EDGES Program

The County of Rockland (COR) and Rockland Community College (RCC) are pleased to partner for the EDGES program designed to further your education at RCC tuition-free.

The EDGES program – Educational Development and Growth for Emergency Services – gives participants an “edge up” by enabling certain volunteers to take courses and pursue a degree or certificate to gain new skills and credentials.

The academic collaboration between County of Rockland and RCC will enhance workforce development by expanding access to affordable and high-quality higher education for volunteers.

Volunteers participating in EDGES will complete academic coursework to enhance marketability or to gain personal enrichment.

With 40 associate degrees and certificates available, EDGES will help to strengthen Rockland County’s qualified workforce and enhance the economic vitality of the community.

EDGES (Emergency Services Volunteers) Program Information

  • To be eligible, you must be an active volunteer, in good standing, with a Rockland County fire department or ambulance corp.
  • To apply for enrollment in EDGES, a volunteer must have actively volunteered a minimum of six months prior to his/her entry into the program. An EDGES Interest Eligibility Form must be submitted each semester to the Office of Fire and Emergency Services.
  • If accepted, to apply in any subsequent semester, a volunteer must meet the following minimal qualifications:
    • Responded to 15% of emergency calls or shift hours
    • Attend 25% of departmental training including OSHA, drills, CME’s and exercises
    • Attend 25% of monthly meetings
    • Attend 10% of community events, and or company functions i.e. fundraisers, stand-bys and other sponsored events
  • In addition to the volunteering requirements, each volunteer, in order to enroll and to continue in EDGES, must meet the same RCC enrollment requirements, academic standards and all other terms and conditions RCC requires of its regular students.
  • Eligible volunteers may earn an Associate Degree from RCC through EDGES, however progress toward a degree is not required to receive this benefit.
  • RCC offers flexible in person and remote courses.
  • Eligible volunteers will be granted a waiver of tuition costs and application fees for credit courses taken at RCC. The costs for textbooks and all other related fees are the sole responsibility of the volunteer.
  • All applicants registering for 6 or more credits must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on or before assessment.
  • Applicants eligible for financial aid (Pell, TAP or other grants or scholarships) will be required to use these funding sources to pay for their tuition and fees. Any amount in excess of such tuition and fees will be refunded to the eligible volunteer.

Before applying to RCC, all applicants must first submit an EDGES Interest Eligibility Form to the Rockland County Personnel Department.

EDGES applicants must also complete either the Emergency Management Services (EMS) or Fire Department (FD) Sponsoring Agency Form.

Visit the Rockland County Firefighters and Emergency Responders page for more information.

Participants in the EDGES program can apply either as a Matriculated Student or Non-Matriculated Student.

Matriculated Student

You wish to register for 6 or more credits per semester and/or pursue a degree program.

Matriculated Student Application Requirements

Non-Matriculated Student

You wish to enroll as a non-degree student, taking 6 credits or less per semester and not seeking to pursue a degree program.

Non-Matriculated Student Application Requirements