Courses

Firefighter I is the first level in the firefighter program. Firefighter I is designed to take the firefighter to the first level of firefighter as recognized by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1001 - 2013 edition). The program is divided into three separate courses. Each course is designed to provide the theory and skills necessary to effectively perform the functions of a firefighter.                                                                                                        

Upon completion of the Firefighter I program students should be able to understand and apply department operational guidelines, communicate effectively using fire department communications, perform fire ground operations to ensure life safety, perform fire control and property conservation, perform the activities of prevention, preparedness and maintenance to reduce loss due to fire.   

Students who complete Part A, B and C in the Firefighter I program are eligible for knowledge and skills testing through Academic Standards and Evaluation with the Office the Fire Marshal & Emergency Management (OFMEM).   

Note: These courses require students to provide their own turnout gear. To maximize firefighter safety, participants are required to bring their own SCBA and two air cylinders. Information and guidance on safely transporting SCBA and cylinders to and from the Training Centre are included in the pre-class materials.   

NFPA 1001 Firefighter I Part A

This course introduces the firefighter to the fire service. Topics include theory and skills training on the following subjects: history of the fire service, firefighter health & safety, communications, building construction, fire behaviour, personal protective equipment, portable fire extinguishers, ropes, knots and webbing.                                                                                                       

This course requires a minimum of 12 registrants to run.                                      

NFPA 1001 Firefighter I Part B

This course is an extension of NFPA 1001 - Firefighter I - Part A. Topics include theory and skills training on the following subjects: search & rescue, illumination, forcible entry, ladders, ventilation, water, supply and fire hose.                                                                                                        

This course requires a minimum of 12 registrants to run.                                                                                                        

NFPA 1001 Firefighter I Part C

This course is an extension of NFPA 1001 - Firefighter I - Part B. Topics include theory and skills training on the following subjects: fire streams, fire protections systems, fire control, loss control, fire origin and fire safety initiatives.                                      

This course requires a minimum of 12 registrants to run.                                      

NFPA 1002 Pump Ops

The Apparatus Equipped with a Fire Pump course meets the knowledge and Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) established by the NFPA 1002 Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver – Operator Professional Qualifications Chapter 5, 2014 Edition. Upon successful completion of this course each student will understand and be able to demonstrate the operation of a fire department pumper from both a static and pressurized source of water.                                                                                                 

This course requires a minimum of 8 registrants to run.                                                                                                 

Note: This course is currently available through Conestoga's Continuing Education course Pump Operations - FIRE1410.                                                                                                                 

NFPA 1006 Technical Rescuer Core

This course will cover the job performance requirements that shall be met under the NFPA 1006 Chapter 5 – 2013 edition prior to being qualified as a Technical Rescuer.                                                                                                            

The course includes a comprehensive understanding of site operations giving a specific type of rescue incident. In addition, this course provides an overview of victim management including triage and assessments of rescue vs. recovery. It provides an in depth understanding regarding inspection and maintenance of rescue equipment. Finally, the course will teach how to tie knots, bends, and hitches so that the knots are recognizable.                                      

This course requires a minimum of 8 registrants to run.                                      

Note: Students must provide their own bunker gear, safety glasses, rescue harness, and rescue helmet.                                                              

The Fire Officer courses are a progress managerial classroom training program that meet the skill requisites established by the NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, 2014 Edition.                             

NFPA 1021 Fire Officer I

This course provides students with timely information that aids in their daily performance as a fire officer. Topics covered include roles and responsibilities, administration, accountability, cultural diversity, health and safety, human resource management, public relations, functional leadership, incident command, inspection and investigation, budgeting process, basic strategic planning, and basic strategy and tactics. The Fire Officer I course is intended for the frontline fire officers with a supervisory role.         

This course requires a minimum of 10 registrants to run.    

NFPA 1021 Fire Officer II

Fire Officer II builds upon the topics covered in Fire Officer I. There is a more in-depth look at human resources management, community and government relations, as well as the origin and preliminary cause of fires. Emergency delivery topics will evolve from single unit emergency operations to multi-unit emergency operations, with a more in-depth look at pre-incident planning and deployment of assigned resources. In addition, Fire Officer II covers the organization of local government and the roles that outside agencies play in assisting the fire service. Fire Officer II is intended for frontline fire officers with an expanded role.  

This course requires a minimum of 10 registrants to run.

NFPA 1021 Fire Officer III

Fire Officer III builds upon the topics covered in Fire Officer II. The Fire Officer III course consists of subjects designed to educate fire officers on topics related to management and administration so that they can make basic evaluations of employee relations and assume a more proactive role in their department. This is a project-based course, designed around classroom lectures and interactive group exercises that will enhance students’ abilities to manage a fire service organization. Subjects discussed will include community/government relations, model planning, budgeting, human resources, trends and support organizations, and emergency service delivery. Fire Officer III will enable students to be better prepared to advance into an administrative level of management in their department.         

This course requires a minimum of 10 registrants to run.

