Firefighter I & II
Becoming a Florida Firefighter
With 25 years of Firefighter classes under our belt, you've come to the right place to start working towards your education.
The Firefighter program at CSRIPS equips you with the foundational training and certification needed to begin your career in the fire service. Becoming a certified Firefighter is a key step toward employment with municipal and county fire departments. Many agencies, particularly in Southeast Florida, require candidates to be certified as both Firefighters and Paramedics. However, departments in other regions may hire individuals with Firefighter or Firefighter/EMT certifications. Our program covers both Firefighter I & II, preparing you to meet state certification requirements and take the next step toward serving your community with professionalism and skill.
Certified Firefighter Functional Job Description Video coming soon!
Firefighter I & II Outcomes
Based on 2024 Accreditation Reporting
Graduating: 91% License Pass Rate: 99% Placement: 70%
Please read this carefully:
Only Candidates that have a fully completed application, including application fee, will proceed in the application process. If your application is not complete in any way, your application will not be reviewed and will not be accepted.
Class Sessions and Tuition & Fees
Winter
Part-Time Accel. Class (M, W, F, Sat) – Start Date: Jan 10, 2026
Full-Time Day Class (M-F) – Start Date: Jan 12, 2026
Part-Time Class (T, Thur, Sat) – Start Date: Jan 17, 2026
Open House:
- In-Person: Monday, September 8th @ 6pm – Registration required
- In-Person: Monday, October 13th @6pm – Registration required
Practice PAT: Aug 3, Aug 24, Oct 5, Oct 12
Entrance PAT: Sept 14 or Oct 26
Registration: Nov 17 – 28
Notification: Week of Dec 1
Transfer/Drop/Late Registration: Dec 8 – 12
Tuition Due: Dec 5
- tuition & fees due with late registration application
Spring
Full-Time Day Class (M-F) – Start Date: April 27, 2026
Open House: TBA
Practice PAT: TBA
Entrance PAT: Feb 8
Registration: Feb 23 – 27
Notification: Week of March 2
Transfer/Drop/Late Registration: March 9 – 13
Tuition Due: March 6
- tuition & fees due with late registration application
Summer
Part-Time Accel. Class (M, W, F, Sat) – Start Date: July 11, 2026
Full-Time Day Class (M-F) – Start Date: Aug 17, 2026
Open House: In-person: TBA
Practice PAT: TBA
Entrance PAT: May 3
Registration: May 18 – 29
Notification: Week of June 1
Transfer/Drop/Late Registration: June 8 – 12
Tuition Due: June 5
- tuition & fees due with late registration application
Tuition & Fees
- 2025 – 2026 (Effective for all classes with a class start date of October 1, 2025 and beyond)
- Tuition: $3735.00
- Application Fee: $50.00
- Deposit Fee: $100.00
- L&M Fee: $405.00
- Facility Fee: $45.00
Tuition & Payment Options
The following estimated fees are paid directly to the vendor and not CSRIPS. Prices should be verified with the vendor.
- Bunker Gear Rental, SCBA Mask & Fit testing: $1200.00
- Books: (information on how to purchase the books will be available after the registration period closes. Do NOT order books until you view this information.)
- For classes with an end date before 5/1/2025:$172.00
- For classes with an end date after 5/1/2025: $89.96
- This difference is due to a change in textbook edition going into effect via the State.
- Fingerprint process (Background check): $47.00
- State Exam Fee: $30.00
- InUnison (Uniform package): $120.00
Class Dates & Times
496 Hours
|
Full-Time Day Class
Approximately 16 weeks
Five (5) days per week
Monday – Friday
|
Part-Time Accelerated Class
Approximately 23 weeks
Four (4) times per week
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Saturday
|
Part-Time Class
Approximately 31 weeks
Three (3) times per week
Tuesday and Thursday
Saturday
|
Steps To Become a CSRIPS Student
Open House
While attending an Open house is not mandatory, we highly recommend it!
You may attend either the in-person Open House or the virtual option. Each one has it's benefits and you get to select which one is best for you.
Attend Open House
Gather Documents & Complete Prerequisites
Transcripts
Official high school transcripts must be submitted to the Admissions Office proving a standard high school diploma, GED, or validated foreign equivalent. (Transcripts are considered official if sent directly to CSRIPS from the previous institution or are delivered in a sealed envelope, sealed by the issuing institution).
Transcripts must be received by CSRIPS prior to registration.
How to send CSRIPS your Transcripts
Documents
Required
In order for your application to be submitted for review, you must complete all of the required information and upload during the application registration period. This is a first come first serve process; so, in order to increase your chances of being accepted, you are strongly encouraged to have all information ready when you begin your application. Below is everything you will need to have on hand for the application. You will need to have a PDF or picture for certain file uploads.
