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Firefighting in Pennsylvania
These pages summarize rules to help you plan. They are not legal advice. Before you place students at a work site or change a program, check with your state agency, your district's counsel and your insurance carrier.
In short
Pennsylvania students can earn Firefighter I at 17 through a PSFA-accredited course with parent and chief approval, but cannot fight interior fires at real incidents until 18.
State program: CIP 43.9999 Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other (SOAR POS 29); no stand-alone fire program on the SOAR list
What a high school can deliver
Firefighter I at 17 through a PSFA-accredited interior live fire course with parent and chief approval, or at 18; no interior suppression at incidents until 18.
Credentials students can earn
PA Fire Service Voluntary Certification Firefighter I (NFPA 1010, 2024; Pro Board or IFSAC); HazMat Operations (NFPA 470); CPR/AED; NIMS; NREMT EMT in some programs
Age and hour requirements
Firefighter I at 18, or 17 after a PSFA-accredited Entry Level FF I course with interior live fire, written parent permission and chief approval; suppression courses 18 except the Act 155 route.
Other agencies involved
Office of the State Fire Commissioner, PA State Fire Academy: accredits the Entry Level FF I course; courses run through the county Educational Training Agency (most need six weeks' lead time).
Who can teach it
Career and Technical Instructional I: four years of volunteer firefighter or EMT service, or 4 years wage-earning (2 with a bachelor's); Protective Services competency assessment; 18 credits.
Child labor rules for work placements
Work permit and Act 155 permission form at 14-17; 8 hours a day and 28 a school week at 16-17; no minor drives an emergency vehicle; no interior live fire suppression at incidents until 18.
College credit after high school
SOAR POS 29 (43.9999): Lancaster County CTC to Pennsylvania College of Technology; Pittsburgh Public Schools lists CCAC credits; SOAR under revision ().
Where to go next
- The full Firefighting guide, showing Pennsylvania
- The Pennsylvania state profile
- Add this pathway to your plan
Firefighting in other states
Other pathways in Pennsylvania
- Nurse Aide / Patient Care
- EMT
- Electrical
- Welding
- Construction and Carpentry
- HVAC/R
- Cybersecurity / Networking
- Programming / Computer Science
- Automotive
- Medical and Dental Assisting
- Cosmetology
- Agriculture
- Early Childhood Education
- Culinary and Hospitality
- Machining and Mechatronics
- Engineering and Drafting
- Law, Public Safety and Corrections
- Business Management and Marketing
- Entrepreneurship
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