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| Professional Fire Fighter (including NFPA 1001 Levels I and II) | |||||||
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Delivery: Full-time Length: 3 Months Class Size: Maximum 30 or 36 Candidates Description: The Professional Fire Fighter Program based at Emergency Services Academy Ltd. ("ESA") in Sherwood Park AB is offered jointly with Lakeland College, Vermilion AB. Students are registered in both post-secondary institutions. The program is designated for Canada Student Loans, provincial Student Finance Grants and Employment and Immigration funding under Lakeland College. This program is designed to provide fire fighter training and education to individuals interested in a career related to fire fighting, such as employment with municipal or industrial fire services. The program is full-time over twelve weeks. Instructors are ESA employees. The theory portion of the program is presented at the ESA campus in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Students take most of their practical training at Lakeland College's Emergency Training Centre training field in Vermilion, Alberta. Other training takes place at various locations in Edmonton and Strathcona County. For example, vehicle extrication is three days at Pick 'n Pull on the west end of Edmonton. At Lakeland College, students have access to one of the most highly regarded fire training grounds in North America. Safety is a top priority, with bunker gear, breathing apparatus, and other personal protective equipment provided during practical evolutions. Assorted fire apparatus and all necessary fire suppression and rescue equipment are utilized during the course. Exercises are conducted on fire towers and industrial props such as refineries, train cars, automobiles, and trenches. Fire suppression training is done in an environment using controlled "live burns". The ESA Advantage: ESA offers some important advantages which are not always part of other fire fighter training programs. Successful graduates receive several additional certifications: • NFPA 1670 (Rope Rescue Awareness) • BTLS Access • WHMIS • TDG • Fire Fighter Self Rescue • Aquatic Spinal Rescue • Low student to instructor ratios for practical training • Excellent off-site practical training • Instructors are career Fire Fighters, Fire Fighter/EMTs/PCPs and Fire Fighter/Paramedics or have extensive teaching experience. • Assistance in writing employment application letters and resumes, and preparing for job interviews. Accreditation: The Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) holds the accreditation for fire fighter training in the province of Alberta. Examinations and certifications are provided by AEMA. Successful students will receive certification from the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) and the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (ProBoard) from AEMA. ESA Certificates are issued for practical ESA components of the program and a transcript of marks from Lakeland College stating the program carries twenty three (23) post-secondary college credits. These certifications of fire fighter training are prerequisites for employment applications with many fire services throughout Alberta and across Canada. In services where these are not prerequisites, they are respected as an advantageous pre-employment level of education. Prerequisites: Applicants for the ESA/Lakeland Professional Fire Fighter Program based at ESA must meet the following prerequisites: • Email address. Free email is available on Google (gmail) and Hotmail. Correspondence between ESA and students will be sent by email. • Minimum 18 years of age • High School Diploma, General Educational Development (GED)/equivalent, or post secondary education. Provide copies of transcripts. • Minimum Class 5 Driver's License • Standard First Aid (current within three years) • Basic Rescuer - CPR Level C or Health Care Provider (Heart & Stroke Foundation, St. John's Ambulance or Red Cross) OR EMR, EMT or Paramedic certification (current within one year) • Medical Exam (original) signed by a physician - dated within 6 months of program commencement. • Resume • Two letters of character reference Competition: ESA Fire students are accepted on a rolling registration basis. Upon submission of a complete application and payment of the application fee, applicants will be notified by phone and email about the application competition: • Fire Fighter Written Aptitude Examination • Interview with ESA Program Faculty Applicants achieving the highest scores during this competition are accepted into the Professional Fire Fighter Program. After the competition, applicants will be advised of their application status (accepted, placed on a waiting list, or declined) within five business days following the completed interview. Applications for a fire program will be closed when the maximum number of students have accepted a place in the program and paid a tuition deposit to confirm same, or on the date the program commences. Program Schedule: The didactic portion of the Professional Fire Fighter Program is presented at the ESA Sherwood Park Campus. Practical portions