Welcome !

On behalf of Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services, welcome to our Training Academy’s website where you can find information about EMS Education and instruction.

Our EMS education and training programs are designed to provide an economical, long-standing learning opportunity for students with an interest in becoming certified professionals within our industry. CCFES’s Training Academy programs will enable students to obtain the knowledge, skills, and a proper attitude necessary to succeed in the EMS field. Many of our programs are created to support agency specific training needs across the profession. Academy staff are here to provide opportunities and student-focus learning activities that encourage and stimulate innovation, competency and increase success when taking certification and licensing exams.

The entire Training Academy staff wishes you success as a student with our agency, as well as in your career as a future public safety professional.

Sincerely,
Clayton County Training Academy Staff

GENERAL INFORMATION

Clayton County Fire & Emergency Service’s (CCFES) Training Academy operates under the direction of Deputy Chief Rich Elliott. If you cannot find what you are looking for on this site, you can submit a question related to the training academy under the ‘Submit a Question’ link on the right side of this page.

The Clayton County Public Safety Training Academy provides entry-level initial education, continuing education, and refresher courses for all CCFES employees. We also provide training to other members of the public safety community including other EMS providers, fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and emergency management offices from around the State of Georgia. The primary office for the Training Academy is located at 7810 Highway 85, Riverdale, Georgia 30274. A list of courses and a training calendar for our events can be located on our online academy at: {{{ link }}} ccfesonline.org.

Some of our programs and courses are also open to members of the community. To navigate quickly, click on the course that you are interested in below.

• EMT
• Advanced EMT
• Paramedic

INITIAL EMS EDUCATION PROGRAM OFFERED TO CITIZENS

CCFES offers several of our EMS initial education courses to members of the public who meet our prerequisites and are willing to pay tuition for these programs.

Program Description – Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program

This program is an initial education program that will provide a student, without prior medical training, the ability to acquire a license in the State of Georgia as an EMT. It will also allow the student the opportunity to achieve national recognition as an EMT with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

CCFES’s Emergency Medical Technician Program is a 14-week course that follows national and state standards and guidelines as revised, as well as other departmental and State rules, regulations, and policies. This course is only offered from 0800-1700, Monday through Friday, on site (in person) at the department’s training academy campus. 

This course seeks to develop the student’s knowledge of anatomy & physiology, emergency medical assessment, emergency medical care and intervention, and emergency operations. This education takes place through specific readings, lectures, online assignments and discussions, hands-on labs and clinical sessions, written assignments, and examinations. Students have attendance and minimum GPA requirements to remain in the program. Students will experience and must show competence in industry-specific tasks and drills throughout the program to continue, and ultimately graduate. All program requirements must be met for students to be allowed to sit for boards.

Upcoming Dates Offered:

• 3/17/2025 – 7/4/2025

For Prerequisites, Requirements, and Tuition Cost for our EMT Program, click here.

Program Description – Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (Advanced EMT) Program

This program is an initial education program that will provide a person who has achieved EMT licensure with the ability to acquire higher licensure in the State of Georgia as an Advanced EMT. It will also allow the student an opportunity to achieve national recognition as an Advanced EMT with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

CCFES’s Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Program is an 8-week course that follows national and state standards and guidelines as revised, as well as other departmental and State rules, regulations, and policies. This is a fast-paced program that only focuses on the knowledge and skills of an Advanced EMT. The student is expected to come into the program with strong didactic and psychomotor knowledge and abilities required for EMT licensure. The organization of this course is in a shift-friendly format. Students are expected to come to class two days a week – on a Monday or Tuesday and a Wednesday or Thursday. Classes are offered from 0900-1700, on site (in person) at the department’s training academy campus. 

This course seeks to develop the student’s comprehension of specific Advanced EMT knowledge and skills including intravenous cannulation and therapy, airway assessment and treatment, and pharmacological intervention consistent with the scope of practice for an Advanced EMT. This learning occurs through specific readings, lectures, online assignments and discussions, hands-on labs and clinical sessions, written assignments, and examinations. Students have attendance and minimum GPA requirements to remain in the program. Students will experience and must show competence in industry-specific tasks and drills throughout the program to continue, and ultimately graduate. All program requirements must be met for students to be allowed to sit for boards.

Upcoming Dates Offered:

• 3/3/2025 – 6/20/2025

For Prerequisites, Requirements, and Tuition Cost for our EMT Program, click here.

Program Description – Paramedic Program

This program is an initial education program that will provide a person who has achieved EMT licensure with the ability to acquire higher licensure in the State of Georgia as a Paramedic. It will also allow the student the opportunity to achieve national recognition with the National Registry of EMTs as a Paramedic.

The Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 – 113^th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

To contact CoAEMSP:
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett, TX 75088
214-703-8445
Fax: 214-703-8992
www.coaemsp.org

CCFES’s Paramedic Program is a 14-month course of study that follows national and state standards and guidelines as revised, as well as other departmental and State rules, regulations, and policies. This program provides the highest level of out-of-hospital licensure in the EMS field. Due to the amount of information the student is expected to master along with the length of the program, this program is considered the toughest and most challenging program in our industry. The organization of this course is in a shift-friendly format. Students are expected to come to class two days a week on a Monday or Tuesday and a Wednesday or Thursday. Classes are offered from 0900-1700, on site (in person) at the department’s training academy campus. 

Today’s paramedics are professional health care clinicians and practitioners of emergency field medicine. The present paramedic curriculum provides both a broad-based medical education and a specific intensive training program designed to prepare the student to perform the traditional role as providers of emergency field medicine. It also provides a broad foundation in anatomy and physiology, patient assessment, pathophysiology of disease, and pharmacology that allows students to expand their roles in the health care industry. Our Paramedic Program is intended to produce graduates who are prepared for employment in paramedic positions in today’s health services field.

Our program provides learning opportunities that introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. Program graduates are to be competent in the areas of communications, math, and basic computer skills, as well as, competent in the occupational areas of anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, medical terminology, operations, patient assessment, pharmacology, advanced airway skills, cardiology, trauma, medical emergencies, gynecology, obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, special patient needs, critical thinking, assessment/evidence-based patient care, and therapeutic communication.

During this course, students can expect a robust level including course lecture and instruction, at-home study, lab time, and clinical hours to apply and reinforce knowledge and skills presented throughout the program. The program has both attendance and a minimal GPA requirement to remain in the program. Students will experience and must show competence in industry-specific tasks and drills throughout the program to continue, and ultimately graduate. All program requirements must be met for students to exit from the program and take national boards.

Upcoming Dates Offered:

• 6/2/2025 – 8/6/2026

Prerequisites and Requirements:

CCFES will allow members of the public, space permitting, in department sponsored programs. Each member of the public must be at least 18 years of age and must submit the following documents and adhere to the follow requirements:

• Copy of valid Georgia driver’s license and MVR or Georgia Driving History Report created within three months of submission.
• Copy of high-school diploma (from accredited institution), a state issued general education development equivalency (GED), a Home School Affidavit, or transcribed foreign transcripts stating the student has met minimum High School graduation requirement for the United States of America. To be certified as a firefighter in the State of Georgia, this requirement must meet and be approved by the Georgia Firefighters Standard & Training Council.
• The applicant must complete a background report with Advantage Student (https://infomart-usa.com/advantagestudents/). Students with felony convictions will not be admitted into our program. Depending on the severity, frequency, and status of non-felony charges, admission into our program may be restricted. This report must be current (created within three months of application).
• Copy of immunizations including:
  • Tuberculin skin test within the past 6 months or if documentation as a previous positive reactor – a chest x-ray taken within the past 12 months.
  • Proof of MMR or Rubella immunity by positive antibody titer, and Varicella immunization by positive history or chickenpox or proof of Varicella immunity by positive antibody titer.
• Proof of Flu Shot vaccination – this shall be renewed a minimum of annually.
• Results from a ten-panel drug screen with Advantage Student (https://infomart-usa.com/advantagestudents/). Students can be asked to complete this test at any time throughout the course at their expense. Positive results will result in dismissal from the program.
• Insurance certificate/card showing that the potential student has current health insurance in place throughout the length of the program.

Additional requirements for those students entering our Paramedic Program.

• Copy of current EMT or Advanced EMT license.
• Copy of current BLS/CPR card.
• Medical Liability Insurance

After the above prerequisites and requirements are met and submitted to the academy, the proposed student will be assigned a date/time to come in and meet with staff to complete the following:

• Signature on appropriate forms including the student information sheet, course rules, course completion requirements, liability release, code of ethics, consent to disclose, FERPA release, uniform and textbook requirements, and additional fee(s) acknowledgement form.
• Payment of tuition. CCFES has payment plans available for students, when requested. Those students’ who choose to make installment payments throughout the program rather than all-at-once must sign an agreement form. Missing tuition payment may result in the student being dismissed from the program. All fees are non-refundable.

Program Tuition / Cost:

All employees of CCFES will receive their initial EMS training programs at no cost. Anyone interested in pursuing employment with our agency can click here.

CCFES will admit personnel from other public safety agencies, space permitting. Tuition discounts are available at the discretion of the Fire Chief. Anyone employed with another public safety agency should have their department contact our Training Academy directly for additional information.

CCFES will allow members of the public, space permitting, to attend our EMS programs. The regular tuition rates for our EMS Training Program is:

• Emergency Medical Technician – $1,500
• Advanced EMT – $1,500
• Paramedic – $5,000

Paramedic Program Outcomes:

2022 Program Outcomes

Retention: 77.4%
Job Placement: 100%

NOTE: NO graduates during the 2021 reporting year

NOTE: NO graduates during the 2020 reporting year

2019 Program Outcomes

Retention: 81%
Job Placement: 100%