TIMMINS, ON: Northern College has entered into a partnership with the Ontario Fire College (OFC) to become a Regional Training Centre (RTC) for fire and emergency services. This agreement means that Northern College can now deliver OFC course offerings and training to fire service personnel in the province. The new Northern College Regional Training Centre will be based at the new Integrated Emergency Services Complex (IESC).

The RTC at the Timmins Campus will deliver a range of Ontario Fire College courses in response to the needs of fire services from the region and across the province. Currently, Northern College is one of 3 post-secondary institutions serving as an OFC Regional Training Centre. Although the new Northern College Regional Training Centre is the only college/university designated Ontario Fire College RTC in the north, it is part of two fire protection services training partnerships in northern Ontario, including the Thunder Bay Regional Training Centre in Northwest Ontario.

 

This achievement is the result of collaborative planning involving Northern College, the Ontario Fire College, and local area fire services.

“We are very pleased to work in partnership with the Ontario Fire College to continue to provide access to high qualify, safe, and effective fire service training and education opportunities in our community. Our work as a Regional Training Centre will build on the development of our new Integrated Emergency Services Complex and leverage our relationships with local fire service personnel to support learners,” said Dr. Fred Gibbons, President and CEO of Northern College.

“The Ontario Fire College Regional Training Centre partnerships are essential in providing accessible, attainable, and affordable Fire Protection Services training to all Ontario fire services irrespective of their geographical location. Our regional training partners offer state-of-the art facilities to support competency-based fire training in accordance with various professional qualifications standards,” said Ross Nichols, Fire Marshal and Chief of Emergency Management of the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management.

To enable students and local industry to bridge the gap between the theory they have learned in the classroom and what they will experience in their professional careers, an Advanced Disaster Management Simulator (ADMS) system will be integrated into the facility’s technology. This virtual environments and scenarios training system, used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will be the first of its kind in Canada.

This new initiative falls directly in line with Northern College’s commitment to providing quality, accessible education and training through innovative programs, services and partnerships for the benefit of our northern communities.

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Kyle Gennings
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T. 705-235-3211 ext. 2276
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