Fire Fighting Technologies (FFTC)

This hands-on program is ideal for people who want the essential training and certification to become a firefighter. 

Characteristics of Ideal Recruits

• Commitment to serving your community and supporting public safety

• Ability to thrive in a team environment (ex. experience in team sports)

• A life-long learner consistently looking for opportunities to maintain or expand knowledge, skills or experiences

• Interest in taking care of their physical and mental health

• Have a mechanical aptitude or skill

Career firefighter graduates include those looking for a career change. They typically have a background in a trade; are entrepreneurial; have some first responder/first-aid training; have participated in team sports; volunteer in their community, may have military experience; are life-long learners with some level of post-secondary education; and are passionate about joining the fire service.

Program Strengths

• An academic program where students are taught and mentored by experienced fire training officers from leading fire departments in Metro Vancouver
• Students obtain hundreds of hours of invaluable live-fire training experience with access to 30 training props on a 25-acre campus that includes a three-storey burn building, steel ship training prop, rope rescue tower and Western Canada’s only 11-car train derailment training prop
• Students meet with representatives from various fire departments on fire hall and ride-along experiences with members from local fire departments in Metro Vancouver
• Unlike some other fire schools, evaluations are comprehensive to support a student's understanding of the requirements to earn their NFPA 1001 Firefighter II Professional Qualifications
• Recognized academic credits for this applied firefighter program
• Continuing education opportunities after graduation to refresh skills
• Access to volunteer opportunities in the community during and after completion of the program

Students gain the specialized knowledge and applied skills needed to be proficient and qualified within the "National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 Standard for Firefighter Professional Qualifications."

Students who complete the Hazardous Materials courses at JIBC also receive certification for their "NFPA 472 Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents."

Subjects

What You Need to Graduate

The program is divided into three distinct parts consisting of online firefighting knowledge-based courses, on-campus firefighting applied learning courses, and a liberal studies component. 

Students who successfully complete the online and on-campus firefighting courses receive their "NFPA 1001 Certificate" with IFSAC and ProBoard^® seals.

Students who complete the liberal studies component of the program will also receive the 30-credit, academically recognized Firefighting Technologies Certificate. 

Students who have completed relevant liberal studies courses at other post-secondary institutions can apply for Transfer Credit towards the certificate.

Program Format

This program offers a unique blend of online courses (12 weeks) followed by in-person (7 weeks) of training.

Online knowledge/theory-based courses allow the flexibility to learn from home, at one’s own pace.  Full-time in-person, hands-on training is held at our world-class facility in Maple Ridge, Monday to Friday. *

*An occasional Saturday may be scheduled to compensate for Campus Closures due to statutory holidays.

Upcoming Intakes

Note: Classes will run only if there are a minimum number of students. There is also a maximum number of seats per class. Once accepted into the program, if your preferred class is full, you will be placed on a waitlist for the next available seat in the program.

Textbooks & Supplies

Course manuals are supplied when you attend class. If additional books or other materials are required, you will be advised of the details after you are accepted into the program. 

Uniform

Each successful student entering the program must purchase a uniform for the practical component of the program. All uniforms MUST be obtained from the JIBC Store.

Do not purchase these items unless you have received a confirmation letter accepting you into the program and a JIBC Uniform Order Form has been sent to you. 

Mandatory Items to Order for First Day of Class

1 Navy station pant (pants must be hemmed)
1 Navy uniform short-sleeve shirt
1 Clip-on navy tie
1 pair – Fire & Safety crests. (Have crests sewn on navy uniform short sleeve shirt. Ask staff at JIBC Store where to place crests on sleeves).
2 Fire & Safety navy short sleeve gym T-shirt (3 recommended)
1 Pair of black composite-toes safety boots*
1 Black leather belt*

* Belt & boots are mandatory items but can be purchased through the JIBC Store or a store of your choice as long as they meet the CSA approval. All boots must be either steel-toed or composite-toed and able to hold a shine and be CSA approved.
Note
All prices are subject to applicable taxes and may change.

NFPA 1001 FireFighter II Professional Certification (21.5 credits)*

Tuition

Tuition is approximately $11,000.00*

Note
* Approximate tuition does not include tuition fees for HZMT-1100 Hazardous Materials Awareness, HZMT-1110 Hazardous Materials Operation, EMRG-1200 Incident Command System Level 100.  These courses must be registered for separately from the FFTC program and paid for at the time of registration. Students can apply for Transfer Credit if they have completed HZMT-1100 and/or HZMT-1110.

FireFighting Technologies Certificate (30.5 credits)**

 Tuition

Tuition is approximately $12,600.00*

Note
* Approximate tuition does not include tuition fees for HZMT-1100 Hazardous Materials Awareness, HZMT-1110 Hazardous Materials Operation, EMRG-1200 Incident Command System Level 100 and Liberal Studies courses.  These courses must be registered for separately from the FFTC program and paid for at the time of registration. 

