Courses
Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education-2025/2026
| 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. | ||||
| Level 2 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course. | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| HLTH-1228 | Occ. Health & Safety-Fire Service | 3 | ||
| Occupational Health and Safety focuses on protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work, while fostering a safe work environment for the benefit of employees and the employer. Students apply theory to practical awareness, and gain knowledge by applying the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to fire service situations. Students also study Section 21 guidance notes to gain an understanding of how OHSA applies to the fire service. Students complete a research project on WHMIS and/or personal protective equipment. | ||||
| COMP-1501 | Software Applications-Public Safety | 3 | ||
| This course provides students with basic proficiency in software applications commonly used in the public safety field, specifically the Microsoft Office suite (e.g., Word, Excel and PowerPoint). In addition, the curriculum provides an overview of information technology, efficient use of computers and printers, file management, and Internet research. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory Courses: (Minimum Grade C) | ||||
| FIRE-1005 | Fire Inspector 1 | 3 | ||
| Students learn to apply the concepts and skills required to perform fire inspection in various occupancies. Students learn about fire safety, codes and standards, and fire protection systems and how to think their way through fire prevention inspections. Through practical assignments in various occupancies students apply knowledge gained through Fire Code I while inspecting buildings. This includes identifying violations, preparing inspection orders and collecting evidence in preparation for prosecution. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-1006 | Legislation-Fire Service | 3 | ||
| The student learns of the various laws, regulations and standards that impact the delivery of fire protection services in Ontario. The student gains in-depth knowledge of the Ontario Fire Protection and Prevention Act (FPPA) and the duties and responsibilities of an inspector. Students learn how FPPA applies to inspection work and the duties, rights and limitations the Act gives to Assistants to the Fire Marshal. Students explore the impact of fire related civil suits, coroner's inquests and public inquiries on legislation. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-3001 | Fire Code 1 | 3 | ||
| Students develop knowledge of the Ontario Fire Code Division B, Parts 2 and 6, and how it applies to inspections with an emphasis on the elimination of fire hazards in and around buildings, maintenance of life safety systems and inspection of these systems. Working in teams, students develop, evaluate and review fire safety plans. Further, students understand the importance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in residential occupancies and the enforcement of related requirements. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| Level 3 | ||||
| Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course. | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| COMM-3078 | Prof. Communications-Public Safety | 3 | ||
| This course, designed for students who plan to work in the field of public safety, focuses on professional written and verbal communication skills. Students learn to prepare a variety of work-related documents. In addition, students learn about research methods and documentation formats. The principles of effective writing - organization, grammar, style, clarity and tone - are reinforced throughout the course. The goal of the course is to prepare students for the communication tasks and considerations they will encounter in the workplace in order to meet the needs of employers and the communities they will serve. | ||||
| PSYC-1002 | Interpersonal & Group Dynamics | 3 | ||
| This is an introductory level course in which students learn to apply knowledge and theory about interpersonal relations and group dynamics while working in a team. Students engage in cooperative work in multidisciplinary integrated enforcement groups to achieve established goals. | ||||
| SOCI-1101 | Diversity & Indigenous People in Canada | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will critically identify and examine issues in diversity; specifically focussing on topics pertaining to inequity in various social settings related to race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and class, with a view to developing an appreciation for the multicultural society in which we live. A career in public safety requires a clear understanding of the impacted groups, strategies for community empowerment and effective communication. Students will also increase their knowledge and awareness of the issues impacting Indigenous Peoples of Canada including rights, self-determination, land issues, justice and social issues. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory Courses: (Minimum Grade C) | ||||
| FIRE-3002 | Hazardous Materials Awareness | 3 | ||
| Students learn to anticipate and recognize the presence of hazardous materials when conducting inspections, protect the scene and themselves, and call for appropriate assistance. Students learn to identify materials through container shape, the system of placards, UN identification numbers and other markings in common use. They apply this knowledge through the use of the Emergency Response Guidebook, personal protective equipment, material safety data sheets and shipping papers. Students work in teams to apply the information in the development of a 'risk-based response plan'. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-3003 | Courtroom Procedures | 3 | ||
| As the main duty of an inspector is to enforce the Fire Code, in the absence of compliance enforcement through the courts is necessary. Students learn to provide the necessary documentation and evidence to prepare for prosecution through the court system. Students learn the legislated authority of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act as well as the Provincial Offences Act and how that authority is applied. The student also learns other legislated options available to address contraventions of other related legislation. Student participate in mock court proceedings ranging from fire code enforcement to inquests. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-3004 | Fire Code 2 | 3 | ||
