The Santa Cruz County Office of Education has been proudly providing students the opportunity to learn about a career in the Fire Technology Field for over two decades. Over the years, various local Firefighters have provided instruction and guidance to hundreds of students throughout the county. Currently, we are proud to have both Fire Chief Rudy Lopez Sr and Firefighter, Richard Garcia leading our courses in both Watsonville and Santa Cruz.
Students participating in this course receive an introduction and understanding of fire service and operations. Topics will include an overview of the following: firefighter selection process, career opportunities, fire chemistry and physics, fire department resources, administration, support functions, training, fire prevention, fire protection systems, and equipment, emergency incident management and operations. In addition, one of the many benefits of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s Fire Technology course is the opportunity for high school students to earn college credit through our articulated courses*.