Fire Academy

The Fire Academy is a specialized program for Grade 11 and 12 students, offered by Red Deer Public Schools in partnership with The City of Red Deer Emergency Services. The program combines classroom learning with immersive, hands-on firefighting training and experience.

The Fire Academy will launch in the 2025-2026 school year with the program taking place in the second semester (February 2026 start).

The program is open to Grade 11 and 12 students in Red Deer Public Schools who are interested in pursuing a career in firefighting or developing practical skills in emergency services. Please note, priority will be given to students in Grade 12, as Grade 11 students have the opportunity to apply in their Grade 12 year. However, we still encourage students in both grades to apply in case we do not have enough Grade 12 applicants in the first year of the Academy.

Students will participate in classroom lessons at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School and hands-on training at the Ed Howell Emergency Services training facility in Red Deer.

Students will:

• Earn high school credits.
• Gain firefighting accreditation and hands-on experience.
• Develop essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience.
• Build a strong foundation for a career in firefighting.

Students will leave the program with the skills, knowledge and accreditation for a career in firefighting, or serve as a volunteer firefighter.

Tuition for the Fire Academy is $2,000 annually. This fee covers the cost of equipment, uniforms, and specialized instruction.

Typically, firefighting training costs upwards of $15,000. For the cost of tuition at Red Deer Public’s Fire Academy, students get:

• A cadet uniform to be worn during Academy class time.
• All industry-required personal protective equipment to utilize during their time in training.
• Dedicated classroom instruction by a certified teacher who is also trained as a firefighter.
• Hands-on training from highly skilled firefighters at the Ed Howell Emergency Services training facility.

Students should be in good physical shape, have strong English communication skills, and successfully pass a doctor’s assessment. This helps ensure the safety of students and helps prepare students for the challenges and rewards of firefighting.

Student safety is a top priority. Trained firefighting professionals will supervise all hands-on training exercises to ensure safety protocols are followed at all times. Additionally, students will use appropriate safety gear and equipment during training.

The program includes both classroom instruction and hands-on training. Classroom lessons, led by a certified teacher who has received firefighting accreditation, will provide the foundational knowledge needed for practical applications. Hands-on training will be conducted by experienced firefighting professionals at the Ed Howell Emergency Services training facility.

The Fire Academy is capped at 20 students in Grades 11 and 12 to ensure high-quality training and personalized attention.

No. Each student will be provided with their own personal protective equipment, uniforms, and other necessary equipment as part of the program.

Applications will open in March 2025 and close on April 11, 2025. Interested students and families are encouraged to attend an open house at Fire Station #3 (100 Lees Street, Red Deer) on March 11, 2025, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

The open house will provide program details, application requirements, and an opportunity to ask questions about the Fire Academy.

While the program is designed to prepare students for a firefighting career, it also builds valuable skills that can be applied to other careers, such as leadership, teamwork, and critical decision making. Students must be comfortable performing physically demanding tasks, including lifting and carrying heavy equipment, wearing heavy personal protective gear, and walking, running, and crawling through various exercises.