| Students further develop knowledge of the Ontario Fire Code through study and application of Parts 3 and 5. The focus is on the use, storage and handling of hazardous materials and the stockpiling of combustible materials that create a potential fire hazard. In addition, this course looks at materials, processes and operations that involve a risk from explosion or high flammability, or otherwise create a hazard to life safety or health or potential serious damage to the environment. Students engage in mock field inspections. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| Level 4 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| MGMT-3078 | Conflict Management | 3 | ||
| This course covers conflict management principles, practices, and strategies for effective negotiation. Students develop a framework for effective decision-making and problem-solving to prevent, de-escalate, and safely resolve interpersonal conflicts. Through role-playing and case studies, students apply principles to develop appropriate conflict management strategies and enhance their negotiation skillsets. | ||||
| MGMT-3011 | Project Management | 3 | ||
| Project management is about meeting unique challenges. Project management involves understanding and managing the relationships between people and events, and the scarce resources of time and money. This course will provide practical theories for the successful development, implementation and evaluation of projects and events to meet the strategic and operational goals/objectives of a business. Students will be introduced to a variety of principles, practices, tools and resources to manage workplace projects personal projects and events. | ||||
| FIRE-3006 | Technical Writing-Fire Service | 3 | ||
| Written documentation is a significant component of fire inspection and prevention. In this course, students produce documents commonly used by fire inspectors and prevention officers (e.g., field inspection reports, inspection orders, orders to close, plan review reports, recommendations, policies and procedures). They also develop interviewing and note-taking skills with an emphasis on accuracy, clarity and objectivity. | ||||
| FIRE-3007 | Building Code 2 | 3 | ||
| This course reinforces and builds on the content of Building Code I, focusing on the administration of the Building Code, as well as the role and legal context of the Building Official. Building Code II is the second 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. | ||||
| LIBS-1011 | Critical Thinking | 3 | ||
| Critical Thinking is a course that prepares students to analyze and meaningfully respond to arguments and situations that they will encounter in their professional lives. Students learn to identify, construct, and interpret inductive and deductive arguments in spoken and written form; additionally, they learn to recognize hidden assumptions and critically evaluate the acceptability of premises used to justify arguments. Ultimately this course builds on previously developed reasoning and ethics knowledge to give students the wide range of skills required to understand, evaluate, and overcome challenges in their professional lives. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory Courses: (Minimum Grade C) | ||||
| FIRE-3005 | Fire & Life Safety Educator 1 | 3 | ||
| Students learn the skills necessary to deliver and coordinate existing fire and life safety programs to various community groups. A study of fire behaviour, human behaviour during fire, educational methodology, and basic fire protection systems and devices gives students the knowledge to deliver basic presentations. Emphasis is placed on identifying community need and establishing priorities. Students develop goals and a budget for a basic education program, collaborating with community stakeholders where appropriate. Students engage in practice teaching, adapting existing programs to the needs of the audience. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-5001 | Fire Code 3 | 3 | ||
| Division B, Part 9, of the Ontario Fire Code was developed to require upgrade of life safety systems in older buildings. Through study and practical application, students further their knowledge of this more complex Part of the Fire Code. Recognition of which buildings require retrofit and which sections of Part 9 apply to what building is developed as the student progresses through this course. Students engage in mock field inspections. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| Level 5 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| MGMT-5083 | Public Safety Leadership | 3 | ||
| The public safety sector needs leaders, not just managers, and leadership can manifest at all levels of an organization. This course introduce common leadership theories and practices as well as the emerging leadership paradigms (e.g., adaptive leadership and transformational leadership) that are being adopted in public safety organizations. Students explore the technical, managerial and administrative competencies that make great leaders. The special challenges of leadership in nonsupervisory positions are addressed. | ||||
| FIRE-5006 | Stats & Data Analysis-Fire Service | 3 | ||
| The fire service collects a great deal of data related to operations as well as data related to the cause and origin of fires and the cause of serious injuries and deaths by fire. Students apply basic statistical analysis to real fire data. Students analyze data to make recommendations to improve emergency service to the community (e.g., station relocation to improve response time) and to develop public education programs to help reduce injuries and death due to fire. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory Courses: (Minimum Grade C) | ||||
| FIRE-3008 | Fire Inspector 2 | 3 | ||
| In this course, students expand their knowledge to apply 'Fire Code II & III' when inspecting for code violations in more complex occupancies. During mock inspections, students recommend modifications to address identified problems and apply knowledge of conflict management principles and practices to complaints, violations, and enforcement. Students recommend policies and procedures to ensure inspections are conducted in accordance with the policies of the jurisdiction. The use of Fire Marshal's Orders, including orders to close, is explored. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-5002 | Fire & Life Safety Educator 2 | 3 | ||
