basic Fire Academy AAS, 12 credits for FIRE 110. Conditions: B or better, the full state-approved program, a valid FFTC Firefighter I and II certificate, and application within 2 years of graduation. Effective March 1, 2024, through March 1, 2029. Careerline Tech Center also lists articulated credit at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. | |
| Virginia | No statewide agreement confirmed. Virginia community colleges offer Fire Science Career Studies Certificates. | : VCCS |
| North Carolina | Firefighter Technology is an approved Career and College Promise CTE pathway; the community college program it maps to was not confirmed. Example: Guilford Technical Community College’s High School Fire Cadet program (Firefighter Technology I to III in high school, then a 40-hour course after graduation for state Firefighter I and II; 2.8 GPA; fees and gear covered). | . : NCCCS on the mapped pathway. |
| Arizona | No statewide articulation agreement found. Eastern Arizona College Fire Science Levels 1 and 2 are on the state credential list (CTED only). Dual credit is an optional course in the Fire Service sequence. | Confirm locally |
| Pennsylvania | SOAR program 43.9999 is the statewide route: credits for students with a 2.75 GPA in technical courses, a completed task list and a qualifying end-of-program score, used within 16 months of graduation. Example: Lancaster County CTC articulates to Pennsylvania College of Technology; Pittsburgh Public Schools lists free Community College of Allegheny County credits. | . : the current 43.9999 articulation list (PDE). |
| Missouri | No statewide agreement found. Cass Career Center lists up to 13 credits at Metropolitan Community College. | Confirm locally |
| Hawaii | No statewide agreement found. Hawaii Community College offers Fire Science (A.S. and Certificate of Achievement) and Honolulu Community College offers Fire and Environmental Emergency Response. Early College and Running Start are the statewide dual-credit routes. | Confirm with the college |
Where certification waits until 18, the credit and the credential often come together after graduation. Michigan’s North Central agreement requires the FFTC certificate, and North Carolina’s fire cadet model finishes certification in a short course after graduation. Build that step into the student’s plan before senior year ends.
Academic credit
Firefighting courses count as CTE credit. Any use of them in place of a core academic course is a local decision. Before you approve one, confirm that the student still meets the admission course requirements of the state’s public universities: a CTE course used in place of English, math, science or social studies may not count toward them.
- Arizona. The university admission system (ABOR) approved Nogales High School’s Fire Science I and II on September 3, 2025 as meeting the CTE competency area for university admission. Submit your own course for the same approval.
- Missouri. DESE’s graduation handbook names two local options: waive one academic unit after a three-unit program of study, or substitute an LEA-approved CTE course for one core unit (: DESE).
- Michigan. No state crosswalk for 43.0100 fire content to Michigan Merit Curriculum credit was found. Where that gap exists, use the S4IS CTE Crosswalk prototype (Product A) as interim guidance, and keep the Michigan Merit Curriculum course count intact for university admission.
- Other states. Check the Curriculum toolkit and your state’s graduation rules before awarding academic credit.
Launch steps
Work through these steps in order; several can run at the same time. The Launch guide links every toolkit.
| Step | What to do | Toolkit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Confirm regional demand | Check projected growth for your state and talk with career and volunteer departments about hiring, membership and recruit academies. | Scheduling and student timing toolkit |
| 2. Sign the fire department partnership | Set up a cadet, explorer or junior program with the partner department, covering membership, live fire, gear, apparatus access and instructors. In Michigan, the department registers the cadet or explorer program with the FFTC. | Clinical and work-based learning partnerships toolkit |
| 3. Contact the state fire training agency | Confirm the minimum age, NFPA edition, prerequisites, instructor and proctor rules, and course approval lead time (Arizona: application 30 days before the program starts and test request 60 days before testing; Pennsylvania ETAs about six weeks). | Approvals and applications toolkit |
| 4. File CTE program approval | Use your state’s process and deadline; confirm the credentials are on the state list. In Missouri, ask DESE for the course and CIP codes first. | Approvals and applications toolkit |
| 5. Hire the instructor | Use the state’s industry route and plan for Fire Instructor I or the agency’s evaluator status. In Pennsylvania, volunteer firefighting counts toward the certificate. | Staffing toolkit |
| 6. Add EMR or EMT and HazMat | Schedule HazMat Operations, CPR and emergency medical training so prerequisites are done before Firefighter I testing. See the EMT Pathway Guide. | Curriculum toolkit |
| 7. Plan live fire and gear | Book the burn facility, fit PPE and SCBA, and collect the permissions your state requires (Virginia parental consent; Pennsylvania Act 155 form with chief approval at 17). | Facilities and equipment toolkit |
| 8. Plan certification timing | Where students cannot certify before 18, schedule the post-graduation test and confirm the diploma or GED requirement (North Carolina, Missouri). | Scheduling and student timing toolkit |
| 9. Get credit agreements in writing | College articulation and any academic credit, with the effect on university admission stated, before recruiting. | Curriculum toolkit |
Review status and sources
Last checked October 5, 2026. An independent check on October 5, 2026 tested 18 claims against official sources and corrected 3. These items are open for reviewers:
- Missouri. Firefighter I minimum age (18 in the DFS HazMat booklets, confirmed on the DFS site Oct 5, 2026; 17 at one career center), the education route for current seniors, and course approval lead time, all in the DFS Certification Policy and Procedure Manual (July 2025). Ask DFS Training and Certification (Training@dfs.dps.mo.gov, 573-522-4849). Program CIP and course codes and whether DFS credentials are on the approved list: DESE Skilled Technical Sciences (DESE.STS@dese.mo.gov, 573-522-6001). Fire instructor certificate title: DESE Educator Certification.