** Students who have completed Hazardous Materials Awareness/Operations and relevant Liberal Studies courses at other post-secondary institutions can apply for Transfer Credit to fulfill the Certificate in Firefighting Technologies Liberal Studies requirements.

Additional Costs

Program application fee (non-refundable): $75.00
Textbooks
Uniform: current pricing is provided by the JIBC Bookstore.

STEP ONE - Submit Your Application Form and Prerequisites Assessment

Complete your application form and pay the application fee via EducationPlannerBC. All prerequisite documentation must be submitted by the Application Deadline to admissions@jibc.ca. 

The application process requires the submission of all paperwork confirming the mandatory prerequisites are met. The onus is on each individual applying to the FFTC program to ensure that the package is complete with all required documentation submitted by the Application Deadline. 

Selection Process Results

Any candidate who is incomplete in any step of the application/selection process will be notified via email that their application is incomplete and invited to contact us for further information. 

The results from each component will be compiled to produce an overall candidate score. This score is then used to create a rank ordering of candidates. FFTC program seats are filled by working from the top of the rank order list down. 

Successful candidates will be contacted and offered a seat in an available class. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified by email and invited to contact us for further feedback along with developmental suggestions should they decide to re-apply in the future.

STEP TWO - Receive Acceptance and Make Payment

Successful candidates will be contacted and offered a seat in an available class.

A $500 non-refundable Commitment Fee is required to secure your seat and is applied towards your tuition.

Admission Requirements

Mandatory Requirements

• Be a minimum of 18 years of age by the start date of the program
• Official Transcript providing proof of completion of high school or equivalent. An Interim Transcript is acceptable upon application, but the Official Transcript must be provided prior to the program start date (Post-Secondary Transcript is also acceptable)
• Official Transcript providing proof of completion of Grade 12 English with a “C” minimum grade (or equivalent)
• Basic First Aid (min 8hrs) with CPR Level C
• Complete the JIBC Online Application Form (via EducationPlannerBC)
• Proof of Physical Ability provided by one of the following:
  • West Coast Kinesiology and Physiotherapy Physical Activity, Fitness and Lifestyle Appraisal
  • Fitness Assessment (Test) from a University (ex. UBC, UVic, UofT, etc..) that measures strength, speed, power, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, aerobic capacity, body composition, and task-specific hand-eye coordination.
  • Due to COVID-19 restrictions, some organizations have suspended their Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) offerings. Please contact the Fire & Safety Division to discuss your options and to confirm beforehand if alternate physical ability tests other than the above meet admission requirements.
• Medical Proof of Physical Fitness provided by the submission of both:
  • A Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+) a self-administered (do it yourself) questionnaire; and
  • A Doctor’s note indicating student is fit to undertake firefighter training.

Beneficial Prerequisites

• Community or volunteer experience
• Fluency in an additional language other than English
• Above average physical fitness
• Experience being a part of a team
• Mechanical aptitude
• Positive attitude and good work ethic
• Life experience and a mature attitude
• Ability to take direction
• Demonstrated responsible behaviour

Required Documents

• A copy of your high school transcript. An Interim Transcript is acceptable upon application, but the Official Transcript must be provided prior to the program start date (Post-Secondary Transcript is also acceptable)
• Evidence of completion of Basic First Aid with CPR Level C
• Proof of Physical Ability provided by one of the following:
  • West Coast Kinesiology and Physiotherapy Physical Activity, Fitness and Lifestyle Appraisal
  • Fitness Assessment (Test) from a University (ex. UBC, UVic, UofT, etc..) that measures strength, speed, power, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, aerobic capacity, body composition, and task-specific hand-eye coordination.
• Medical Proof of Physical Fitness provided by the submission of both:
  • A Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+) a self-administered (do it yourself) questionnaire; and
  • A Doctor’s note indicating student is fit to undertake firefighter training.

Financial Aid & Awards

This program is eligible for student loans, external awards, JIBC awards, bursaries and scholarships.

International Applicants

International applicants are encouraged to visit the International Studies page or contact JIBC's Office of International Affairs. 

Q: How do I know if I'm the right kind of person to do this job?

A: We encourage all prospective students to complete a Lifestyle Questionnaire (Self-Assessment) to help determine whether firefighting is a suitable career, and attend an upcoming hands-on firefighting information session at the JIBC Maple Ridge campus.

Q: Are there financial aid options available for students in this program?

A: Yes. Students in both the full-time and part-time offerings of the program are eligible for financial assistance from StudentAidBC. Students accepted into the program also have access to and are encouraged to apply for, external and internal student awards, scholarships and bursaries.

Q: Are international students eligible to take this program?

A: Yes. International students should contact the JIBC Office of International Affairs to discuss their options and requirements to apply for and complete the program. 

Q: I've taken some liberal studies courses at another post-secondary institution. Can I gain transfer credit?

A: Yes. JIBC is a full participant in the credit transfer system of the BC Council on Admissions and Transfers (BCCAT) and works with that system to facilitate transfer agreements that can benefit BC students. Further information on how your credits might transfer is available from the BC Transfer Guide.