| In this course, students learn the skills necessary to prepare educational programs and information to meet identified fire and life safety needs. More advanced learning theories and statistical analysis methods pertaining to fire and life safety education are studied and applied. In groups, students design and implement an educational program in collaboration with identified community stakeholders. Students present an overview of the program and engage in practice teaching. Further, students apply basic community risk evaluation results to develop public policy recommendations. Students conduct basic performance evaluations for fire and life safety staff using written criteria and policies. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-5004 | Plans Examination | 2 | ||
| Part of the building permit process in every community is the submission of detailed plans for review and approval by officials. Most often, the fire service is responsible to ensure fire safety requirements are being met. Students apply Building Code knowledge when examining actual building plans and learn the skills needed to approve submitted drawings. Student process permit applications and plan review applications. The course includes blue print reading. | ||||
| FIRE-5005 | Public Information Officer | 3 | ||
| The public information officer in the fire service works with senior officers to coordinate media relations related to emergencies as well as communications related to ongoing media and public relations. Emphasis on effective written and verbal communications skills prepares the student to function in this position. Through assignments and practical exercises (e.g., mock scenarios), students develop and implement communications strategies, writing skills and public speaking skills to effectively relay information to community organizations, the fire service and the media. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| FIRE-5008 | Fire Code 4 | 3 | ||
| The Ontario Fire Code, Div. B, Part 4, provides regulations to improve fire safety for the storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids. The student learns to identify risks, mitigate fire safety hazards and apply Part 4 to achieve this improved safety. The course enhances confidence and working knowledge in effectively applying the entire Ontario Fire Code to varied occupancies and situations. Students engage in mock field inspections. This course qualifies the student to sit NFPA exams to obtain Ontario certification through the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM). | ||||
| Level 6 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
Group 1 | ||||
| MGMT-5084 | Community Risk Evaluation & Mgmt | 3 | ||
| Community risks must be identified before fire prevention programs are developed to manage and reduce the risk as well to mitigate outcomes. Students apply knowledge gained in the data analysis course to development management and mitigation programs. Further, students develop public education programs focused on a risks they identify. | ||||
| EDUC-5004 | Research Capstone-Public Safety | 3 | ||
| In this course, students complete a research report on a public safety problem or issue relevant to their program. Students develop a research question, complete a literature review and analyze secondary research in order to propose a solution to the identified problem or issue. Students present their research report in a professional presentation. | ||||
| MGMT-5082 | Change Management | 3 | ||
| Change can be especially challenging for organizations with paramilitary structures, strong traditions and an established culture like those commonly found in the public safety sector. The course presents change management theory as well as common tools and practices used to promote change. This course explores how employees at all levels within an organization can function as agents of change. Students learn how to assess change readiness, identify potential forces of resistance, and manage change effectively. | ||||
| DEVL-5003 | Professional Practice-Fire Service | 2 | ||
| The fire service has clear expectations for professional practice. As a paramilitary organization, the fire service is a highly structured workplace with well-defined roles and responsibilities. This course prepares graduates to successfully integrate into the fire service and quickly adapt to those expectations. Students assess their own strengths and weaknesses and develop personalized strategies to assist in the transition to the workplace. Students also renew their first aid certification. | ||||
| FLDP-1025 | Fire Service Mentorship | 2 | ||
| Through the Fire Service Mentorship, students rotate through several host fire departments, spending a total of 80 hours in several different departments. Students are assigned to a volunteer mentor who may be a fire chief,deputy chief, fire inspector, prevention officer, or education officer, depending on the size and composition of the fire department. Students shadow their mentor and complete assignments related to each mentorship experience. Throughout the semester, students have 12 hours of class time to debrief as a group. | ||||
| PHIL-1009 | Ethics & Society | 3 | ||
| What is the right thing to do? Although this turns out to be a remarkably difficult question to answer, it is the central focus of this course, and we will try to come at it from two different directions. On the one hand, we will consider a number of ethical theories that attempt to give a general, theoretical underpinning for morality. On the other hand, we will approach the question of the right thing to do from the context of particular moral problems that confront modern society such as world poverty, euthanasia, and the freedom of speech. If you want to be better prepared to debate ethical topics by understanding the issues behind them, then this course is for you. | ||||
Group 2 | ||||
| Take the following Mandatory Course: (Minimum Grade C) | ||||
| FIRE-5009 | Fire Investigator | 3 | ||
| Building on their knowledge of fire inspection, students explore the specialized field of fire investigation. Working in a forensics lab, students examine documentation and evidence to determine the cause of a fire. Students document their findings in a written report and present their findings. This course enhances students' note taking and interviewing skills through mock investigation scenarios. | ||||
| Gen Ed - Electives | ||||
| Take 6 General Education Credits - Normally taken in Levels 2 and 3 | ||||
| Program Residency | ||||
| Students Must Complete a Minimum of 30 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency requirement and graduate from this program | ||||