Program Information

The Fire Science Technology Ontario College Advanced Diploma is a 10-month program designed with theory and hands-on applications to provide the graduating technologist with the necessary job skills to perform advanced-level duties in a variety of fire suppression and specialty technical rescue fields.

The program 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) as direct entrants into the Fire Science Technology program.

Graduates will gain specialized career expertise, technical knowledge and skills, with over 300 hours of practical experience that will enable them to start or further their careers in the fire suppression and emergency rescue field. Internationally recognized and respected National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) skills obtained in this program will enhance graduate employability and the individual's long-term opportunities for advancement. No other college in Ontario offers this unique opportunity to further develop the Pre-Service Firefighter Education & Training skills and position the graduate as a serious municipal firefighter candidate.

The Fire School Campus - located 14 kilometres from the main campus - is the largest live fueled training centre in Canada and includes a hot tower, a search and rescue tower, a fleet of emergency response vehicles, modern gear and equipment, and an expansive industrial training ground, centered around the classroom building and a replicated Fire Hall. 

See Course List

Admission Requirements

Pre-Service Firefighter Education & Training (PFET) Certificate
- or -

Prior Learning Assessment:
NFPA 1001 Level I and Level II Pro-Board or equivalent
NFPA 1072 Awareness ProBoard or equivalent
NFPA 1072 Operations ProBoard or equivalent
Current York Physical Fitness or CPAT test or equivalent

- and -
O.S.S.D. or equivalent, with:
Grade 12 English C or U
Grade 11 or 12 Mathematics C or U
Grade 11 or 12 Chemistry C or U

Technology Requirements

In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, it is mandatory to own a reliable laptop to complete tests and assignments.

Course List

FSC-4006: Structural Firefighting Operations

This course is designed to introduce the student to structural suppression techniques as applied to a recruit-level competency. The student will demonstrate proficiency of the subject matter that he/she has learned previously through a Pre-Service Firefighter Training Program and/or NFPA 1001 certification or equivalency and will continue to build on these experiences with live fireground exercises involving fire suppression within an Incident Command/Management System (ICS/IMS). This module will also focus on Incident Safety Officer Awareness and Advanced Firefighting Techniques such as hose handling, forcible entry, high rise operations, and Vent-Enter-Isolate-Search (VEIS). Students will continue refining Emergency Medical Responder training skills through practical training scenarios.

FSC-4016: Aerial and High-Rise Operations

FSC-4023: Fire Dynamics and Behaviour

This course provides the basic concepts of chemistry of combustion as a foundation in the field of fire science and the correlation between fire chemistry, building types and construction, external and internal forces and flow path management through active and passive instruction methods.

FSC-4033: Fire and Life Safety Educator

This course is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to successfully achieve NFPA 1035. Certification in the following disciplines - Fire and Life Safety Educator Level I and II as well as Public Information Officer. Upon completion, students should be able to deliver and coordinate existing fire and life safety education at various levels within a community. In addition to looking at fire behaviour, human behaviour during fire, educational methodology, basic fire protection systems and devices, this course will also emphasize the planning, networking, budget preparation as well as applied learning theories and statistical analysis methods pertaining to fire and life safety education. As part of the Public Information Officer content, the course will emphasize effective writing skills as well as media dissemination and monitoring skills, through enhancement of interview skills and the development, maintenance, and strengthening of relationships with community group.

PED-3123: Fire Science Fitness III

The focus of this course is to help prepare students for the severe physical demands of Firefighting.

MTH-4004: Fire Science Math

This course provides a review of fundamental math concepts. These essential math skills are required for success in college programs requiring a solid foundation in mathematics. It is designed to meet the needs of individuals that have completed Grade 12 math but need a quick review in preparation for college-level or skills training programs. Successful completion of the course is generally accepted as equivalent to a Grade 12 standing in mathematics. It does not, however, qualify the student for an Ontario Grade 12 math credit.

COM-1013: Critical Thinking and Writing

In this writing course, students respond to current issues and news articles via various styles of paragraphs and essays. Students strive for clarity of message and diplomatic expression of opinion based on fact. Students practice thinking critically and organize and hone their writing to ensure clarity and correctness in their messages. Critical Thinking and Writing lays the foundation for a subsequent research-writing course.

GED-XXX3: General Education Elective

FSC-5006: Special Emergency Operations

This advanced module is designed to teach students further skills required to successfully undertake basic and advanced fireground tasks in municipal and industrial fire service environments as outlined in NFPA 1081, chapters 5, 6, and 7. Subjects covered include Fireground Fundamentals and Fireground Survival as outlined by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF); and Equivalencies in Technical Rope Rescue techniques as outlined in NFPA 1006 (2013) Chapter 6 (Rope Rescue).