NFPA 1021 Fire Officer IV

Fire Officer IV builds upon the topics covered in Fire Officer III. Fire Officer IV will enable students to be better prepared to advance into the executive level of management in their department. The course emphasizes the following executive level subjects: community and government relations, model planning, budgeting, human resources management, trends and support organizations, multi-agency emergency services delivery, and risk management.         

This is a project-based course, designed around classroom lectures and interactive group exercises, to provide students with advanced abilities to manage a fire service organization. It consists of online self-directed learning and an intensive 5-day in-class session involving theory and practicums.         

Registration note: Given this is a blended course, with a significant amount of pre-class work that must be completed before attending the in-class sessions, the Office of the Registrar will not be able to accommodate replacements of students or add additional students once the redemption codes for the pre-class have been sent.                   

NFPA 1031 Fire Inspector I

This course will teach students to apply the concepts and skills of a fire inspector. Students will learn about fire safety, codes and standards, and fire protection systems and how to think their way through fire prevention inspections. The course covers preparing inspection orders, investigating complaints, identifying the applicable code or standard, understanding basic legal proceedings, classifying a single occupancy building, calculating occupant load of single occupancy, verifying construction classifications, inspecting means of egress, suppression systems, fire extinguishers, as well as recognizing hazardous conditions. In addition this course will prepare students to identify compliance for storage, to recognize fire growth potential, and to determine code compliance.

Note: This course is also available through Conestoga's Continuing Education course Fire Inspector 1 - FIRE1401.                             

NFPA 1031 Fire Inspector II

This course teaches students to apply concepts related to inspection and skills. Students learn about the plans review process, investigating complaints, occupancy classification, occupant load calculations for multi-use occupancies, recognizing and evaluating fire hazards, recommend policies and procedures for delivery of inspection services, inspection processes that involve new and existing occupancies for construction, and occupancy and fire protection.

Reference the NFPA 1031 Flowchart - Required courses: Legislation; OFC NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Awareness; NFPA 1031 Fire Inspector I; Fire Code Div. B Part 2 and 6 Fire Safety Fire Protection Equipment; Courtroom Procedures, and Fire Code Division B Part 9 Retrofit.                           

Fire Code Div. B Part 2 and 6 Fire Safety and Fire Protection Equipment

This course is an introduction to the Ontario Building Code and Ontario Fire Code and assists students in developing knowledge of fire inspection methods with respect to applications of the Ontario Fire Code Div. B Parts 2 and 6, the Building Code Act, and the Ontario Building Code. The emphasis of this course is on the elimination of fire hazards in and around buildings, maintenance of fire and life safety systems in buildings, establishing of a fire safety plan, and the installation of smoke alarms in dwelling units. This course will also cover installation, checking, inspection, testing requirements of the Ontario Fire Code, and the operation of fire protection equipment and life safety systems.                           

Fire Code Div. B Part 9 Retrofit

In this course, students will develop knowledge of fire inspection methods with respect to applications of the Ontario Fire Code Div. B, Part 9. This course covers the upgrading of existing buildings through retrofit.

Courtroom Procedures

This course prepares students on the disclosure of evidence in a trial. This course will describe the legislative authority of the Ontario Fire Protection and Prevention Act (FPPA) and the Provincial Offences Act (POA). It will explain the legislated options available to address contraventions of the Ontario Fire Code and other fire hazards that are not regulated by the Ontario Fire Code. It will identify the appropriate course(s) of action to ensure that Ontario Fire Code contraventions or hazards are reduced or eliminated in a timely manner and/or enforcement measures are taken.     

NFPA 1033 Fire Investigator

This blended course covers all investigative competencies associated with NFPA 1033 Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator, 2014 Edition, including Scientific Method, Origin and Cause, Scene Documentation, Scene Safety, Chemistry of Fire, Building Construction, and Scene Reconstructions. This course also provides in-depth instruction in all aspects of assessing and investigating fire scenes relevant to fire protection services and adheres to the NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, 2014 Edition, which is the guide to fire and explosion and investigation.                                      

Provincial testing through AS&E with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management will be conducted at the conclusion of the course.                                      

The Fire and Life Safety Educator program meets the knowledge and skill requisites established by the National Fire Protection Association Standard on Fire and Life Safety Educator, Public Information Officer, Youth Firesetter Intervention Specialist and Youth Firesetter Program Manager Professional Qualifications NFPA 1035, 2015 Edition.

The Fire and Life Safety Educator program includes Level I and Level II as well as the Public Information Officer (PIO).                 

Provincial testing through AS&E with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management will be conducted at the conclusion of the in-class sessions.                 

NFPA 1035 Fire and Life Safety Educator I

This course provides students with the skills necessary to deliver and coordinate existing fire and life safety education at various levels within a community. This course examines fire behaviour, human behaviour during fire, educational methodology, and basic fire protection systems and devices. This course will also cover the scheduling of fire and life safety activities, identifying and recognizing opportunities for shared efforts with common fire and life safety goals, recognizing and mitigating potential hazards, and adapting lesson plans to the needs of the audience.                

Note: This course is also currently available through Conestoga's Continuing Education course Fire and Life Safety Educator - FIRE1481.                                  

