Pre-Service Fireﬁghter Education and Training

Our Program
Our Industry Partnerships

Your Career

Work Placement

Admission Requirements

Fees

Curriculum

Diploma to Degree

Our Program

Humber’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training Certificate will help prepare you for the demands of becoming a firefighter. Your training will begin with courses on how fire departments operate and the kind of equipment used on the job. Then go more in-depth into fire behaviour and combustion chemistry, firefighting techniques, rescue strategies, fire apparatus operations, emergency care for patients, hazardous materials awareness and firefighter fitness training. Faculty who are certified fire service trainers and active firefighters will spark your interest and prepare you for the field by sharing their extensive experience and expertise in the classroom.

Experience the everyday reality of firefighting by practising your skills in a burn tower and by participating on a duty fire crew, where you’ll observe how firefighters work at the station and on the scene of an emergency. Guidance on finding employment that includes support with resumés and job interviews will prepare you to build a gratifying career in this important occupation.

Note: Optional information sessions may be held throughout the year for applicants who wish to learn more about this program. For dates, call 416.675.6622 ext. 3484.

Your Career

Your Career
Firefighters are among the most respected members of emergency services professionals because of the important role they play in saving lives, property and the environment. Transform your desire to join this rewarding line of work through Humber’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training certificate.

Ontario’s more than 10,000 full-time firefighters use their skills, physical abilities and fire prevention and suppression techniques to put out fires and keep society secure.

Graduates of the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program have been hired by fire departments in cities across the province and the country, including in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, Vaughan, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver and Halifax, as well as by the Canadian Forces.
Industry Partnerships
The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) through the Endorsement Review Board (ERB) endorses the program content of the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program. This curriculum is based on the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Ontario Standardized Curriculum for Firefighters (2008), which meets the body of knowledge and practical skills required to meet the job-related performance objectives specified in the Ontario Fire Services Firefighter Standards. Graduates of the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program are eligible to write the OFM Provincial Firefighter Test.

Workplacement
The purpose of the pre-graduate experience (a minimum of 172 hours) is to afford students an opportunity to integrate knowledge and skills learned and to apply them during intensive practice sessions using their basic skills in various areas. The student will be required to have successfully completed all other vocational theory and skills courses within the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program.

Admission Requirement
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or mature student status
- Grade 12 English (ENG4C or ENG4U). If English is not your first language visit the English Language Proficiency Policy
- Grade 12 Mathematics (MAP4C, MCT4C, MDM4U, MCB4U, MGA4U, MCV4U or MHF4U)
- Grade 11 or Grade 12 Chemistry (SCH3U, SCH4C or SCH4U) or equivalent
- Grade 11 or Grade 12 Biology (SBI3C, SBI3U or SBI4U) or equivalent
- Attendance at a testing session (fee $55), which includes:
  - firefighter aptitude test, including math
  - completion of a writing sample
  - a biology and chemistry test
- Applicants are rank ordered based on the testing results and the best qualified are invited in for an information meeting where the final selection is made for admission into the program
Note: For more information visit Selection Procedures.

Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

Additional Requirements
- Candidates who do not pass the York University Fitness Evaluation must re-test (at student’s expense) and pass prior to the end of the first semester in order to proceed to semester two
- Minimum 20/30 uncorrected vision in both eyes with no significant colour deficiency is a normal fire department requirement but will not prevent admission into this program. Students not meeting this requirement are required to sign a letter of understanding stating they’re aware of fire department requirements
- Complete immunization record including immunization against Hepatitis B
- Valid CPR-C for HCP and Standard First Aid certificates. Documentation must be submitted to the program co-ordinator one month prior to the start of semester one
- Police Record Check: Students in programs or occupations involving direct contact with vulnerable persons are required to undergo a Police Record Check. Refer to the Admission Information section in this publication. Humber reserves the right to deny admission to this program based on an unpardoned criminal record that would be relevant to the academic or placement requirements of the program. The Police Record Check may have to be renewed every three to six months. Faculty will support students upon arrival to the program to ensure they apply for the correct type of police documentation

Fees
The 2012/2013 fee for two semesters is

– domestic $10,967.94

– international $12,800.

Amounts listed are the total of tuition, lab and material fees, student service and auxiliary fees for the first two semesters of the 2012/2013 academic year.

Fees are subject to change.

For more information visit Fees and Financial Assistance.

Additional Costs
Additional Costs
$55 for testing session; approximately $175 for York University Fitness Evaluation (on a date scheduled by Humber); and approximately $700 for firefighter-related books/equipment. Psychology and Humanities books are extra.