- FireTRAQ (formerly FCDICE) Number
- Social Security Number
- Tobacco Affidavit (notarized)
- Proof of Age; Driver’s License or birth certificate (Picture or PDF)
- Official Transcripts
- VA Information (if applicable; Picture or PDF)
- IEP Information (if applicable; Picture or PDF)
- Completed State Medical Exam Form
- Emergency Contact Information
- EMT-Basic or EMT-Paramedic Certificate of Completion
Please see above for specific details in regards to the Entrance PAT.
*Individuals who have been arrested or convicted for any crime are strongly urged to inquire directly with the licensing board in the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice.
Send your Transcripts Get your FireTRAQ # Tobacco Affidavit(PDF, 148KB)
Optional
CSRIPS implements a Point-based selection system designed to assist in determining which applicants will be admitted into the EMT-Basic, Paramedic or Firefighter I&II (limited access) Programs. Our goal is to select applicants that will have the best opportunity to successfully complete our Programs and achieve Industry Certification/Employment.
If there are more qualified applicants than seats available in the current class offering, those applicants that are not initially selected will remain on the list as an “alternate” and will only be used to fill the remaining spots in the event one becomes available before the start of the Program. Once the Program starts, the remaining applicants will have to reapply for future class offerings, we DO NOT form “wait-lists” for future class offerings.
Information reviewed for points:
- Highest level of education completed (transcript or diploma required)
- Member in Good Standing of a Fire Explorer Program (letter required)
- Certificate of Completion from a CSRIPS EMT, Paramedic or Firefighter I&II Program (documentation required)
- National/State Certified EMT or Paramedic (national or state license required)
- Honorably Discharged Veteran (DD214 required)
- Legacy and Residence (up to 3 per application):
- City of Coral Springs/Parkland Employee, CSRIPS Intern (self/spouse/dependent/sibling – documentation required)
- Current First Responder (Non-CSPFD) – Firefighter/Police Officer/ Medical (self/spouse/dependent/sibling –documentation required)
- CSRIPS EMT, Fire or Paramedic Alumni Dependent/Spouse (documentation required)
- Established Resident of Coral Springs or Parkland (documentation required)
- Recommendation Form from a current Fire Department Chief or Deputy Chief along with a Release of Information Form (provided below)
If an applicant does not have any of the additional documentation listed above, there is still a chance to be accepted into the applied program based on the overall applicant pool of that current registration.
Fire Chief Recommendation Form(PDF, 331KB)
Release of Information Form (required for Fire Chief Recommendation)(PDF, 225KB)
Application Process
Application
The application process is a 2 step process.
- Step 1 – Basic student information along with payment of the application fee.
- You will receive an email within 24 hours after completing Step 1 with instructions for completing Step 2 within your MyCSRIPS student portal. Step 2 must be completed within 24 hours.
- Step 2 –
- Submit Required Application
- Submit Optional Information
The student should only complete Step 2 after paying the application fee. (If you are unable to complete Step 1, the course may be full or registration has closed. Do not contact the office.) Once Step 2 has been completed, the student’s application is considered complete and will be reviewed for consideration.
Notification
Email is the primary means of communication. It is the students responsibility to check email daily. We will not track you down. If the assignments or tasks listed below do not get completed by the assigned date, you will be dismissed from the class.
Each term has a notification period. You will be notified about your status during the notification period via email.
- Conditionally Accepted
- Complete instructions on acceptance letter
- Pay the Lab & Materials fee and Facility fee on MyCSRIPS invoice
- Accept Student Enrollment Agreement within MyCSRIPS record
- Pay tuition
- Alternate List
- If there are more qualified applicants than seats available in the current class offering, those applications not initially selected will remain on the list as an Alternate and will only be chosen to fill the remaining spots in the event one becomes available before the start of the Program. Once the Program starts, the remaining applicants will have to reapply for future class offerings.
- Denied
- Reapply next registration period
Pre-Course Work
Tasks
What Comes Next?
Once conditionally accepted, students will be given pre-course work to complete before day 1 of their program. Some examples of pre-course work are:
- Purchasing uniform & bunker gear
- Purchasing textbooks
- Completing screening (background) requirements
- Corresponding with the Lead Instructor
- ETC
These instructions and requirements will not be distributed until notification week, and only to conditionally accepted students. Failure to complete or participate in one or more items by the required deadline may result in dismissal from the program.
Screenings
Background Checks
Background checks are a State requirement for all Firefighter I&II and must be completed after conditional acceptance. Should you have any arrests or convictions, please contact the office to discuss your situation.
What's Next?