r/calfire • u/CMP-Medik • 17h ago

FFA

What’s your life like in the FFII FFA? Is it true that it’s only four weeks? It can be any training center, but preferably your experience in Ione. When does academy start/end daily? What did you do in your down time if you stayed there? What were the living quarters life?

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u/Pitiful_Watch_3173 17h ago

Are you going for ffa and COA? If you’re going just for ffa most likely it’ll be Atwater or Ben Clark. It starts at 7:00 and done at 5, but remember you’re on a training schedule so you’re responsible for 14 hours per day except Friday. Train on the weekends and study. Don’t be dumb and screw off then fail the written and manipulative testing.

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u/CMP-Medik 17h ago

Negative on the COA, it’s just a FFII job. What makes you think it’ll be Atwater or Riverside? It’s really hard to find any information directly from Cal Fire on the details.

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u/Pitiful_Watch_3173 16h ago

Because Redding and ione are doing FFA/COA those seats will most likely be filled by people going through both. Is not information that you’ll find on a website. Do you have an IFSAC/ProBoard FF1? If you don’t, you’ll likely be in Ben Clark for 10 weeks total.

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u/CMP-Medik 16h ago

I do have FFI.

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u/Pitiful_Watch_3173 15h ago

That’s good. Just plan for 4 weeks at any of the 4 places. It’s entirely possible that anything can happen, what I shared is just from experience and’s discussion with those involved.

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u/lickticious_Emu_5944 15h ago

I’m going to Ione just for FFA this month

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u/lmnracing 10h ago

Ione has a small number of FFA only cadets (5 of 40 in a recent class for instance).

It is 4 weeks. It's jam packed with training on things you should already know so they are not going to ELI5.

M/W are 0700 to 2100. Tu/Th are 0700 to 1700, F is 0700 to 1600.

There is very little downtime. Weekends are mostly spent studying. If you go home, hopefully the commute is short and you study at home

There actually is a lot to do locally if you stay. Overland trails, close to SLT, horseback riding, hiking, lakes, etc.

There are several different dorms that rang from pretty bad to really decent and new. Luck of the draw. Might have en suite bathroom might not. Will have a roommate and a twin bed.

Food is actually quite decent at the training center and locally. Instructors are really knowledgeable, dedicated, and good at their jobs. The training standard is far above many/most FFAs. Facilities for live burn, WUI, etc are all top notch and well done.

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u/Extension-Rip-8056 6h ago

What m-f look like for the coa time wise, same as ffa?

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u/lmnracing 5h ago

Affirmative. FFA is actually a little less consistent with the 1800 - 2100 classroom time and just a little more chill in general though physically harder/more exhausting especially in the heat with turnouts. COA is consistent with the classroom time after dinner. Pumping and driving practice after 1700 days (and weekends) is also strongly encouraged and essentially required for success.

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u/BnaditCorps 9h ago

FFA is 4 weeks. 

Probably Atwater or Ben Clarke (Ione and Redding are doing FFA/COA combination classes and as such most of those seats will be allocated to FAE and FC candidates)

We had ~5 FF2's in my FFA and their seats in COA were taken by FF2's promoting to FAE. So not impossible, but not statistically likely.