Essentials of Firefighting Basic Module (EBM)
EBM is the basic firefighting course. All members who are interested in fire and/or rescue operations should take this course. It covers the elementary skills that are used day in and day out in the emergency services. In addition it is a requirement for Pennsylvania Firefighter 1 and WCEC’s Fire Fighter First Class (see the training section of your rookie book). The course is eighty-eight hours in length. The first sessions are typically lecture but as the course progresses it becomes more practical drills and can be a really fun class. It is spread over three months and planned around the Bucknell academic calendar so do not worry about fall or Thanksgiving breaks.

Introduction to Safety and Training (IST)
This is probably the first course you’ll take in the emergency services. It is required for medical, fire, and rescue personnel. The class is a total of six and a half hours the majority of which is watching videos on emergency operations and safety.

Hazardous Materials: Operations Level (Hazmat Ops)
The middle step of the hazardous materials curriculum, Operations (ops) is probably the most useful hazmat course for those people that don’t want to be technicians. The class is twenty-four hours in length spread over three days. It will introduce you to simple recognition, mitigation, and decontamination procedures that are used surprisingly frequently in our daily operations. Hazmat Ops is a requirement for your WCEC Rescue qualification and Pennsylvania Fire Fighter 2 (see the training section of your rookie book).

Congratulations
you are now part of a family that stretches from coast-to-coast and around the world. This site will host valuable information for new recruits. Check it frequently once the academic year has begun for details about training and station activities.