Curriculum

Semester 1
Course Code	Course	Credits
FPRE 101	Introduction to the Fire Service Introduction to the Fire Service Course Code: FPRE 101 Credits: 2	2
FPRE 102	Fire Behaviour and Chemistry of Combustion Fire Behaviour and Chemistry of Combustion Course Code: FPRE 102 Credits: 2 This course will review basic gas laws and define fire and its behaviour from ignition to cessation. Fire will be studied from both a physical and chemical standpoint. Stages and classes of fire, methods of heat/fire spread and the methods to contain and extinguish fire will be highlighted.	2
FPRE 103	Fire Ground Operations 1 Fire Ground Operations 1 Course Code: FPRE 103 Credits: 6 This course provides the opportunity for participants to research the role and responsibilities of a variety of positions in the fire service. Theoretical skills in such areas as: protective clothing and equipment, breathing apparatus, simulated search and rescue techniques, ropes, knots and ladders, water supplies, hose and appliances, and fire streams and foam will be outlined.	6
FPRE 106	Firefighter Fitness Training Firefighter Fitness Training Course Code: FPRE 106 Credits: 2 This course will provide the concepts of health, wellness and physical readiness, using both theory and practical applications. The aim of the program is to provide the students with the opportunity, resources and direction to achieve the level of fitness required to enter into the fire service.	2
FPRE 109	Specialized Rescue 1 Specialized Rescue 1 Course Code: FPRE 109 Credits: 4 This module takes the theoretical skills learned in the Pre-Entry Profile and through hands-on scenarios demonstrates and allows for further development of the practical skills in confined space rescue, auto extrication, and water rescue.	4
FPRE 205	Role of the Firefighter in the Community 2 Role of the Firefighter in the Community 2 Course Code: FPRE 205 Credits: 3 Topics covered in this course include fire prevention and prefire planning activities. Principles, priorities and procedures involved in fire prevention will be outlined. Legislation, regulations, standards and fire prevention resource agencies will be described.	3
HUMA 024	Humanities: An Introduction to Arts and Science Humanities: An Introduction to Arts and Science Course Code: HUMA 024 Credits: 3 The Humanities course focuses on fundamental questions individuals ask of themselves as they proceed through life. Why are we the way we are? Do we have free will or are we prisoners of our past experience or our biological inheritance? What motivates societies to change? Why do societal changes so often divide people into opposing camps? Why do so many people find contemporary life at home, at work, and in the community unfulfilling? What constitutes good government? How should injustice be fought? Can nations successfully deal with global problems? What is science and how does it differ from other kinds of inquiry? Can scientists provide solutions to the problems we face? What is art and does it offer answers of its own? What is its relationship to beauty, to knowledge, and to ethics? Is objectivity about art (or anything) possible? These questions are organized into units that begin with issues concerning the nature of the individual and then extend outward to various social, cultural and physical contexts. The issues explored in this course are too complex to have any one right answer. Rather, individuals must search for answers that make sense of their experiences via various theoretical perspectives. The Humanities course supports this endeavour through study of different thinkers presented in the readings and exploration of different points of view explored in class discussions. ESL students should consider taking the ESL Humanities course. Students may transfer into ESL Humanities (HESL 024) either at the Registrar?s Office or the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences Office (K201) on a first-come, first-served basis before the Last Day to Add.	3
LANG 129	Writing Skills - Firefighters Writing Skills - Firefighters Course Code: LANG 129 Credits: 3 This English course is designed to help Fire and Emergency Services I students develop business writing, reading, and researching skills. The course will also emphasize the strategies of effective business communication.	3