of the program are taught at various training areas in Alberta including Vermilion, Edmonton, and Strathcona County: • Approximately fourteen days of “live burn” practical training are completed on the fire training grounds of Lakeland College Emergency Training Centre. This facility is located in Vermilion AB, approximately two hours east of Edmonton on Highway 16. • Self Rescue and Technical Rope Rescue are taught at Station 1, Strathcona County Emergency Services (“SCES”). • Hazardous Goods and Dangerous Goods are scheduled at Station 4, SCES. • Training for Wildland Fires is held in Strathcona County, north of Sherwood Park. • Aquatic Rescue is scheduled at a swimming pools in Sherwood Park or Edmonton. • Three days of Vehicle Extrication are scheduled at Pick ‘N Pull, on the west end of Edmonton. Transportation, accommodation, and meals related to practical days are not included in ESA program fees. These costs are the responsibility of the student. ESA reserves optional motel accommodation for students in Vermilion for this portion of the program. The Candidate Competition scheduled for the student during the last week of the program focuses on preparing for job competitions. An interview and aptitude exam are scheduled with human resources personnel on contract from a major fire department, an aptitude exam and a fitness assessment at the University of Alberta. The program completes with a Recognition Ceremony in Sherwood Park or Edmonton. Physical Requirements: Fire fighting is by nature an occupation requiring a high level of physical conditioning. With this in mind, candidates must present a medical form (included in the application package) stating that they are able to meet the physical requirements of the program. Near the completion of the program, students will have the opportunity to participate in Fire Fighter Physical Aptitude Testing at the University of Alberta. This test will be scheduled by ESA. Cost is included in tuition fees. Excessive facial hair is not permitted throughout the program, as it may interfere with the mask-to-face seal on breathing apparatus. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including bunker gear, helmets and gloves is provided by ESA. Examinations: The NFPA 1001 courses are examined through practical audits and written examinations provided and marked by the Alberta Emergency Response Agency (AEMA). Based on AEMA accreditation, a mark of 70% or greater is required on each examination. Students receiving marks of 60% to 69% on an examination will be allowed one rewrite. Marks below 60% are considered a failure. Rewrites are an additional cost to the student. Credentials: The successful ESA/Lakeland Professional Fire Fighter student will receive the following certifications: • ProBoard and IFSAC certificates from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) for: • NFPA 1001 Professional Fire Fighter Qualifications Level I and Level II • NFPA 472 Dangerous Goods, Responder – Operations Level • NFPA 1051 Wildland Firefighter Professional Qualifications • ESA Certificates: Professional Fire Fighter, Fire Fighter Self Rescue, Aquatic Spinal Rescue, and Technical Rescue Awareness. • TDG/WHMIS • BTLS Access • Lakeland College transcript including 23 post-secondary college credits Awards: ESA is pleased to present three awards to students in each of our Professional Fire Fighter Programs. These awards recognize outstanding performance. • Award for Academic Excellence, Professional Fire Fighter Program This award is given to the student with the highest average on the written examinations of the NFPA 1001 program. • Candidate Competition Award, Professional Fire Fighter Program The ESA Professional Fire Fighter Program Candidate Competition Award is awarded to the student who achieves the highest overall score in a mock fire department hiring competition overseen by ESA. The competition includes a candidate interview conducted by professional fire officers, a fire fighter physicial test delivered and scored by the University of Alberta, and a standardized fire service written aptitude examination, and is modeled on the hiring competitions conducted by many Canadian professional fire departments. • Harold Criss Professionalism Award, Professional Fire Fighter Program Harold Criss was a respected fire service member and fire instructor, and a valued part of the ESA faculty and evaluation team for many years. He is remembered by his friends and past students in the emergency services industry as a strong advocate of fire fighter safety who always held those he worked with or taught to a high standard of professional behaviour. The Harold Criss Professionalism Award is awarded to the student who best exemplifies the abilities, leadership traits, ethics, knowledge and skills befitting a professional fire fighter, as voted on by their peers, ESA faculty, ESA staff, and other stakeholders of the fire fighter program. For a list of past Award Recipients, please refer to the News section of this website. Employment Standards: ESA develops its Professional Fire Fighter Program by researching the prerequisites listed by major Canadian Fire Services. Many of these standards are included