NFPA 1035 Fire and Life Safety Educator II

This course provides students with the skills necessary to prepare educational programs and information to meet identified needs. This course covers planning, networking, budget preparation, applied learning theories, and statistical analysis methods pertaining to fire and life safety education. Further, this course will provide the students with the necessary skills to conduct a community risk analysis, design and manage programs, and create and lead intervention programs to address community risk.

NFPA 1035 Public Information Officer

In this course, students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the functions of a public information officer. The course emphasizes effective writing skills, media dissemination, and monitoring skills. Students will benefit from the enhancement of interview skills and learning about the development, maintenance, and strengthening of relationships with community groups. This course will also cover the formatting of media releases.

This course prepares students to compose, teach, deliver and evaluate training to adults.                  

NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor I

This course prepares students to deliver training sessions effectively by analyzing and applying principles of adult education, assessing learner needs, planning lessons, and conducting evaluations. Particular emphasis is placed on the application of adult education principles in learning situations that involve fire department personnel, external agencies, and the public.                  

This course requires a minimum of 6 registrants to run.                  

Course materials are available on the OFC pre-class site. Visit the registration page to access the pre-class materials.

Note: This course is currently available through Conestoga's Continuing Education course Fire Instructor 1 - FIRE1420.    

NFPA 1041 Fire Instructor II

This course will build and expand on the knowledge and requisite skills of the NFPA 1041, 2012 Edition Fire Instructor I. Students will develop skills and knowledge that will enhance the department’s planning, implementation and evaluation of training and educational programs.  

This course requires a minimum of 6 registrants to run.

NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials encompasses a number of courses that take the student from the awareness level to air monitoring, detection to core operations, and operations plus to technician.

NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Operations

The Hazardous Materials Operations course focuses on the recognition of a hazardous materials emergency, personnel safety, hazard assessment, and the notification of higher skilled emergency responders or technical response teams. Students will become familiar with the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) and learn about the mandate and authority of the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC). Students will explore topics such as placards, containers, and materials involved; determine whether materials have been released, PPE, emergency decontamination, and the evaluation of the surrounding conditions. By collecting hazard and response information, students will develop a “risk-based response” plan. Hazardous Materials Operations will also include the sign off of NFPA 1072 Chapter 5 Mission-Specific Section Product Control (Section 6.6), 2017 Edition.       

This course requires a minimum of 10 registrants to run.

Note: Students must provide their own turnout gear. To maximize firefighter safety, participants are required to bring their own SCBA and two air cylinders. Information and guidance on safely transporting SCBA and cylinders to and from the Training Centre are included in the pre-class materials.

NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Operations Mission-Specific

This course prepares students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to respond to various hazardous materials incidents at the Operations level of NFPA 1072 (Operations Mission-Specific Chapter 6), 2017 Edition.                                     

This hazardous materials training will focus on the operational tasks and duties expected to be performed by a team of emergency response personnel, along with the required competencies to perform those tasks. The mission specific tasks include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (6.2), Mass Decontamination (6.3), Technical Decontamination (6.4), Evidence Preservation (6.5), Air Monitoring (6.7), Victim Rescue and Recovery (6.8), and Illicit Labs (6.9). Note: Section 6.5 Evidence Preservation is covered in this course; however, it is not included as part of the certification exam through AS&E.                                     

Note: Students must provide their own turnout gear. To maximize firefighter safety, students are required to bring their own SCBA and two air cylinders. Information and guidance on safely transporting SCBA and cylinders to and from the Training Centre are included in the pre-class materials.

NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Technician

This course provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to respond to various hazardous materials incidents at the Technician Level of NFPA 1072, 2017 Edition. The course covers the operations performed by a team of emergency response personnel in order to gather and analyze situational data, product details, and container information necessary to, where possible, control the release of a hazardous material substance(s), effect rescue or recovery, safely mitigate the incident, and assist with scene restoration while utilizing specialized protective equipment.

Note: Students must provide their own turnout gear. To maximize firefighter safety, participants are required to bring their own SCBA and two air cylinders. Information and guidance on safely transporting SCBA and cylinders to and from the Training Centre are included in the pre-class materials.

NFPA 1521 Incident Safety Officer

This course meets the knowledge and skill requisites established by NFPA 1521: Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer Professional Qualifications, Chapter 5, 2015 Edition. This three-day course examines the role of the incident safety officer (ISO) at any situation requiring emergency response, and will define their operation within the incident command system. The student will be able to evaluate and prioritize risks while using critical thinking to analyze and mitigate hazards. Students will learn to select the most appropriate control measure to ensure effectiveness of emergency response and enhance firefighter safety. The program will cover the role of the safety officer including safety, regulations and standards, and reading buildings, smoke, risk, hazardous energy, and firefighters. The course also examines triggers and traps, developing a systematic approach, and ISO responsibilities at structure fires, wildland fires, as well as technical and post incident responsibilities. This training will allow the students to better identify incident action options in a risk-based response. Supplemental scenario based training will also allow students to apply what they have learned.                               

Provincial testing through AS&E with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management will be conducted at the conclusion of the course.                                      

To receive certification students must also complete and submit their skills sign-offs to AS&E, within three months from the end of the course.                               

This course requires a minimum of 10 registrants to run.