Home | New to Firefighting | NFPA 1001 Level I-II Firefighter Training Program | In-house

NFPA 1001 Level I-II Firefighter Training Program | In-house

New to firefighting? Let FESTI help you rise further and immerse yourself in life as a firefighter with this intensive entry-level training program. From experiencing a real burning building to learning how to extinguish vehicles, you’ll get hands-on experience with the most exhilarating parts of being a firefighter, all in a well-designed, safe environment helmed by expert instructors.

Program Details:

This course is delivered as an intense, 18-week (85 days), in-class program, on-site within our sophisticated training facility and fire ground. You learn from the same professional fire instructors who train our own firefighters. As well, we have an extensive, associate instructor program comprised of over 80 professional firefighters, officers, and subject-matter experts.

As a student, you have your own training wing built like a traditional Firehall. Including a training room, change rooms, apparatus bay and structural pumper. Just like a recruit firefighter, you will be responsible for cleaning your Firehall, repacking your fire truck and daily inspections of all fire apparatus equipment.

You’ll spend over 50% of your time developing hands-on skills, as you respond to fire scenarios in our burn house and rescue tower.  You will climb ladders, perform search and rescue, practice firefighting survival, perform auto extrication, extinguish vehicle fires, fight flammable liquid fires, and extinguish structural fires, all while developing the theoretical knowledge you need to pass all required exams.

Requirements & Qualifications:

Minimum program application requirements *:

  1. Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, OR pass a qualifying Canadian Adult Achievement Test
  2. Standard First Aid CPR Level “C” with AED – must be valid for the entire duration of the course
  3. Completed Medical Screening Form

Special Note(s):

* Meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee an offer of admission.

** Please note, that FESTI is not an OSAP-registered education institution. For the In-house stream, we offer four split-payment options [deposit to secure your spot on the course, and three additional smaller payments], or a one-time payment due 30 days prior to the selected course serial start date.

*** In-house course runs for 18 weeks, Monday – Friday, 08 AM – 4:00 PM.

*** You must be 18+ years of age in order to apply for a firefighting job with any department in Canada.

Portable Fire Extinguisher Putting Out Fire
firefighters
Cafeteria at festi
firefighter putting out car fire

Special Considerations:

Entering the vocation of firefighting is a very competitive process and different departments and municipalities have different entry requirements.  FESTI recommends that you familiarize yourself with the entry-to-practice requirements for any department or private organization you apply to.

To be eligible for consideration for employment in a fire department within the Ontario fire service, the following may be required:

  1. Possess visual acuity uncorrected to 20/30 in each eye without corrective lenses
  2. Have a normal colour vision – passes Ishihara Test acceptable – passes Farnsworth D-15
  3. Have depth perception and peripheral vision that is safe for firefighting
  4. Have prescribed normal unaided hearing – hearing thresholds no greater than 30 decibels in each ear at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz, and no significant loss in higher frequencies 
  5. Meet medical standards free of Acrophobia and Claustrophobia

Although a class DZ Ontario driver’s license is not required for the program, it is required for employment with an Ontario Fire Service. Contact the Ontario Ministry of Transport for further information on obtaining the license.

While FESTI does not require medical screening or assessment for applicants to our programs, we do recommend you review these requirements and consult a physician for eligibility.  Furthermore, due to the strenuous physical demands of the firefighter, it is strongly recommended that applicants acquire and maintain an advanced level of physical fitness including cardiovascular and upper body strength prior to the start of the program

Program includes:

  • NFPA 1001 – FFI and FFII Course
  • NFPA 1072 – Awareness and Operations Course
  • NFPA 1006, Chapter 5 – Technical Rescuer Course
  • Red Cross – Emergency Medical Responder Course
  • FESTI Uniform
  • Course Materials
  • Personal Protective Equipment (Yours to Keep)
    • Helmet
    • Flash hood
    • Firefighting Gloves
    • Rope Rescue Gloves
    • Firefighting Boots
  • Firefighter Protective Clothing: Bunker Gear Pants and Coat – Rental
  • Ontario Fire Marshall (OFM) exam fees
    • NFPA 1001 Firefighter Level I
    • NFPA 1001 Firefighter Level II
    • NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Awareness
    • NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Operations
  • Mandatory orientation day prior to the course start

What’s NOT included

  • Meals
  • Accommodations – there are no onsite room/board facilities at FESTI
  • You will be required to purchase your own Black CSA-approved safety boots to be worn onsite at FESTI

Graduation Requirements:

  • To graduate from this program, a student must attain a minimum of 70% average and complete all required practical skill signoffs.

Your Achievements:

After successful completion of the program, you’ll have the basic knowledge and practical skills that make you firefighting ready, as well as the kind of dedication and professionalism that fire chiefs and fire officers look for in a recruit firefighter.

During the final week of the program, you’ll take the Office of the Fire Marshal’s (OFM) Provincial exam and practical skills assessment which is proctored at FESTI. Upon successful completion, you’ll receive IFSAC Seals and an application for Pro Board Seals in recognition of your having achieved the:

  • NFPA 1001 Firefighter Level I
  • NFPA 1001 Firefighter Level II
  • NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Awareness
  • NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Operations

* Pro Board Applications not included

Additionally, you receive Internationally recognized Accreditation from the Institution of Fire Engineers.

Program Cost

Non-refundable application fee:  $150 *

* Please Note: all transfers are subject to an additional $150 processing fee; transfers are approved as a function of availability; transfers will be subject to a total program cost adjustments as the total program cost is subject to change.

Total Program cost: $16,630.30 ** & *** and it includes HST, certification exam fees, firefighting gear, structural firefighters’ protective clothing rental, uniform, and course materials.

** Note: total program cost is subject to price changes which may also affect your transfer process by way of total program cost adjustment.

*** Note for International Student Applicants: total program cost will have an International Student Fee added to the total payments in the amount of $1,000.00 CDN. This fee is disclosed under Private Career College details.

Additional Note(s):

  1. FESTI is not an OSAP-approved education institution.
  2. For our in-house program, we offer a four split-payment option [a deposit to secure your spot on the course, and three subsequent payments], or a one-time payment due 30 days prior to the selected course serial start date.
  3. You will be required to purchase your own black CSA-approved safety boots – approx. cost $100-$150.

Note(s):

Registration for Training Year 2024 – 2025 commences at 9:00 AM on 01 August 2024.

For applicants whishing to check the status of their application please log in to your FESTI account to check the status of your vocation application. It is the fastest way to confirm your application status instead of calling in your status application questions.

Our plan for the training year 2024 – 2025 as far as the In-house program is as follows [last update: Tuesday, 12 November 2024 – accurate seat availability information is available upon application submission]:

Course SerialOn-site OnboardingStart DateProgram CompletionGraduation ProcessionCourse Capacity
25-01-01Thursday, December 19, 2024Monday, January 6, 2025Tuesday, May 6, 2025Wednesday, May 7, 202525 | [sold out]
25-01-02Thursday, April 17, 2025Tuesday, April 22, 2025Tuesday, August 22, 2025Monday, August 25, 202425 | [2 seats available]
25-01-03Thursday, August 7, 2025Monday, August 11, 2025Thursday, December 11, 2025Friday, December 15, 2025 25 | [not released]
In-house Program Training Year 2024 – 2025

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