High school students across eastern Oklahoma will soon have a new pathway into the fire service, thanks to an expansion of Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City's concurrent fire science program.

Beginning this fall, the program will offer training at OSU Institute of Technology, creating a more centralized location for students in Okmulgee and surrounding communities. The expansion builds on the program’s growing footprint, which already includes multiple off-campus sites designed to meet demand from school districts statewide.

“We’ve seen strong interest from smaller towns in that region,” said Joe Bennett, director of fire science. “Having a location in Okmulgee gives students a place they can travel to more easily and access the same high-quality training.”

The concurrent enrollment model allows high school students to begin their fire science education before graduation. Through the program, students can earn the certifications required to become a firefighter, positioning them for immediate employment after high school.

“Students can graduate high school with the certifications they need to be employed as a firefighter right away,” Bennett said. “It also gives them a head start on their associate degree.”

Participants complete the first 10 credit hours toward that degree, with the remaining coursework available online, allowing for flexibility as they continue their education or enter the workforce.

The expansion to OSUIT marks the ninth training site established in response to widespread interest. After launching the on-campus program, OSU-OKC received requests from more than 100 schools across Oklahoma seeking access to fire science training for their students.

“We had more than 100 school districts reach out asking for access to this program,” Bennett said. “Expanding to locations like Okmulgee helps us meet that demand and reach more students where they are.”

While many students pursue careers as firefighters, the program also opens doors to a range of related fields, including fire investigation and emergency management.

“Firefighter is what most people think of, but there are multiple directions students can go,” Bennett said. “This program builds a foundation that can lead to careers across the fire and emergency services field.”

As one of only a few programs in Oklahoma focused primarily on the fire side of fire science education, OSU-OKC continues to play a key role in preparing the next generation of fire service professionals while also supporting communities statewide.

“Even for students who don’t pursue it full time, this training allows them to serve as volunteer firefighters in their communities,” Bennett said. “We’re helping build the next generation of fire service professionals across the state.”