"Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable."
- Gen. George Patton
The Emergency Services Department at Utah Valley University prepares practicing and future emergency service professionals through a program that balances technical skills, critical and ethical thinking, leadership, and effective communication. The department's programs address multiple emergency service educational needs, from professional certifications to degrees.
Degree programs and individual courses are designed to meet both state and national professional requirements, including those established by the Utah Fire Services Certification Council, the Utah Labor Commission, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), the National Fire Academy (NFA), and the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).
The Emergency Services programs at Utah Valley University are accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). The initial accreditation was granted in 2004. An IFSAC accredited program indicates that course offerings, institutional support, and qualified faculty are working together in completing their educational mission.
The Utah Valley University Paramedic Program 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).
The paramedic program at Utah Valley University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The initial accreditation was granted in 2004. CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
The governing body for the firefighter certification system in the state of Utah is the Utah Fire Service Certification Council (UFSCC). The twelve member council are selected from the fire service of Utah and appointed by the director of the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy for a three-year term. The Council shall be made up of users of the system representing both paid and volunteer departments or agencies, members with special expertise areas and members from various geographical locations in the state.
