Fire Protection
Category: Emergency, Public and Social ServiceProgram Description
Prepare to protect and serve with training in fire protection.
Learn how to respond confidently to emergency calls, many of which involve medical situations, while gaining the skills to operate firefighting equipment and manage hazardous materials safely. You will also develop the knowledge and technical proficiency to function as an emergency medical technician and work seamlessly with other medical providers during emergencies.
Explore the science behind fire behavior, prevention, and suppression as you study building construction, fire codes, and firefighting strategies. Gain insight into the history and culture of the fire service, and discover the many career paths available in both public safety and private industry.
The fire protection award follows the U.S. Fire Administration’s Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) model, ensuring your education meets nationally recognized standards and prepares you to advance in your career or continue your studies at a four-year institution.
Graduates are prepared to serve as skilled firefighters and fire protection professionals who make their communities safer every day and have opportunities to grow in their careers.
Program Information
Swipe→
Class Time: Day or Evening
Semester: Fall or Spring
Campus: Eden Prairie
Skills Required
Students will be given a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) FIT test in these classes. This test is valid for one calendar year in the Hennepin Tech Fire Program.
Labs and Classroom
When you walk into our learning labs at Hennepin Tech it is like walking into a fire station. We boast four pumper trucks with pumping capacity of over 1200 gallons of water per minute.Two car fire props, one propane live fire simulator, A class A live fire building, and numerous ventilation and fire simulators.
Work Environment
The work environment of a firefighter is physically demanding, from carrying equipment to pulling hose lines full of water to pulling walls and ceilings apart. It could be hot or cold, stressful, and mentally challenging. Students will work inside structures that are on fire and high above the ground, cutting apart roofs in order to ventilate a fire. The work environment is ever-changing and challenging.
Wages/Outlook/Advancement
Wage and Job Outlook information for this program are available at Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED). Graduates may perform a variety of jobs in the fire protection family. Titles may include:
- Firefighter
- Driver Operator
- Inspector or Fire Investigator
Higher level positions requiring experience and exams are:
- Fire Marshal
- Lieutenant
- Captain
- District Chief
- Deputy chief
- Assistant Chief
- Chief of Department
Tools/Other Expenses
Fire program students wear the following uniform: t-shirt, blue uniform pants, black uniform belt, and black uniform shoes or boots. If students are not affiliated with a local fire department, there is a rental fee of $100 for structural firefighting gear.
U.S. Fire Administration
The Fire Science AAS degree program is recognized through the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) initiative, a network of the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy.
USDE Professional Licensure Disclosure
Successful completion of the Fire Protection program at Hennepin Technical College will meet the requirements for certification by the Minnesota Fire Service Certification Board (MFSCB), which is accredited by IFSAC (International Fire Service Accreditation Congress). With appropriate IFSAC certification applicant can apply for licensure according to MN statute 299N. Certification by IFSAC is required by Minnesota as well as by most states to acquire a state license to practice the profession of firefighting or for employment as a certified/licensed firefighter. Hennepin Technical College highly recommends that you contact the appropriate state licensing board in the state or locality in which you wish to practice or be employed.
State Board Licensing Contacts
For information on state board licensing contacts, please download the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress, Certificate Assembly Member Entities and Representatives, February 2024 pdf.
Last reviewed 03/28/2025
Questions? Contact OneStop
Email: OneStop@HennepinTech.edu
Phone: 952-995-1300
Events
News
Grad gives advice to women entering firefighting careers
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
