Hawaii Community College receives approval for associate degree and certificate program in fire science

Hawaiʻi Community College
Contact:
Carolyn Tanaka, (808) 956-8109
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: Mar 20, 2009

HONOLULU — At its monthly meeting held today at Honolulu Community College, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) approved the Associate in Sciences and the Certificate of Achievement in Fire Science program as a provisional program at Hawaiʻi Community College.

The program will help support the recruitment and promotion requirements of the County of Hawaiʻi Fire Department, which currently has a 20 percent vacancy rate due to retirements. In addition, the program will help serve the employment and training needs of state and federal agencies and the military, including the National Parks Service, the State Department of Land and Natural Resources‘ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and the U.S. Army.

Since Spring 2005, Hawaiʻi Community College has offered fire science courses supported by a grant from the federally funded Rural Development Program. Since then, 220 students have been served by this demonstration of need and demand for the program. The curriculum has been customized to meet the needs of Hawaiʻi Island fire service agencies, with support provided by Honolulu Community College, which currently provides the only fire science program in the state.

Hawaiʻi Community College also plans to pursue an articulation agreement with Colorado State University allowing students an opportunity to seek a bachelor‘s degree through distance learning once they‘ve earned the associate degree.