AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- The Augusta Fire Department is partnering with Augusta Technical College to introduce a new degree called Fire & Emergency Services Occupation Associate of Applied Science.

This is first of its kind partnership in Georgia between a college and a fire department.

It integrates education with workforce development to strengthen public safety.

The degree offers a total of 64 credits; 15 credits are general education; the other 49 credits are earned through fire academy training.

And the good thing about those 49 credits is that it’s completely free.

“Student doesn’t pay anything, and neither does the fire department. These are given to them through Augustus Tech. They only have to pay for the 15 credits and if they had 15 credits already, they can transfer those in. So if they had gone to college somewhere else, they might be able to transfer those in and then be done with their degree completely,” said Dr. Kellie McElroy- Hooper, Dean for School of Public and Professional Services at Augusta Tech.

This initiative helps with recruiting more people to become firefighters and gives them an opportunity to earn a degree and become qualified for higher positions within the fire department.

It also strengthens the emergency preparedness and public safety infrastructure here in Augusta.

Augusta Fire Chief, Antonio Burden, says this enhances the fire departments training.

“We’re training them to a level that’s never been seen before in the history of our department. And so building on that foundation with this partnership means that we’re creating highly skilled men and women that are then able to go out and realize a high degree of safety at work for our community.”

This degree is for currently employed Augusta Fire Department firefighters only.

Photojournalist: Dania Alawir