What You’ll Learn 

Your studies will include fireground operations, fire suppression, emergency medical response, and fire investigation. You’ll also gain hands-on experiential learning in fire apparatus operation, technical rescue, and hazardous materials. 

Throughout the program, you’ll develop skills in fire suppression and fireground operations, inspection and maintenance of firefighting equipment, fire and life safety inspections, and technical rescue support and vehicle extrication operations. You’ll also analyze fire development and suppression concepts and execute hazardous materials operations and decontamination procedures. 

Hands-on learning happens at the Fire Training Centre, a specialty centre where students practice in door breach and wall breach activities, learning fire prevention and suppression. The school is also home to designated labs for fire alarms and fire sprinkler systems.

What You’ll Learn 

Packed with practical experience and testing, Cambrian College’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program ensures you’re job-ready.

The program is offered by the School of Health Sciences and Emergency Services, which offers programs designed to test and sharpen students’ technical skills, and prepare them to work boldly on the frontline. You’ll also have full access to the college’s Athletics Centre and weight room.

You’ll gain hands-on experience in the on-campus firefighter lab and in simulated, controlled live-fire training scenarios with the City of Greater Sudbury Fire Services and Markstay-Warren Fire Department. 

Courses include firefighter fitness, fire theory, career development, firefighter skills, technical rescue, and more. During the first semester, you can access the SP100 Forest Firefighting course (additional cost) to apply for fire ranger positions with the Ministry of Natural Resources upon graduation.

What You’ll Learn 

Students receive more than 60 days of hands-on training at the Eastern Ontario Emergency Training Academy (EOETA), located 40km east of Peterborough in the village of Norwood. In addition to real-world firefighting scenarios, the program includes classroom theory, college course material, and medical upgrading to the EMR Standard. 

At EOETA, a fully equipped fire and emergency services training facility, you’ll be trained in all aspects of firefighting in real-world environments, including a three-storey burn tower, search and rescue maze, confined space, and propane props. 

Course content is based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and covers a wide range of topics, including fire behaviour, suppression, ventilation, hazardous materials, auto extrication, fire attack scenarios, fire prevention principles, fitness and wellness, and more. Medical training includes the Red Cross Emergency Medical Response (EMR) and International Trauma Life Support (ITLS). 

Fleming College also offers fire industry-specific interviewing techniques and career planning strategies to help prepare you for the application and interview process. 

Through Fleming College’s partnerships with local emergency and fire services, you can work as a volunteer firefighter while you complete the program—a unique opportunity among Ontario colleges—gaining additional hands-on experience under the supervision of trained firefighters and command officers.

There are also opportunities to participate in charitable events, public education, and fire prevention opportunities through Fleming College’s partnership with Peterborough Fire Services and other community organizations. 

What You’ll Learn 

For the first four months, you’ll take part in self-directed online learning using the IFSTA Essentials of Firefighting textbook and online course. Topics include fire dynamics, building construction, forcible entry, ropes and knots, operational scene safety and management, fire origin and cause determination, and more. 

After completing the online portion, you’ll take part in a four-day pre-bootcamp, which includes equipment orientation, firefighter skills training, and practice exams. You’ll have access to study areas, training props, and live instructors. During the 16-day bootcamp, you’ll be fully immersed in firehouse living and firefighting techniques, training with top-tier firefighting equipment and PPE. You’ll have the option to stay on site during pre-bootcamp, and all students must stay onsite for the bootcamp. 

Unique compared to many other onsite bootcamps, your tuition includes your meals during the 16-day bootcamp, as well as much of your gear and even the OFMEM testing fees. 

What You’ll Learn 

You’ll develop a sound knowledge of fire dynamics, fire suppression, fire prevention, auto extrication, emergency patient care, simulated and controlled live fire-training scenarios, and community service. You’ll also receive help with your resumé and career planning, and attend a mock interview session in preparation for the job application process. 

