When Martina Pereyra began exploring careers in firefighting, she turned to local fire departments for advice on how to get started. Each one recommended Moraine Valley Community College.
The Bedford Park resident enrolled in the college’s Fire Academy, where she gained the experience and training that helped launch her career. Before graduating in 2024, Pereyra completed an internship with the Roberts Park Fire Protection District. She now works there as a firefighter paramedic.
“We had a ton of hands-on training at Moraine Valley, and it helped me out tremendously,” Pereyra said. “A lot of what Moraine Valley teaches you is similar to what’s out there, and the college truly prepares you for what it’s like in the field. The intensity of the training is almost the same as it is working in real life.”
Moraine Valley offers several training options for students interested in emergency services, including emergency medical technician certification, paramedic training and its competitive Fire Academy. The college is expanding its offerings to meet the needs of students and area fire departments.
Students can earn an EMT certificate required to work on an ambulance before pursuing advanced emergency medical services training. Those who obtain an EMT license also can apply to the Fire Academy, an intensive 10-week program that meets full days, Monday through Friday.
The academy accepts 16 students per cohort and now runs twice each semester.
The college also recently brought back courses that had not been offered in several years, including fire officer training and a course for building inspectors in training.
Andy Hufnagl, Moraine Valley’s emergency medical services and fire science coordinator, said students have the opportunity to complete multiple levels of training at the college.
“Between EMS, fire and paramedic training, they can do all those pieces under the same roof at Moraine Valley,” Hufnagl said.
The academy’s competitive admissions process is followed by a high completion rate, he said.
“Once students are in this competitive program and start the academy, there’s less than a 1% washout rate,” Hufnagl said.
Moraine Valley has a garage for an ambulance, trailer, fire engine and fire truck. As the program grows, however, space has become a challenge. Instructors sometimes have to move vehicles outside to make room for practical training exercises.
Scholarships are available to students pursuing emergency services careers. The Fire Academy also has agreements with 13 area fire departments, helping students secure internships and gain experience before entering the workforce.
Pereyra completed her internship at Roberts Park before graduating from the program. She said the training gave her a clear understanding of what to expect once she began working.
“I chose Moraine Valley’s Fire Academy because I wanted a program that truly prepared me for what the real job was going to be like,” she said. “Moraine Valley did an exceptional job for me and my peers with the instructors, the classes we had to take and the discipline we had to learn every single day.”
Some graduates return to Moraine Valley after getting hired by fire departments, this time as instructors. Hufnagl said their professional experience helps strengthen the program and gives students opportunities to learn from people who have worked in the field.
“We’ve had a number of students go through our program, get hired in a fire department full time and then come back here and teach with us, which they’re so excited to do,” he said.
Firefighting and emergency medical services continue to change as new technology and equipment become available. Hufnagl said modern firefighters use advanced tools, including technology that can help locate people inside buildings and drones that provide information during emergencies.
He said students benefit from learning from instructors with different backgrounds and experiences, while practicing skills in realistic training environments.
“The realistic hands-on training we can provide students through numerous instructors with numerous backgrounds and experience help students get what it’s like to work in the fire service and learn different ways of doing things,” Hufnagl said.
Hufnagl said emergency services offer an opportunity to help others while building a career with competitive pay and benefits.
“Our program is a phenomenal way for people who wish to give back to the community to help fellow citizens in their worst time of need,” he said.
Pereyra said the preparation she received at Moraine Valley continues to serve her in her work as a firefighter paramedic.
