2025 Southern Area Engine Academy Training
Location: Wekiwa Springs State Park, FL
Course Dates: November 7-13th, 2025
Cost: $600 (registration fee)
Nomination Deadline: September 11th, 2025
Course Description:
Southern Area Engine Academy is an interagency course targeting supervisors and crew personnel responsible for initial attack and tactical decision-making in the suppression of wildfire and the management of prescribed fire. This course will give the student a solid grounding in the safe and effective use of a variety of water handling equipment and related tactics.
The class is taught by instructors through lectures, visual aids and field
exercises. They will focus on teaching the application of hydraulics,
engine operations, water-handling equipment, engine tactics and
wildland fire safety. This class is highly labor intensive with about 1
instructor for every 2.5 students.
Students are given the opportunity to work on engine teams of 3 people and will have an engine coach assigned to their team for the entire week. Students experience 10 -12 different engines from multiple agencies.
Requirements:
The prerequisites for the class are as follows:
-Completion of the following courses: S130, S190, and I100
-Having 2 or more years’ experience as a firefighter and/or participated on at least 10 burns as crew member.
-Plus, have a current pack test and current shelter test (based on your agency requirements).
There will be course pre-work which is approximately 8 hours of reading and study for the S211 class prior to attendance at the academy.
All students are required to stay on site for the duration of
academy. Lodging and meals will be provided. Some students
will be required to bring engines to the class. A total of 15+
engines (inter-agency) is needed to run engine academy.
Arrangements for engines will be made after students are
selected.
Academy courses:
S211 – Portable Pumps and Water Use
SA214 – Engine course
Nominations:
Please submit a student nomination form by Friday, September 11th to:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Aoi1r3r_sUurITZ_8uz8i0DOanz60MtEmnB_KLDr2m9URFY0WkVFVUlCM0Q3V1pTNDc4QkRXNkxNRi4u&route=shorturl
Note: Please ensure you have your supervisor’s permission before sending a nomination form.
Selections will be made by September 18th, 2025.
Questions please contact:
Laura Page at: Laura.Page@colostate.edu