The academy is the vision of a retired fire captain. He wanted to create a learning environment that replicates a working firehouse, so that the recruits can learn to be a part of a functional firehouse while they gain their education required to become a firefighter. The academy offers a unique experience in which recruits will live in a replicated working firehouse, where they will live as firefighters. This includes going to class and learning the knowledge and skills while doing station chores, cooking, and responding to mock emergency calls throughout their stay at the academy. For the entire time recruits are at the academy, they are expected to act as professionals and respect the chain of command as if they were working firefighters.