Fire Science

Classes are offered at flexible times and at local fire departments, as well as at L&C's Bethalto Training Center campus. 

Our program can help you prepare for promotional exams, enhance your ability to quality for a fully-paid position, further advance career opportunities within your current department, expand knowledge in specialized areas, attain advanced certifications from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and become a better firefighter. Classes can also qualify you for certification from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall in a number of areas.

For hands-on firefighting experience, the centerpiece of our state-of-the-art, 30-acre training facility, developed with the Q.E.M. Fire Protection District, is a three-story training building equipped with two “live fire” burn rooms. As a student, you'll get hands-on experience fighting live fires inside a structure.

Other features planned for this site include auto extrication training, vehicle fire fighting, confined space rescue, live propane fire fighting, flammable liquid fires, water rescue, apparatus driver training, pumping and water supply and hazardous materials training.

L&C offers you a direct route into different areas of expertise – from an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Fire Science to eight specialty certificate programs. This way you can choose your next move and promote your career in firefighting.

The Fire Science program at Lewis and Clark Community College has earned recognition as a Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) college from the National Fire Academy (NFA), a subset of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

• Fire Science | AAS degree
• Fire Science | Certificate of Proficiency
• Firefighter - Basic | Certificate of Completion
• Firefighter - Advanced | Certificate of Completion
• Fire Prevention Specialist | Certificate of Completion
• Fire Instructor | Certificate of Completion
• Fire Apparatus Operator | Certificate of Completion
• Company Fire Officer | Certificate of Completion
• Hazardous Materials Operations | Certificate of Completion

Lewis and Clark Community College Fire Science program meets the state education requirements to apply for the Office of the State Fire Marshal certification exam in the state of Illinois. Lewis and Clark Community College has not determined if the educational requirements meet the state educational requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Students considering certification in other states, U.S. Territories, or the District of Columbia should contact the appropriate certifying agency in the area where they plan to be certified prior to enrollment at Lewis and Clark Community College to ensure the coursework meets those requirements.