The emergency medical responder course follows the Canadian Red Cross EMR program, so you’ll be engaged in dynamic training techniques including video, skills demonstrations, practice sessions and scenarios based on real-life situations. At the end of the course, you will be able to take the Canadian Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder certification hosted at the college. 

Another notable course is wildfire management response, where you’ll gain the knowledge, skills and basic understanding of wildfire management operations across Canada. The course is facilitated by an instructor with over 35 years of wildfire experience with the Ministry of Natural Resources.

What You’ll Learn 

A blend of academic learning and hands-on training will ensure you’re ready for the realities of fire-service work. You’ll learn from experienced professionals in the field at Progress Campus, practice life-saving techniques in a state-of-the-art lab at Morningside Campus, and gain practical, live-fire experience at Ajax Fire Services’ training facility. 

The program integrates theoretical foundations with practical real-world training in areas including fire suppression, rescue operations, emergency patient care, hazardous materials response, mental health and resiliency, community education, and more. During the first two semesters, you’ll receive one full day of practical training each week. In the third semester, you’ll take part in practical training twice a week. 

In addition to qualifying for the standard NFPA exams, graduates also earn Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certification, as well as certificates in mental health and resiliency, fire extinguisher operation and training, and occupational health and safety awareness.

All of the required NFPA/Ontario Fire Marshal office testing is arranged and included during the 11-month learning calendar.

As a graduate, you’ll be able to volunteer with municipal fire services; navigate the firefighter hiring process; demonstrate ethical, legal and safety compliance in high-stakes settings; safely operate firefighting tools and apparatus; effectively communicate both verbally and non-verbally; and respond to emergencies with confidence, sensitivity, and teamwork. 

What You’ll Learn 

With extensive hands-on training and practical learning, this Pre-Service Firefighter Education & Training program will equip students with knowledge and skills in fire suppression principles and practices, medical first responder, fire prevention and public education, as well as specialty modules like vehicle extrication and environmental hazards. 

Training takes place at Fire School Campus, located 14 km from the main campus in Sarnia, the largest live-fire training centre in Canada. It features a fully functioning fire station and a fleet of fire apparatus, along with a hot tower, search and rescue tower, and an expansive industrial training ground. 

Courses include fireground operations, environmental protection and rescue operations, workplace communications, fire science fitness, behavioural health for first responders, job search success, and more. The curriculum is based on NFPA standards and includes additional components specifically oriented to gaining employment in fire service. 

The Fire Science Technology program provides students with knowledge and skills to perform advanced-level duties in a variety of fire suppression and specialty technical rescue fields. It is designed to accept graduates of any Pre-Service Firefighter Education & Training program in Ontario as well as current fire service personnel through a Prior Learning Assessment. 

You’ll further your skills in fireground tasks, study high-rise buildings and learn how to maximize the use of aerial apparatus, refine your emergency medical responder training skills, learn how to respond to a wide range of emergencies, including pandemics, weather events, planned disasters and terrorist attacks. 

Graduates gain specialized career expertise and technical knowledge and skills, with more than 300 hours of practical experience that will enable them to start or further their careers in the fire suppression and emergency rescue field. This program also has an optional co-op work term, providing the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. 

What You’ll Learn 

You’ll develop knowledge and skills in fire suppression, fire behaviour, fire ground operations, firefighter emergency patient care, environmental protection, and special rescue operations. You’ll learn how to use safe practices and techniques with fire department apparatus, tools, and equipment, and how to communicate effectively with diverse communities. 

At the fire hall, you’ll have access to a variety of vehicles, ladders, and tools. You’ll practice a variety of tasks and scenarios, such as rigging a stretcher under timed conditions and auto extrication, and test your rope technique skills. St. Clair College reports partnerships with eight municipal fire service partners, including Windsor.

What You’ll Learn 

With a focus on teamwork, critical thinking, and lifelong wellness, this program helps you build the physical and mental resilience needed for a career in emergency services. 

You’ll learn fire suppression and prevention techniques aligned with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, simulation-based training for real-world emergency situations, public education strategies for fire-safety awareness, and personal wellness and professional development for long-term success. 

