College Creates Real Fire to Spark Hands on Training for Future Firefighters
Posted by Jason White on Monday, March 31, 2014
Under: College Education
Don't think that learning stops once college is over and you have a
career. Professionals will tell you that you have to keep up with
industry trends and issues. However, this one career path asks you keep
up with training in order to meet the demands of the job. While these
professionals need to stay up-to-date with new and revised procedures
and advancement in technology, they also need to be physically ready.
They are firefighters, and they need to be prepared to jump into action
once an emergency call is placed.
In order to become a firefighter, individuals must go through a
pre-firefighter program before entering the field. This can be found at
Centennial College's Morningside campus, through the Pre-Service
Firefighter Education and Training (1260) program. The one-year program
is structured teach firefighter courses
in Centennial College filled with knowledge about the practices in the
profession and practice on how professionals react to different
situations.
The series of courses will prove beneficial on the field. An
introduction to the fire services will illuminate the roles and
responsibilities of firefighters and discuss the knowledge, attitudes,
and skills required for the job. Many people only associate firefighters
to fire crises, but these professionals have plenty of work on other
tasks related to medical and emergency services. In the introductory
course, students will learn day-to-day activities, such as training and
equipment maintenance. They will also learn about emergency protocols
for rescue missions, even if fire is not involved. Additionally,
firefighters educate the public on fire prevention and other
fire-related topics. They also serve as teachers on courses, including
First Aid and CPR.
The bulk of the curriculum focuses on hands-on training, which is
crucial to this profession. The skills learned and experience gained
will help towards breaking into the job market. Many fire departments
and other fire services require firefighters to obtain a college diploma
from an accredited program, but also want skilled and experienced
workers. Centennial focuses on applied learning, where its lectures
classes relate to job tasks, which many are practiced during lab
simulations. Its curriculum is based on industry practices and
specifications by the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) and the
Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM). Additionally, the classes are
taught by experienced professionals in the field as Centennial partnered
with the Toronto Fire Services.
After two semesters of academic learning, students have the opportunity
to test their skills in a controlled environment. The Firefighter
Pre-Graduate Experience trains students with basic firefighting skills.
Centennial takes practical training up one level by adding live fire,
which is contained in a simulated work space. Students can apply the
knowledge gained from other courses, such as fire ground operations,
rescue operations, and fire suppression, to this realistic field
experience.
Student firefighters at Centennial can achieve the preparation required
to start a career in the fire services after graduation. The firefighter
program teaches a balance of academics and practical training, where
students can reach their full potential and graduate with the right
credentials for the profession. The simulated environment enabled
students to have extensive training with fire, while being supervised by
experienced faculty members. Graduates praised this program for
preparing them for emergency and non-emergency situations in the fire
service team.
In : College Education
Tags: firefighter courses firefighter program