Among other benefits, this article notes that the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) and the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) approved the Pre-service Firefighter Education and Training program at Centennial College. This signals to employers a high standard of education.

1. Learn What It Takes to Launch a Firefighter Career in
Ontario
Any college curriculum that includes input from professional organizations in
the field offers additional benefits for a number of reasons. First, it signals
to employers that the program is endorsed by respected organizations.
Secondly, it ensures that students are obtaining totally up-to-date
knowledge. Thirdly, a curriculum with input from professional organizations
give students the opportunity to network with the men and women whom
will become their peers once they graduate.
One Centennial College program with a curriculum that was approved by a
professional organization is the firefighter program known as Pre-service
Firefighter Education and Training. It focuses on offering students theory
and practical training that is in accordance with the approved curriculum
developed by the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) and the Ontario
Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM).
As such, students are exposed to the full array of topics that they will need
to be eligible to write the Ontario Fire Marshal Provincial testing. Some fire
departments now require or prefer applicants who have completed the Pre-
service Firefighter Education and Training program before hiring. It is
expected that the program will increasingly become a minimum criterion for
fire service hiring.
Each firefighter course in this offering contains some form of hands-on
practice, small group-teaching scenarios and simulation training under the
guidance of qualified instructors. Additionally, students develop skills in fire
suppression, rescue operations and environmental protection, through the
training facilities at Toronto Fire Services and Centennial’s state-of-the-art
patient care lab. Lastly, students gain practical experience in various
activities such as “live fire burns” at the City of Toronto’s Fire Training
Academy and the Emergency Patient Care at Centennial’s Healthcare
Simulation Centre at Morningside Campus.
Thanks to coverage that includes topics such as: fire equipment, fire
suppression, fire ground operations fitness, rescue operations, fire safety
inspection, professional preparation, fitness and more, students graduate
with the ability to:
• After identifying personal and professional developmental resources or
activities, use them to promote growth and contribute to lifelong
learning;

2. • Beware of and live up to ethical, legal and safety requirements of
professionals in the fire service industry;
• Use safe practices and techniques when handling fire department
apparatus, tools and equipment;
• Confidently, professionally and using empathy, interact with others in
a variety of emergency and non-emergency situations;
• Demonstrate respect and care when communicating effectively with
diverse communities and their members;
• Use effective and appropriate problem-solving and decision-making
skills in emergency and non-emergency situations;
• Work effectively with other members of the fire service team, pre-
hospital emergency care providers and other emergency service-
related groups to provide comprehensive service in emergency and
non-emergency situations;
• And more