The core firefighting, fitness, and simulation-based courses total well over 400 hours. Students complete part of their training at the Conestoga College Regional Training Centre (RTC), which delivers a range of Ontario Fire College courses to active fire service personnel.

By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to apply fire sciences theory and suppression techniques to a firefighter role; use tools and equipment safely and efficiently; interact with diverse communities; communicate effectively using fire-service terminology; and more. 

What You’ll Learn 

Northern College’s Integrated Emergency Services Complex is a one-of-a-kind, 40,000 square foot facility that houses Emergency Services Programming alongside active, working emergency service providers from Timmins Emergency Services. The unique learning environment promotes the interdisciplinary cooperation necessary in emergency services, ensuring that students have a well-rounded, experiential understanding of the field during their studies.

From rope rescues and forcible entry to complex live-burn scenarios in a burn building, the curriculum is designed to test your composure and stretch your adaptability. You’ll strategize plans of attack as part of a multi-disciplinary team, practice your skills as a real-life volunteer firefighter, and master new skills during a six-week hands-on program featuring fire and rescue evolution training, for more than 350 total hours of practical training. 

Courses include professional communications, Indigenous culture & awareness, fitness, emergency patient care, mathematics fundamentals, incident management, hazmat awareness & operations, and more. 

By the time you graduate, you’ll be skilled and knowledgeable in key areas including fire suppression and prevention, community education, firefighter emergency patient care, environmental protection, and special rescue operations. You’ll also be able to work effectively with other members of the fire service team and other emergency service-related professionals. 

What You’ll Learn 

In the blended program, you’ll learn the theoretical portion of the program via an online platform that incorporates a variety of learning tools. Full-time students will learn the theoretical portion in OFA’s spacious, well-equipped classrooms designed for an engaging learning experience. 

Across both the in-person and blended program, you’ll receive hands-on training that includes search and rescue, decontamination, auto extrication, mock emergency calls, firefighter survival, ladder climbing, using a hose, and other controlled-environment training. 

In an intense, boot-camp environment, you’ll learn how to fight fires while performing challenging tasks. You’ll engage in daily inspections and firefighting drills, responding to increasingly difficult fire scenarios for practical skill development. You’ll also train at a burn house and rescue tower. 

In OFA’s indoor training centre, you’ll practise essential firefighting tasks, such as donning and doffing gear, rapid response techniques, and hose deployment under the guidance of experienced instructors. The OFA’s program also includes 40 hours of Emergency First Responder training.

Students graduate with critical skills like teamwork, leadership development, personal responsibility, and decision-making. The program has a 95.1 percent graduation rate, and an 89.9 percent employment rate, as of 2023.

What You’ll Learn 

Algonquin College’s Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training program is a dynamic and challenging program that focuses on firefighting skills and competencies. You’ll be introduced to the firefighting profession and develop related skills and expertise, using a mix of theoretical and hands-on learning. 

Theory courses are delivered at the college, while lab and skills courses take place at either the college or off-campus locations such as area fire department stations including Ottawa Fire Services and training facilities. The wide range of courses includes fire theory, physical fitness, hazardous materials operations, professional communication, firefighter skills development, psychology, and more. 

Throughout the program, you’ll gain more than 400 hours of experiential learning, including the opportunity to put your skills into action and take part in a fire simulation and a live-fire training exercise. By the time you graduate, you’ll be equipped to conduct safe and effective fire-suppression activities, deliver emergency medical assistance, execute special rescue operations, and develop fire-prevention education programs. 

What You’ll Learn 

At FESTI’s state-of-the-art live fire-training facilities, you’ll be immersed in firefighter culture and experience practical fire training. 

Its 40-acre training grounds include two aircraft mock-ups, a rail car, a confined space building, and specialized areas and props that replicate a variety of emergency scenarios. In this realistic and safe environment, you’ll spend 50 percent of your time developing hands-on skills, as you respond to fire scenarios in FESTI’s burn house and rescue tower. You’ll climb ladders, practice search and rescue, learn firefighting survival, perform auto extrication, extinguish vehicle fires, and fight flammable liquids fires. 

