Enrollment for the 2025 Citizen Fire Academy
will open in January 2025.

Overview of the Citizen Fire Academy

The Citizen Fire Academy is a dynamic 10-week program held in the Spring each year. It is designed to provide citizens of Richardson with an inside view of the organization and operations of the Richardson Fire Department.

The program includes live demonstrations, classroom learning plus hands-on experiences - all of which are intended to give the participant a true feel for the RFD.

Citizen Fire Academy participants must be at least 21 years of age and live or work in the city of Richardson. There is no cost to attend the Citizen Fire Academy. Enrollment is limited. 

For more information contact the Prevention Section by calling 972-744-5750.

What will participants learn?

Classes in the CFA are taught by professional, career firefighters and the curriculum includes:

• Overview of RFD
• History of the fire service
• Tour of Training Center and Fire Station 1
• Administration of the FD
• RFD Hiring Process
• Training Section / Physical Performance Assessment
• Incident Management and Firefighting Principles
• Vehicle Extrication (Jaws of Life)
• Emergency apparatus and equipment training
• Fire ground operations
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Personal protective equipment
• Self-Contained-Breathing-Apparatus (SCBA)
• Hazardous materials
• Search and rescue
• Portable fire extinguisher training
• Fire prevention and investigation
• Office of Emergency Management
• 911 Communications
• Pre-Flashover Demonstration