FSC-5026: Fire / Rescue Operations

This advanced level module is designed to teach students further skills required to conduct basic and advanced fireground tasks in municipal department environments. Subjects covered in this course include building construction, advanced level fireground operations including structural firefighting, search and rescue procedures, fire stream management, confined space rescue procedures as outlined in NFPA 1006 Chapter 7 and advanced vehicle extrication techniques equivalent to the NFPA 1006 Chapter 10 standard.

FSC-5023: Fire Apparatus Operations

This course is designed to introduce the student to the operation and mechanical workings of Fire Pumper Apparatus, Aerial Apparatus and Tender Apparatus consistent with NFPA 1002 (2017) Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7. Students will demonstrate skills for weekly checks specific to the type of apparatus being operated. Students will be driving Fire Apparatus to develop skills for proper emergency apparatus operations as outlined in NFPA 1002 (2017) Chapter 4. Subjects covered in this course shall include theory and practical evaluations. Upon completion of this course, students will have developed an understanding and will be able to demonstrate skills to test for the "Z" brake endorsement and a Class "D" Ontario license. The skills testing exercises and DZ licensing are offered through a third party service provider and may be subject to additional costs.

FSC-5032: Fire Science Job Strategies

Fire Science Technology graduates are part of a highly competitive field of qualified candidates working to find employment in the fire service or fire-related fields. This course builds upon the learner's acquired knowledge and skills developed in the prerequisite course JSS-1001. Today's Fire Science graduate is expected to be able to successfully secure employment by presenting and promoting themselves professionally to prospective employers, through precise and effective written and verbal communication skills.

CJP-3023: Emergency Preparedness

This course focuses on the coordinated efforts that are required to respond quickly and effectively to a broad range of emergencies from pandemics, to natural wide ranging weather events, man-made and deliberately planned disasters or terrorist attacks. Students focus on case-studies and problem-based learning. Students will gain a practical perspective of the various emergency response agencies and their roles as well as detail the importance of interaction, interagency collaboration and effective communication of responders at the scene.

PED-4123: Fire Science Fitness IV

The course involves specialized assessment of health/performance fitness for potential firefighter recruits. The areas of emphasis will be: all components of fitness training, and lifestyle management for firefighters. In addition, students will practice job simulation/performance tests which simulate commonly encountered firefighting operations.

PHY-2404: Applied Physics

This course aims to give the learner essential physics principles, emphasizing fire science applications. The topics covered are those of classic physics including motion, mechanics, fluids, heat and electricity. A two hour laboratory, held every other week, runs concurrently with three hours per week of lecture.

COM-2023: Communications for Fire Science

This course is designed to further develop students' communication proficiency, oral and written, which is required to be successful in the field of fire services, including the areas of prevention and education. Students will create workplace specific documents and research reports and will share their findings through oral presentations. Current fire services related issues will serve as the impetus for creating informed research reports and presentations.

GED-XXX3: General Education Elective

FSC-6003: Provincial Testing and Skills Evaluation

This course provides the student the opportunity to review the knowledge and practical skills required for and to participate in voluntary IFSAC / ProBoard testing as determined by the OFMEM Academic Standards and Evaluation unit and current Canadian Red Cross program standards.

FSC-6013: Fire Apparatus Operations - DZ Evaluation

This course provides the student the opportunity to review the knowledge and practical skills required for and to participate in voluntary Driver testing for DZ licensing as determined by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.

FSC-6023: Aerial and High-Rise Operations Evaluation

CPL-1049: Co-op Work Term (Optional)

Co-operative education provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning to the workplace, undertake career sampling and gain valuable work experience that may assist students in leveraging employment after graduation. For further information regarding co-op, please refer to: https://www.lambtoncollege.ca/co-op_and_career/

Program Maps

Current Students

Current students can view program maps from previous years on the mylambton website. 

You will need to login with your C# and password in order to access your program map.

Employment Opportunities

Typical positions that our graduates find include: municipal fire departments in the fields of fire suppression and fire prevention; industrial manufacturing in the areas of fire suppression, fire prevention, emergency equipment sales, rescue response, fire protection system maintenance and insurance company loss prevention specialists.

In order to be eligible for consideration for employment in a municipal fire department within the Ontario fire service, you are required to:

  • Work on rotating shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays
  • Speak, read and write English fluently and communicate clearly and precisely in high pressure situations
  • Have a Standard First Aid certificate and a valid CPR level BLS (Basic Life Support) 
  • Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application and possess an O.S.S.D. Grade 12 or academic equivalency
  • Be legally entitled to work in Canada (citizen/landed immigrants) and free of any criminal convictions for which a pardon has not been granted
  • Some fire departments require candidates to meet the NFPA 1582 Vision Standards while others set their own hiring standards
Program Information
1-844-LAMBTON
info@lambtoncollege.ca
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