in program materials and certifications. Room & Board: A list of room and board accommodations in the Edmonton and Sherwood Park areas is available for students if required. This list is not approved or monitored by ESA. Related Courses: Accessory Courses ESA offers Accessory Courses to supplement the Professional Fire Fighter Program, including: • Technical Rope Rescue • Ice Rescue Each of these courses has separate prerequisites and tuition fees. Please refer to the course name on this website for details. Many graduates of the Professional Fire Fighter Program also apply for the Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Program and the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at ESA. Emergency medical training is frequently a prerequisite for employment with fire services. A Fire Fighter Professional Driver Improvement Program - License Upgrade - Class 2 Driver Training with or without Airbrake Endorsement (Optional). This training is available to students in the Professional Fire Fighter Program at a reduced cost. Graduates: Many graduates of the ESA Professional Fire Fighter Program are working for various fire services in Canada. A telephone survey of 283 graduates completed in October, 2006 had a response rate of 60.4%. This survey included graduates who took the ESA Professional Fire Fighter Program between August, 2000 and the class completed in May, 2006. Of these respondents, 67% had found employment in a fire related service (municipal, industrial or military). The remaining 33% of respondents had not found employment or are currently in the process of applying with fire services or continuing with related education such as emergency medical training (EMR, EMT or Paramedic). Places of employment for graduates who were successful in finding work include: • Calgary Fire Department AB • Canmore AB Fire • Coquitlam Fire Department BC • Delta BC Fire • Edmonton Emergency Response Department AB • Fort McMurray AB Fire • Hay River AB Fire (Wildland) • Lacombe AB Fire • Leduc AB Fire • Medicine Hat AB Fire • Mississauga ON Fire • Moncton NB Fire • Muskwachees AB Fire • Nanaimo BC Fire & Rescue • North Bay ON Fire • North Vancouver BC Fire • Pentiction BC Fire • Regina SK Fire • Spruce Grove AB Fire • Strathcona County Emergency Services AB • Sturgeon County AB Volunteer Fire • Vancouver BC Fire Department • Wainwright AB Fire • Eveready Industrial • FireMaster • Fire Power • CEDA • HSE Integrated • Key Safety • Sustainable Resources Wildland Fire • Syncrude Fire • Trojan Safety, Fort St John AB • Edmonton International Airport • Department of National Defence - CFB Suffield Ontario • Department of National Defence - CFB Wainwright Alberta If you are a graduate of our Professional Fire Fighter Program and successful in finding employment, would you please contact ESA so that we can maintain current records. Application: To take this course at ESA, you must use the ESA application. It is the responsibility of an applicant to ensure an application submitted to ESA is complete and meets all prerequisites. An applicant to the Professional Fire Fighter Program will not be scheduled for an interview and aptitude exam for the Fire Program competition until a complete application has been received by ESA. If an applicant withdraws from a Professional Fire Fighter Program before the application deadline, the Application Fee is non-refundable. If a student withdraws after the application deadline and before the first day of classes, the Application Fee and Program Materials Fee are non-refundable. If a student withdraws on or before the 4th business day after the start date (end of the 5th day of classes), the Application Fee, Program Materials Fee and Student Fees are non-refundable. There is no refund available for the Professional Fire Fighter Program at ESA as of the 6th day of classes. |
 Dates: Professional Fire Fighter Program Dates - 2012 Dates are subject to change. Updated October 8, 2011. • Spring Program 2012: Fire 1203 - March 12 to June 1, 2012; No class April 6 (Good Friday), April 9 (Easter Monday) and May 21, 2012 (Victoria Day). Application Deadline: 12 noon, Monday, February 13, 2012 First Day of Class: Monday, March 12, 2012 Last Day of Class & Recognition Ceremony: Friday, June 1, 2012. • Summer Program 2012: Fire 1205 - May 28 to August 17, 2012; no class July 2 (in lieu of Canada Day) or August 6 (Heritage Day, Alberta). Application Deadline: 12 noon, Monday, April 30, 2012 First Day of Class: Monday, May 28, 2012 Last Day of Class & Recognition Ceremony: Friday, August 17, 2012. • Fall Program 2012: Fire 1208 - August 13 to November 2, 2012; no class September 3 (Labour Day) or October 8 (Thanksgiving Day). Application Deadline: 12 noon, Monday, July 16, 2012 First Day of Class: Monday, August 13, 2012 Last Day of Class & Recognition Ceremony: Friday, November 2, 2012. ESA Fees: Fees for the ESA/Lakeland Professional Fire Fighter Program for 2012 are: Application Fee (non-refundable) $100.00 Program Materials (5% GST included) $1,850.00 Tuition and Certifications $9,700.00 ESA Student Fees $100.00 TOTAL FEES $11,750.00 Application Fee of $100.00, non-refundable: must be submitted with the