Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education
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Program Overview
Fires can happen anytime, anywhere, with devastating consequences. Education is essential to all fire prevention activities. Fanshawe’s Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education three-year advanced diploma program, the first of its kind in Canada, will provide you with vital training to protect people and property from catastrophic fires before they start.
Program Details
Program Code
FSE1
Credential:
Ontario College Advanced Diploma
Duration
90 weeks
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 September
London
Open
2024 September
London
Closed
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 September
London
Open
2024 September
London
Closed
Your Learning Experience
You'll learn about everything from enforcement to education in your fire inspector training. On your journey to achieving your fire inspector certification, you'll gain an understanding of the growing role of fire prevention within the public and private sectors of the fire service industry in our fire prevention course.
With a foundation in fire science and fire mathematics, you'll study a comprehensive range of relevant codes and legislation, such as the Ontario Fire Code, Fire Protection and Prevention Act, the Ontario Building Code and the Building Code Act. The fire prevention course also includes a mentorship to expose students to a variety of fire service environments.
Our fire inspector course curriculum is aligned with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and when you graduate, you'll be eligible to write the NFPA exams to become Ontario certified. You'll also be eligible to write the Ontario Building Code exams required to qualify as Building Officials under the Building Code Act.
Future certification opportunities include:
- NFPA Certifications
- Building Code Certifications
- Fire Department specific
- Ontario Fire College
- Fire Investigation courses
Curriculum
Our fire prevention course curriculum is aligned with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and when you graduate, you'll be eligible to write the NFPA exams to become Ontario certified. You'll also be eligible to write the Ontario Building Code exams required to qualify as Building Officials under the Building Code Act.
Future certification opportunities include:
- NFPA Certifications
- Building Code Certifications
- Fire Department specific
- Ontario Fire College
- Fire Investigation courses
Career Information
Graduates of the Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education program are prepared to be leaders ready to enter the public sector fire service as fire inspectors, plan examiners, fire educators and public information officers. Graduates are also prepared to enter the private sector in a variety of inspection and prevention roles.
Public Sector:
- fire inspector
- public fire safety educator
- fire protection technician
- public information officer
- fire prevention officer
- fire investigator
Private Sector:
- property management
- asset management
- certification/testing industry
- private life safety
- insurance industry
- engineering/technical industry
- preventative maintenance technician
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education program:
Fire Prevention Inspector
Inspect buildings and other structures to search for fire hazards and ensure that the facility meets fire code requirements.
Fire Prevention Specialist
Investigate all fire incidents to determine the origin, cause and possible problems with current fire protection plans and procedures.
I enrolled at Fanshawe as a mature student seeking to change career paths. The Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education program equipped me with the knowledge, hands-on training and real-world skills to prepare me thoroughly for my new career. The comprehensive curriculum, and dedicated professors were instrumental in my success. Today, I proudly serve as a Fire Prevention Officer for the Kitchener Fire Department.
Jeff Webb
Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education graduate 2023
Learning Outcomes
- Conduct field inspections of new or existing single- and multi-use structures to determine code compliance and to evaluate fire protection systems and equipment (e.g., occupancy classification and occupant loads; hazardous conditions involving equipment, processes and operations; emergency planning and preparedness procedures; storage, handling and use of hazardous materials, and flammable and combustible liquids and gases; egress and emergency access; fire flows and fire growth potential).
- Prepare clear and concise field inspection reports and plan review reports based on applicable codes, standards, policies and procedures of the jurisdiction.
- Process permit applications and plan review applications in accordance with applicable laws, standards, policies and procedures of the jurisdiction.
- Investigate and resolve common and complex complaints, recording the complaint information and ensuring the investigation process is initiated and the complaint resolved in accordance with applications codes and standards and the policies and procedures of the jurisdiction.
- Identify the applicable code or standard in response to a fire protection, fire prevention or life safety issue, including those identified in plan review, and recommend modifications to address the problem, need or deficiency in an inspection report or inspection order.
- Participate in legal proceedings, in consultation with legal counsel, regarding the findings of a field inspection, plan review or complaint.
- Review building plans for compliance with applicable codes and standards for fire and life safety (e.g., occupancy classification, occupant load, construction type, construction features, fire protection systems), and verify newly constructed buildings against an approved set of plans and building features
- Recommend policies and procedures for inspection and plan review to ensure inspections and plan review are conducted in accordance with the policies of the jurisdiction and due process of the law is followed.
- Coordinate fire and life safety educational activities by establishing priorities, preparing budgets, scheduling activities, communicating with stakeholders, and documenting activities.
- Develop public policy recommendations for management to address a specific fire or injury issue.
- Identify and collaborate with partners and community resources, services and organizations to meet community fire and life safety needs and address current issues, submitting requests for resources were required.
- Design, implement, evaluate and revise a fire and life safety education program that is based on a comprehensive educational strategy, target audience needs, and program goals.
- Conduct performance evaluations for fire and life safety subordinates using written performance criteria and following organizational policies.
- Coordinate media relations (e.g., media interviews, media areas, news releases, media advisories, news conferences) using appropriate communication strategies and technologies.
- Coordinate communications to internal audiences and external community organizations.
- Examine documentation and evidence to determine the cause of a fire and to assess the progression, extinguishment and containment of the fire.
- Prepare a written report to reflect the findings of a fire investigation, present findings verbally to an intended audience, and testify during legal proceedings.
Join Us for Open House
Find out if Fanshawe is the right fit for you at Open House. Explore Fanshawe's campuses, meet faculty and current students, and ask your questions about starting college.