You’ll also have your own training wing built like a traditional firehall, including a training room, change rooms, apparatus bay, and structural pumper. Just like a recruit firefighter, you’ll be responsible for cleaning the firehall, repacking your truck and conducting daily inspections of all fire apparatus equipment. 

In addition to hands-on training, you’ll develop the theoretical knowledge you need to pass all required exams. In the blended program, the online course is delivered through FESTI’s Learning Management System and includes reading materials, videos, individual assignments, quizzes, and exams. The in-house program delivers all theoretical training in a classroom setting.

During the final week of the program, you’ll take the Office of the Fire Marshal’s (OFM) provincial exam and practical skills assessment, which is proctored at FESTI.

FESTI also offers a variety of Emergency Service Professional training programs for further specialization and upskilling ranging from prevention and inspection, to rescue courses.

What You’ll Learn 

This program features an in-depth classroom component progressing to practical application. You’ll apply your practical skills in simulated and controlled live-fire training scenarios on campus and at local fire-training facilities.

Over two semesters, your courses will cover key areas such as communication foundations, fire prevention and public education, fire ground operations, hazardous materials, fire emergency patient care, and fire fitness management. You’ll also practice your skills in a controlled setting at a variety of training facilities. In live-fire experiences, you’ll be trained in fire behaviour and progression, vehicle fires, Class B fires, fire streams, and methods of interior fire attack. 

By the time you graduate, you’ll have a solid theoretical base alongside practical skills in fire suppression, prevention, public education and emergency patient care. You’ll be able to effectively communicate, interact with the community, safely use fire-department tools and equipment, and demonstrate critical thinking skills. You’ll also receive assistance in preparing for the hiring process.

Qualified graduates can also go on to take Durham College’s Fire Prevention & Technology program or 911 Emergency and Call Centre Communications program.

What You’ll Learn 

The program blends theoretical classroom learning with extensive hands-on experiences. Curriculum is delivered by certified fire service instructors and active firefighters whose goal is to teach students thoroughly and reinforce the learning through drills. 

At the start of the program, you’ll learn about fire department operations and equipment, and then delve deeper into topics such as fire behaviour and combustion chemistry, firefighting techniques, rescue strategies, emergency patient care, hazardous chemicals awareness, and firefighter health and wellness. 

In the second semester, you’ll enhance your practical learning at an outdoor training centre with two fully equipped pumpers. Propane props, auto extrication pads and a burn building will allow you to further develop your skills as a firefighter. The program also includes a course in public relations and professional development, with a focus on the important role of firefighters in the community. 

Humber also offers a two-year Fire Services diploma program that ladders up to fire inspection and safety roles in public and private sectors.

What You’ll Learn 

With a focus on experiential learning, you’ll practice and test your skills in simulated and live-fire training situations. You’ll learn about fire suppression, community education and fire prevention, firefighter emergency patient care, property conservation, environmental protection, confined space and environmental hazards, and rescue operations. 

In addition, you’ll acquire the appropriate fire service terminology required to effectively communicate in a range of situations and settings. The program also teaches you how to confidently use fire department communications equipment, personal protective clothing, and protective equipment. 

Courses include emergency medical response, fitness and resiliency for firefighters, professional communications, fire operations, fire suppression, hazardous materials awareness and management, and more. 

Through a blend of theoretical and hands-on experience, you’ll develop skills and knowledge of fire dynamics, building construction, fire suppression principles and practice, personal protective equipment, emergency medical response and fire prevention, and public education. You’ll also explore theoretical concepts and safety considerations in technical rescue disciplines such as confined space, water and ice rescue, rope rescue, and trench rescue. 

By the end of the program, you’ll be able to operate fire department tools and equipment, manage emergency response communications, discuss fire prevention strategies to reduce risks and enhance public awareness, interact with diverse community groups, and follow sustainable practices in environmental protection during firefighting operations.