Semester 2
Course Code	Course	Credits
FPRE 105	Role of the Firefighter in the Community 1 Role of the Firefighter in the Community 1 Course Code: FPRE 105 Credits: 3 This course will focus on the important role of the firefighter in the community reflected in activities and initiatives in the area of public relations, public education, instructional techniques, fire safety and communications/dispatch.	3
FPRE 107	Introduction to Computers Introduction to Computers Course Code: FPRE 107 Credits: 2 This course will focus on the important role of the firefighter in the community reflected in activities and initiatives in the area of public relations, public education, instructional techniques, fire safety and communications/dispatch.	2
FPRE 201	Fire Apparatus Operations Fire Apparatus Operations Course Code: FPRE 201 Credits: 2 This module familiarizes the student with a fire apparatus and points out the differences from normal truck operations and emergency response. The components of the pump are covered including pump intakes and discharges, pressure control devices, ancillary devices and gauges, proper pump pressures, single to multiple line pumping operations and pump operator's responsibilities.	2
FPRE 203	Fire Ground Operations 2 Fire Ground Operations 2 Course Code: FPRE 203 Credits: 6 This course continues to cover the basic firefighting operations with emphasis on extinguishers, firefighting techniques, vehicle operation, pump operation, forcible entry, ventilation, search and rescue, salvage, overhaul, fire scene management and control, post incident review and fire cause determination.	6
FPRE 210	Firefighter Emergency Patient Care Firefighter Emergency Patient Care Course Code: FPRE 210 Credits: 6 Pre-Hospital Patient Care This module will provide an overview of the Ontario emergency response team. Content will cover common medical/trauma conditions, the related patient care and associated situational management. Included will be legislation, regulations, standards and established policies, procedures and protocols, as well the role of the emergency response team and the specific role of the firefighter emergency care responder. Patient Assessment This module will deal with human physiology, major systems, organ function, terminology and pathophysiological changes that occur in common medical/trauma emergencies. Also covered are patient assessment, common communicable/infectious diseases, report to the EMS personnel, personal protection and cleaning/disinfecting of equipment. Common Medical/Trauma Emergency and Patient Care Management This module describes signs, symptoms, medical treatment and patient care for the following medical/trauma emergencies: respiratory emergencies, cardiovascular emergencies, neurological emergencies, musculoskeletal emergencies, digestive/abdominal emergencies, endocrine system emergencies, childbirth, common behavioural/psychological conditions and environmental incidents, both natural and human caused. There is a practical component for each module.	6
FPRE 301	Live Fire Evolutions Live Fire Evolutions Course Code: FPRE 301 Credits: 5 This module puts all skills developed in the Fire Ground Operations module into action in a burn tower facility. The live fire evolutions begin with an introductory fire situation and progress up to a multi fire multi-task scenario in a multi-level building. All hands-on skills are used in the scenarios with the addition of fire suppression, firefighter techniques, emergency scene management and post-incident review.	5
FPRE 303	Fire Ground Operations 3 Fire Ground Operations 3 Course Code: FPRE 303 Credits: 6 This evaluation process is a skills assessment process whereby after the introduction of the hands-on components and sufficient practice time, the student is expected to demonstrate a complete understanding of and the ability to perform the testing requirements of the specific learned skill. The evaluation is conducted using a standard check off sheet for each step of the developed skill and in some cases a timed element is part of the evaluation process.	6
FPRE 305	Work Placement Work Placement Course Code: FPRE 305 Credits: 0 The purpose of the pre-graduate experience (a minimum of 172 hours) is to afford students an opportunity to integrate knowledge and skills learned and to apply them during intensive practice sessions using their basic skills in various areas. The student will be required to have successfully completed all other vocational theory and skills courses within the Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program.	0
FPRE 309	WHMIS/Hazardous Materials - Awareness WHMIS/Hazardous Materials - Awareness Course Code: FPRE 309 Credits: 2 This course further develops students' skills in recognizing hazardous materials, interpreting material safety data sheets and determining the appropriate course of action to take for the hazard present. This course also provides you with generic rescue principles and practices along with an understanding of the rescue process as conducted by firefighters. Key factors, conditions affecting common rescue, the role and responsibilities of emergency rescue responders and safety teamwork in rescue will be covered.	2
PSYC 001	Psychology: Introduction Psychology: Introduction Course Code: PSYC 001 Credits: 3 How many times in the course of a day do we wonder about human behaviour? We shake our heads and ask why the person in the car ahead of us cut us off. We ask why it is that the person sitting beside us has his/her nose pierced. We try to explain why our boss blew up at a co-worker over an insignificant issue. We question the motives for our own actions. In the course of day it seems that we are challenged over and over again to explain the behaviour of those around us and indeed ourselves. Most often we do so using common sense, based on our limited experience, our socialization and our own biases. Psychology is the field of study that examines human behaviour scientifically. This course will introduce the student to psychological theories and a variety of psychological research topics, including the biological bases of behaviour, learning and memory, psychopathology, social attitudes and behaviour. Students will be encouraged to be introspective and to apply what they learn to their personal behaviour in order to gain a better understanding of themselves and others. Students who have taken PSYC 008 or PSYC 105 cannot take this course.	3

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School of Social & Community Services		Program Availability
Type: Certificate	Campus: North
Program Code: 21701	Length: Two semesters, beginning in September and February
CONTACT INFORMATION: Ian Sim, manager \| 416.675.6622 ext. 4694 \| ian.sim@humber.ca

School of Social & Community Services

Program Availability

Your Career

Semester 1

Introduction to the Fire Service

Fire Behaviour and Chemistry of Combustion

Fire Ground Operations 1

Firefighter Fitness Training

Specialized Rescue 1

Role of the Firefighter in the Community 2

Humanities: An Introduction to Arts and Science

Writing Skills - Firefighters

Semester 2

Role of the Firefighter in the Community 1

Introduction to Computers

Fire Apparatus Operations

Fire Ground Operations 2

Firefighter Emergency Patient Care

Live Fire Evolutions

Fire Ground Operations 3

Work Placement

WHMIS/Hazardous Materials - Awareness

Psychology: Introduction