Recently, Attorney Brandon Grysko had the opportunity to sit down with Chief Liam Carroll, the Fire Technology Program Coordinator at Schoolcraft College. Chief Carroll began in the Fire Service in 1988, working in two different fire departments throughout his career, ultimately retiring as a Fire Chief in 2014. As the Fire Technology Program Coordinator, Chief Carroll handles everything from the basic fire academy to its degree program, and even personally teaches firefighters in between.

Brandon was interested in connecting with Chief Carroll to discuss the fire training dual enrollment program Schoolcraft offers to students near the area. Programs like this are very near and dear to him, as a senior in high school, he was dual-enrolled at Schoolcraft in their Emergency Medical Technology program.

While attending high school and sports practices during the day, Brandon also engaged in EMT Classes during the evenings. After just a few months, he became a fully licensed EMT a position that would help support him through graduating college. Brandon is a firm believer that his early exposure to the public safety arena is what prepared him to be hired by the Livonia Police Department later.

Chief Carroll would mention how he came up with the idea for their dual enrollment program. While his daughter was in high school and dual-enrolled in the local pre-med major program, Chief Carroll witnessed the tools and skills his daughter was building in this competitive program. Prompting him to wonder, could he integrate the fire service into a dual enrollment program?

The quick answer is yes you can. Since launching the dual enrollment, Chief Carroll sid he has come to one realization: the right education presented at the right time produces the right results. Which we interpret as a curriculum that’s easy on your budget and flexible in scheduling promotes growth in both skill and character.

This program really is a win-win-win situation, high schools get to offer a new in-demand program, local fire departments receive certified firefighters, and the students get to save time, money, and jump head-first into a career they enjoy.

We want to thank Chief Liam Carroll for joining us for this interview, we learned a wealth of information we did not expect. Chief Carroll and Schoolcraft College rely heavily on word-of-mouth to spread the program’s mission and message. So spread the word!

If you would like more information on Schoolcraft’s Fire Training Dual Enrollment Program, click this link to view their Dual Enrollment brochure, you can also contact Chief Carroll by email or by phone at 734-462-4314