On-line academy's?

[Hawg4248]

I am looking into taking a 12 week online academy and a 2 week "boot-camp" to obtain my ff 1 & 2. Due to my work schedule, this is the only way I can get my cert. I have been told that the IFSAC certification will be sufficiant in AZ, but I'm wondering are these online academy's legit?

Has anyone ever gone through one of these online academys and have you been sucessful in your career with these certs?

Any info would be great.

Thanks

[rescuehuck]

Are you talking about trainingdivision.com?

If so I hear they are very legit and some of the classes have gotten the highest scores in the state of Texas. I am looking at doing the very same thing, once I can come up with the money. Let me know how it goes.

[medic7830]

i got my cert from training divsion samething that everyone else has be prepared to work hard and have fun

[Hawg4248]

Thanx for the input guys. I am planning on going through trainingdivision starting in Dec. and hope to finish up by end of April. I'll let you know how it goes rescuehuck or maybe I'll see you there if you have got the funds together by then. I know what you are going through, I'm in the same boat. Thats why Im not there now.

Another question for you guys, particularly Medic. Did you go through a med exam or clearance prior to trainingdivision, and if so who what where? Just trying to calc. all my expenses.

Thanx again for the input.

Rob

[medic9051]

I attended trainingdivision.com boot camp in June of this year. It was a great program. As for employment, I started full time on Dec 14, 2006 in a 1 on 3 off rotation with my department.

I would recommend them to anyone!

[rescuehuck]

What I am curious about is if this is going to really help me get a job. I mean you already get your cerfitication, but you going to go through someone else's academy once you get hired on. Although I have seen many Texas departments require you already be certified.

Either way, I am thinking about doing this and the EMT class through them.

[trevolp]

hawg,

my brother and numerous friends have gone through training division and all have scored in the 90% range on the state of texas exam which is known to be tough. It is a very legit academy producing quality fire fighters. just to let you know. for your boot camp portion, be in shape, they work you and work you hard.

[fireflaboy]

Went through Kilgore online fire academ in TX

I went through the Kilgore Online fire academy in Kilgore TX and finished it successfully, havent been hired yet but as far as the academy i found it very informative and fun. Lol i was taught by the same instructor that used to teach trainingdivision

[scfirefighter12]

what is the average cost of these types of programs?

[scfirefighter12]

does anyone know if you can use the GI Bill to cover the cost of these courses?

[vegas0012]

Most of them range from $2000- $3000. I went through Training Division, and thought the people there were tip top.

As far as the GI Bill question, I remember some ex-USMC guys talking about how they had to pay for it (as of January of 2007). However, I think this had to do with the fact that the school was not accredited as college level credit courses. However, they were working on it, so maybe the situation has changed by now.

Best of luck

[agentsvp]

if your looking for a nice piece of paper to hang on your bathroom wall - take the online training. If your looking to learn how to perform effectively, take a class that the major focus is hands-on. Ive tought FF1, FF2, safety, and tech rescue for years and had the best student pass ratios whith classes that focused on hands on training.

[xstalkrx]

if your looking for a nice piece of paper to hang on your bathroom wall - take the online training. If your looking to learn how to perform effectively, take a class that the major focus is hands-on. Ive tought FF1, FF2, safety, and tech rescue for years and had the best student pass ratios whith classes that focused on hands on training.

trainingdivision.com requires you stay at their barracks for 2 full weeks of "hands on" action.

[pewter98]

trainingdivision.com requires you stay at their barracks for 2 full weeks of "hands on" action.

Yeah, JUST 2 weeks! To be fair, there have been some guys in my vol. department that have gone through training division and they have had only great things to say about it. But I have talked to many guys that come to my gym who are full-time FF/EMT-P from several different departments. Each one of them told me that they could easily tell if their new probies had gone to training division or had gone to a traditional type of academy like the one at the Tarrant County College Fire Service Training Center (3-4 month, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.). When asked which academy they would recommend to attend, every one of them said T.C.C., no question!

Granted training division is much more easy on someone's family/work schedule, while still being just as tough as a traditional fire academy. I just feel that two weeks is not enough "hands on" time to fully prepare someone to have enough experience and skill to fight fires and perform the many other duties of a firefighter.

[sachse1]

I know this is an old thread, just wanted to put my two cents in.

I have not worked with trainingdivision.com, but am considering it. You have to do what fits. If I go through a normal academy, I would be 35 by the end of it & that's the cut off age for most departments in DFW. Through training division, I can be an EMT-B (traditional training) and have my ff cert before I turn 35.

Many departments will send you to ff school, around here anyways. If that's case, why does it matter as long as you have the certs to apply.