Application for Admission to ESA. Program Deposit: On acceptance, a deposit of $1,850.00 must be received by ESA within five business days of ESA's notice of acceptance. This will confirm the student's acceptance of a place in the program. PLEASE NOTE: This deposit is NON-REFUNDABLE AFTER THE APPLICATION DEADLINE. The balance of fees - Tuition Fees $9,700.00 and Student Fees $100.00 = $9,800.00 must be paid on or before the first day of classes. If funding from another source such as government loans or scholarships is pending, documentation must be provided to ESA on or before the first day of classes showing confirmation of same and dates of payment(s). An alternate source of payment, such as credit card information, will be required in case the funding is not received by ESA. Tuition Fees include the Fire Fighter Physical at the University of Alberta which is scheduled during the last week of the program as part of the Candidate Competition. ESA Program Materials become the responsibility and property of the student and include: • ESA Fire Fighter Kit Bag • One ESA day uniform (second uniform is an optional purchase) consisting of a shirt, pants and black belt • Fire resistant coveralls • ESA Fire tshirt • Hard hat, balaclava, work gloves, fire fighter gloves, and safety glasses. • Fire Fighter SCBA Fit Testing • IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, 5th Edition - Textbook, Student Workbook, Study Guide and CD • ESA Fire Fighter Program Binder and printouts. Student Fees: ESA Fire Fighter Student Fees provide accidental health and dental insurance coverage for fire students while attending ESA classes, off-site training and during practical assignments. WCB coverage during practical training is through a deeming order held by Lakeland College. All program fees are payable to Emergency Services Academy Ltd. Fees listed above apply to Canadian residents (Canadian Citizen, Landed Immigrant or Permanent Resident). International Students are welcome to take the Professional Fire Fighter Program at ESA if they meet the prerequisites and if the training will meet their needs. Please submit an inquiry by email to determine the suitability of the Professional Fire Fighter Program at ESA before submitting an application. International students will pay a 120% surcharge on tuition and comprehensive fees. Professional Fire Fighter Program Fees are subject to change without notice. When submitting an application to ESA, please confirm fees by contacting ESA by phone or email. There is no refund of fees for the ESA/Lakeland Professional Fire Fighter Program after the program has commenced. Additional Expenses: The following expenses must be covered by the student: • CSA approved, black leather, 8" steel toed work boots • Transportation, accommodation and meals outside of Edmonton during practical training sessions, including sessions at Vermilion, AB. • ESA reserves a block of rooms at the Super 8 Motel in Vermilion for students requiring accommodation. Students are responsible for canceling any rooms they do not use and for all of their motel costs. Motel costs depend on the number of nights of accommodation the student reserves. • Additional copies of transcripts may be requested by email, fax or letter. The fee is $10 + GST. • A Recognition Ceremony is held at the end of the Professional Fire Fighter Program. Students are responsible for the cost of tickets for themselves and their guests. All outstanding invoices including motel charges, exam rewrites and tickets for the Recognition Ceremony must be paid before graduates from the Professional Fire Fighter Program will receive any certificates from ESA, Lakeland College or AEMA. Recommendations: APPLY EARLY!! Please submit applications early, as applications will be closed when a program is full. Further Information: Funding - ESA Professional Fire Fighter Program Based on the joint delivery of the Professional Fire Fighter Program through Lakeland College, students may apply for government student loans. One application form to your provincial student loan office will be automatically assessed for both federal and provincial funding. Applications can be made online. For example: Alberta applicants can apply through Alberta Advanced Education and Technology www.alis.gov.ab.ca. Ontario students are referred to the provincial website at www.osap.gov.on.ca. When you apply for a student loan, you must indicate that you are a Lakeland College student. Choose the start date which corresponds to the ESA program. For example, to apply for funding for the ESA Spring 2012 program, choose March 12, 2012 as the start date. Funding may also be available through Canada Employment and Immigration. In Alberta, contact BGS Enterprises in Edmonton or Calgary. In other provinces, contact a Canada Manpower Office. You would apply as a Lakeland College student. For further suggestions for funding, please refer to the top menu of this website: www.esacanada.com / Coming to ESA / Student Services / Student Financial Aid. If you are having difficulty downloading the Application Package, please contact ESA and a package will be forwarded to you. |
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