Fire Academy

Recognized by the State of Texas as an Exemplary Program

About Fire Academy

The Kilgore College Fire Academy is recognized by the State of Texas as an EXEMPLARY PROGRAM and is accredited by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. We work with local volunteer fire departments to customize basic fire academies and training at their stations with their volunteers. Paid departments also need help in training and meeting yearly CE requirements to maintain their certifications. We can customize their training programs, too. Call us if your paid or volunteer fire department is interested in these services.

Medical Training Requirement

Our Basic Fire Academy does not include or attempt to meet the medical training requirement. We offer an eight-week (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) onsite EMT course that is taught by Joshua Haynes and other KCFA instructors. Contact Renee’ Golden at (903) 983-8662 or KCFA@kilgore.edu for information.

Online TCFP Classes

The classes listed below are for students who need to retake a section (or more) to be eligible to retake a section of the Basic Structure Firefighter exam. Students may take more than one course if needed. These courses are offered often and are approximately four weeks. There is not a required textbook. The online coursework must be completed before the last day of class. The section final and state skills testing are held on the last day of class in Kilgore.

If you are interested in taking a section offered below but have never taken a full academy, please contact us at kcfa@kilgore.edu or (903) 983-8177.

Students that need to be only tested over skills to be eligible to challenge the TCFP state exam may click on the course below. The student will need to apply for a Qual # from the Commission. Tuition includes study resources to prepare for the state exam. Contact KCFA if interested in testing over a section not listed.

Advanced Online TCFP Classes

The classes below are offered in the Fall and Spring. Tuition does not include the JBL Access/textbook.

The following classes are not offered regularly. Contact kcfa@kilgore.edu or (903) 983-8177 for inquiries.

  • Driver/Operator-Aerial
  • Fire Officer III
  • Fire Officer IV
  • Fire Investigator
  • Fire Inspector
  • Plans Examiner I

Specialty classes

These classes are offered periodically throughout the year but are not TCFP certification courses at this time.

For information about Fire Academy

The KC Fire Academy will begin offering monthly CE course to the local fire departments soon.

Check in often and LIKE our Facebook page KILGORE COLLEGE FIRE ACADEMY to know when these classes become available.

The Kilgore College Fire Academy has received approval as a designated institution by the Canadian Province of British Columbia. Students attending the KC Fire Academy who meet the British Columbia residency requirement are now able to apply for financial assistance under the British Columbia Student Assistance Program.

  • You must receive by mail an ORIGINAL (barcoded and blue ink stamped I20M form) issued to you after enrollment. If you have moved or changed addresses from original application and enrollment into the program, please provide the updated information to our offices so that your student file is current.  This also affects your I20M form because addresses have to be updated within 10 days (see page two of your “instructions to students” portion of the I20M form).
  • The Commission now has a rule in place that will allow any Canadian student with documented proof of successful completion of the British Columbia Occupational First Aid Level 3 or Alberta documentation of the First Responder Level III to have met the Texas medical requirement. You must meet the Commission’s medical requirement in order to obtain your IFSAC seals. For questions regarding if your medical certification is acceptable, you must contact the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (512) 936-3815.
  • All students MUST process through the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) counter at their point of exit from Canada or at their point of entry into the U.S. If the Student I-20M Form is not properly processed by Immigrations personnel, the student may be sent home.

Payment must be made by credit card, cashier’s check, certified check, or money order ONLY (in U.S. dollars only). An additional $15.00 should be added to each of the above to cover international bank processing charges.

Individuals who:

  • Complete a commission approved basic structure fire suppression program (Kilgore College Fire Academy meets this criteria),
  • pass the commission examinations (taken at the end of the class),
  • complete the medical requirement (The Commission now has a rule in place that will allow any Canadian student with documented proof of successful completion of at a minimum the British Columbia Occupational First Aid Level 3 or Alberta documentation of the First Responder Level III to have met the medical requirement),
  • and pass the background check may be granted IFSAC Certification as a Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations by making application to the Commission for the IFSAC seals and paying applicable fees.