National Fire Academy courses, catalogs and schedules

National Fire Academy (NFA) courses are delivered online, at our campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and off-campus throughout the nation in cooperation with state and local fire training organizations and local colleges and universities.

Our free courses target middle- and top-level fire officers, fire service instructors, technical professionals, and representatives from allied professions. Any person with substantial involvement in fire prevention and control, emergency medical services, or fire-related emergency management activities may apply for NFA courses.

Application period: OPEN

The application period for our second semester (April 1, 2017 – Sept. 30, 2017) courses is open from Oct. 15 – Dec. 15, 2016. Here’s how to apply for courses and get a Student Identification Number.

Courses and schedules

On-campus classroom courses: six- and 10-day | two-day
Specialized training courses and advanced management programs of national impact offered in a classroom setting at our Emmitsburg campus.
Off-campus classroom courses: six-day | two-day
The same courses taught in Emmitsburg but delivered in your state to provide you with the opportunity to attend NFA training closer to home.
NFA Online and online-mediated courses
Through NFA Online, you can receive career-enhancing, self-paced training at home.
State- and local partner-sponsored classroom courses
Locally-sponsored two- and six-day training courses that use NFA course content.
List of state courses approved by the NFA PDF 137 KB
State-developed courses assessed by NFA as the equivalent of our training in both quality and content and taught by local instructors.
Course evaluation and general feedback
Learn how we measure the long-term impact of our training courses and provide us with your general feedback.


Featured courses

Emergency Medical Services: Quality Management R0158

This six-day course provides the critical components, background and principles associated with implementation, or enhancement, of a department's Quality Management Program. It will teach you how to create, implement and maintain a Quality Management Program, using historical examples, current models, and best practices in quality assurance and improvement, process improvement, data collection and analysis. Read the course description.

Course dates: Oct. 30 - Nov. 4 | Jan. 29 - Feb. 3

Wildland Urban Interface Fire Q0617

This simulation-based online course will introduce you to some of the problems and issues associated with a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire. The simulation involves a small field fire that spreads into an area with several structures. You will serve as the Incident Commander for the fire, where multiple levels of response under the Incident Command System (ICS) are required. Read the course description.

Apply online

Managing Officer Program

The Managing Officer Program is a multiyear curriculum that introduces emerging emergency services leaders to personal and professional skills in change management, risk reduction and adaptive leadership. Acceptance into the program is the first step in your professional development as a career or volunteer fire/Emergency Medical Services manager.

Apply for the Managing Officer Program

Course vacancies

Course vacancies

We still have immediate openings in upcoming courses. Browse the vacancy list and take advantage of these training opportunities!

Recently added courses

Wildland Urban Interface: Fire-Adapted Communities - R0614 11/27/2016 - 12/2/2016

Command and Control Decision Making at Multiple Alarm Incidents - R0297 11/6/2016 - 11/11/2016

Command and Control Decision Making at Multiple Alarm Incidents - R0297 11/13/2016 - 11/18/2016

See all recently added course offerings

Download the 2016-2017 NFA course catalog PDF 913 KB

More information on NFA training