As the statutory fire academy for Illinois, the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) serves firefighters throughout Illinois and the world. World-class instructors deliver more than 14,000 class hours to students online, on campus and at regional training centers throughout the state.
The Champaign campus includes 28 acres of real-life training props and features one of the few locations in the U.S. that still uses live-fire structural burn training. The site includes training and educational props for hazardous materials, collapsed buildings, high-rise buildings, trenches and vehicle rescue. A streetscape structure mimics a real city block with a variety of store fronts and an area is dedicated to agricultural training.
The 21,000 square foot Learning Resource and Research Center houses the Firefighter Life Safety Research Center. IFSI's research is carried out by experienced scientists who conduct applied research that addresses real-world health and safety challenges facing first responders. The Center's research is enhanced by its affiliation with one of the premier research universities in the U.S. at the University of Illinois.
The building is also home to the only fire service dedicated library in the state to make information available to the public and first responders.
The Illinois Fire Service Institute is the statutory fire academy for the State of Illinois. It is operated as a continuing education and public service activity by the University of Illinois. (Reference PA 81-1147, Illinois Fire Service Institute Act, effective 7/1/1980).
Helping Firefighters do their Work through Training, Education, Information and Research