- Michigan. Whether a cadet who passes at 16 or 17 is certified at once or at 18; how a CTE center documents a cadet program or qualifies as a Regional Training Center; whether the teacher must be an FFTC instructor. Ask LARA Bureau of Fire Services, FFTC.
- Virginia. Current VDFP Firefighter I and II guidelines (2021 copy used), NFPA 1010 transition date, high school course registration and whether affiliation applies to students; instructor endorsement and CIP. Ask VDFP (certificates@vdfp.virginia.gov) and VDOE. Statewide college credit: VCCS.
- North Carolina. The community college pathway Firefighter Technology maps to (NCCCS); whether 16- and 17-year-olds in school courses may do live fire training; any program registration step (NCOSFM).
- Arizona. NFPA edition and transition date (partly resolved Oct 5, 2026: the 2023 policy names NFPA 1001 without an edition); whether the 2023 policy (18 before testing, application and test request lead times) has changed. Ask AzCFSE.
- Pennsylvania. Whether a CTE center can be its own Educational Training Agency (OSFC/PSFA, 717-248-1115); codified sections for the junior firefighter rules and Act 155 (L&I); current SOAR 43.9999 articulation list (PDE).
- Hawaii. Fire and Emergency Services course codes and schools (HIDOE CTE); teacher license field (HTSB); whether any county certifies through IFSAC or Pro Board (county fire departments); whether the posted HAR 12-25 text is current (DLIR).
- Federal. Any guidance applying the volunteer definitions to minors at fire departments, and whether students placed through a school course are employed (DOL Wage and Hour Division).
- National standards. NFPA 1400 edition and effective date, and which states now cite NFPA 1400 instead of 1403 (NFPA and each state agency).
Changing: state moves from NFPA 1001 to 1010; NFPA 1403 consolidation into NFPA 1400; Michigan’s youth work permit portal (October 2, 2026).
Sources
Jobs and pay
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state file) and Projections Central long-term projections, 2024-2034
National standards and credentials
- NFPA 1010 standard page
- Oregon DPSST NFPA 1010 Firefighter Guide
- Fire Engineering, the new NFPA 1400 (Feb. 6, 2026)
- ADE 2026-27 Credentials List
- CTE Resource Center, Firefighter I certification exam
- NCOSFM Firefighter Technology I credential
State fire training agencies
- Michigan R 29.401 to R 29.418, LARA BFS course catalog (Dec. 29, 2025) and BFS memo on MFFTC training changes
- VDFP Accreditation and Certification and VDFP Firefighter I Administrative Guide (county-hosted copy)
- NCOSFM Fire Fighter certification and 580G program
- AzCFSE IFSAC accreditation, AzCFSE Policies 2023 and Certification Program Information
- PA Firefighter I application (July 2026) and OSFC Local-Level Training
- Missouri DFS Fire Fighter I/II, DFS application form, DFS HazMat booklet, DFS FAQ and RSMo 320.202
- Pro Board, Hawaii, Honolulu Fire FAQ, Maui Fire Department Next Gen and Hawaii County Volunteer Fire Division
Working with minors
- 29 CFR 570.54 (HO 4) and 29 CFR 570.33
- 29 CFR 570.54, Cornell LII copy
- 29 CFR 553.101 and DOL Fact Sheet 14A
- USDA Forest Service minimum age memo (2005) and NIOSH 2024-114
- Va. Code 40.1-79.1
- PA OSFC Junior Firefighters, Act 155 permission form and L&I release (Sept. 13, 2023)
- NC Junior Member Standard
- Michigan Youth Employment Standards Act
- Arizona ICA occupational restrictions
- HAR ch. 12-25
Instructors
- MDE CIP program endorsements list (May 2023)
- NC CTE Licensure Manual
- ADE Fire Service program description
- PDE Career and Technical Certification
Program and credit
- VDOE Firefighting I and Firefighting II
- NC CTE Firefighter Technology pathway
- ADE Fire Service and ADE Fire Service Quick Reference Guide
- PDE SOAR programs list
- DESE Skilled Technical Sciences and Cass Career Center Fire Science
- HIDOE CTE pathways and program standards
- MDE North Central Michigan College articulation
- GTCC Firefighter Cadet
- ASU course approval, Fire Science I and II
- Hawaii CC Fire Science and Honolulu CC Fire and Environmental Emergency Response
- Examples: Careerline Tech Center, Chantilly Academy, Union County Public Schools, Pittsburgh Public Schools ERT
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