Admission Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent,
or a
mature applicant with the following courses:
English ONE OF:
- Grade 12 English (C) (minimum final grade required is
75)
- Grade 12 English (U) (minimum final grade required is
65)
Math ONE OF:
- Grade 12 Foundations for College Math (C) (minimum final
grade required is 75)
- Grade 12 Math for College Technology (C) (minimum final
grade required is 65)
- Grade 12 Math (U) (minimum final grade required is 65)
Chemistry ONE OF:
- Grade 11 or Grade 12 Chemistry (U) (minimum final grade
required is 65)
- Grade 12 Chemistry (C) (minimum final grade required is
75)
Physics ONE OF:
- Grade 11 or Grade 12 Physics (U) (minimum final grade
required is 65)
- Grade 12 Physics (C) (minimum final grade required is
75)
Students who do not meet the admission requirements are
recommended for academic
upgrading. A conditional offer may be possible with proof of
enrolment. Alternatively, applicants may choose to do the one-year
Public Safety Fundamentals preparatory program. Graduates who
have a minimum final grade of C+ in MATH-1195 and CHEM-1110 and a
minimum final grade of B+ in WRIT-1089 and PHYS-1041 will meet the
admissions requirements for this program.
International Admission Equivalencies
Admission equivalencies for Fanshawe depends on your country of study. Please enter your location to see the requirements for your country below.
English Language Requirements
English Language Requirements
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 79 |
| IELTS Academic | Overall score of 6.0 with no score less than 5.5 in any of the four bands |
| CAEL | Overall score of 60 with no score less than 50 in any of the four bands. score of 80 in listening |
| PTE Academic | 53 |
| Cambridge English | Overall score of 169 with no language skill less than 162 |
| ESL4/GAP5 | Minimum grade of 80% in Level 8, 75% in Level 9, or 70% in Level 10 |
| Duolingo | Overall score of 105, with no score lower than 95 |
Applicant Selection Criteria
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:- Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
- Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full)
- Achievement in the Admission Requirements
Post-Admission Requirements
Post-Admission Requirements
The following items are applicable to the program and are time sensitive:
- Mandatory Placement Assessment for WRIT course
- Possession of a Standard First Aid course certificate (either St. John Ambulance or Canadian Red Cross or equivalent) and a Basic Rescuer course certificate (Level "C" CPR) completed within 6 months of program start date
- Evidence of Good Health
- Driver's Licence: Students may be required to have a 'G' Class Driver's Licence for their mentorship in Level 6 of the program. A 'G' Class Driver's Licence (with fewer than 4 demerit points) may be required as a condition of employment.
Courses
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| SFTY-1060 | Public Safety in Canada | 3 | ||
| This course provides students with an overview of public safety in Canada, with a focus on the inter-relationships between the organizations in the public and private sector at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. Students gain an understanding of the Emergency Management Framework for Canada and how this guides government at all levels to work together protecting the safety and security of Canadians. Students gain an understanding of public safety legislation. The curriculum explores the roles and responsibilities of various public agencies (e.g., policing, corrections, fire services, emergency response). Current issues in public safety are explored (e.g., emerging threats, changes to public policy). | ||||
| FIRE-1001 | Fire Services-Intro | 3 | ||
| The fire service in North America is a para-military organization with a clearly defined rank structure. In this course, students learn how the fire service has evolved from insurance company fire brigades to full service emergency response agencies within the municipal government structure. Students gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of fire inspectors and related fire prevention positions, as well as the functions and responsibilities of all divisions within a modern fire department. | ||||
| FIRE-1002 | Science in the Fire Service | 3 | ||
| Students learn the theory and gain a practical understanding of fire behaviour. This knowledge forms the foundation for both inspection and investigation courses and future work within the fire service. Students learn and understand how previous knowledge of chemistry and physics applies in the fire service. The understanding of thermal, fluid and gas dynamics forms the basis for an understanding of how smoke and fire travel through a building. Students also learn the use of several measurement tools and their applications. This knowledge applies to all fire safety systems and structural design. | ||||
| FIRE-1003 | Fire Suppression & Prevention Practices | 3 | ||
| Knowledge of fire suppression and fire prevention practices is used throughout a career in the fire service. A fire inspector applies this knowledge during each and every inspection. Learning the basics of separation, containment, detection, early warning and exiting allows the student to assess fire life safety in any building. Learning what is needed to suppress a building fire allows the student to assist in that process before the fire starts and to help ensure safety of firefighters during suppression operations. | ||||
| FIRE-1004 | Building Code 1 | 3 | ||
| The student learns how codes are developed and how they apply to building fire safety in both design and construction. The student learns basics of construction methods to achieve required fire resistance within buildings to protect the health and safety of the public. Knowledge of the building code is applied in both plan examination and inspection work. Understanding of the building code will allow the student to correspondingly understand and apply the fire code to inspection work. Building Code I is the first of two courses that prepare students to write the Building Code examination to qualify and register as a Building Official under the Building Code Act. | ||||
| MATH-1197 | Math-Fire Service | 3 | ||
| In this course, students learn the theory and practical application of mathematics as it applies to the fire service. Through field assignments students apply the theory to calculate maximum occupant load of facilities, pressure required in sprinkler and standpipe systems, and grades and dimensions of access routes. The knowledge and skills introduced in this course will be reinforced throughout the program. | ||||
| WRIT-1089 | Reason & Writing 1 for Public Safety | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce public safety students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
Tuition Summary
London
*Total program costs are approximate, subject to change and do not include the health and dental plan fee, bus pass fee or program general expenses.