Oakland Community College Fire/EMS Training

09/11/2026

"Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11."
- President Barack Obama

We are extremely proud of the cadets in Academy 82 for organizing a memorial stair climb for the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Our cadets are each climbing 110 flights of stairs to represent the 110 stories of The World Trade Center, and to honor the 343 firefighters that made the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11. Since then, over 600 additional firefighters have died from health issues related to 9/11. This number continues to rise every year.

Never forget.

Our sense of safety, rattled by shock, horror and fear. 9/11 killed thousands, wounded many others and emotionally scarred millions. But it also sparked unity and respect, particularly for those who ran toward the danger that day, 25 years ago. Tonight, a special service to honor the fallen heroes o...

08/10/2026

With deepest sympathy we have to share the passing of Fire Academy instructor Lt. Charlie Noonan after a battle with cancer. Charlie was the part-time fire academy coordinator for many years. Charlie has touched the lives of hundreds of students that walked the halls of Oakland Fire Academy, and his absence will be felt all throughout the Michigan Fire Service. Charlie embodied what it means to be a firefighter - service to others, courage, and kindness. He loved sharing his knowledge with the cadets in our academies, and was always ready with a joke. He will be missed by both staff and students at Oakland Fire Academy. We love you brother.

View Charles Arthur Noonan's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

04/09/2026

10/08/2025

A big congratulations to our full-time fire academy coordinator Tim Miller on his promotion to Battalion Chief at Southfield Fire Department! Chief Miller has a passion for the fire service that is evident every day both in the classroom and on the fire scene. His dedication to educating the next generation of firefighters is one of the reasons why Oakland Fire Academy continues to be one of the best academies in the state. Congratulations Chief Miller! 🔥🚒

Congratulations to Battalion Chief Tim Miller!
Please join us in congratulating Tim Miller on his well-deserved promotion to Battalion Chief with the Southfield Fire Department. Chief Miller’s dedication, leadership, and commitment to serving our community have been invaluable. We’re excited to see him take on this new role and continue leading by example.

09/07/2025

05/30/2025

Congratulations to our friend and fire academy instructor Gary Chapman on his retirement from Auburn Hills Fire Department after a 45-year career! 🔥🚒

After an incredible 45 years of service, the Auburn Hills Fire Department proudly celebrates the retirement of one of its most respected and accomplished firefighters, Firefighter Gary Chapman. Kno…

11/14/2024

Our official graduation photos have been posted on OCC's Flickr page! Please feel free to download any photos you want to keep.

We would like to extend a big thank you to our photographer Keith Tolman of KGT Photographic Inc for taking these great photos. They will be a wonderful keepsake for the cadets and their families.

Explore this photo album by Oakland Community College on Flickr!

11/07/2024

Another successful academy is in the books! Today at graduation, Academy 76 earned the privilege to join the brother and sisterhood of the fire service. This was the largest graduating class to date with two platoons and 50 cadets. The cadets worked very hard during the academy and we are very proud of their success. We wish them all the best of luck in their future careers.

The amazing class video was created by Tim Gielow of SEND ME Films. Tim did a fantastic job on this video. He was able to not only capture what it means to be a firefighter, but also showed the true meaning of family in the fire service. More of his work can be found on his official Instagram page - just search for sendmefilms.

Fire cadets from OCC's 76th Academy Class learn how to fight fires and save lives, all while growing closer as a team. Music licensed through Audiomachine.

09/11/2024

On this 9-11 Rememberance Day, Oakland Fire Academy participated in the 911Salute. The 9-11 Salute is a three-minute salute facing the American flag in honor and rememberance of those who lost their lives 23 years ago on September 11th, 2001, including 343 firefighters. As of September 2023, the number of firefighter deaths at FDNY due to health complications from 9-11 was equal to the number of firefighters they lost that day. As of September 4th, 2024 that number has risen to 363. This number will continue to grow with each passing year.

Today we pause to remember those that we have lost, those that keep fighting, and those that have chosen this career path to make a difference in their community - even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.

08/30/2024

Wishing the 2024 Paramedic Cohort a big congratulations on their graduation today - with an extra shout-out to all our fire academy alumni in the class (and one current cadet 😁). You all have very bright futures ahead of you, and we wish you the best of luck in your careers as firefighter/paramedics. Stay safe, and never stop learning! 🚒 🚑