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

Firefighter graduates include those looking for a career change. This program is for you if you have:

• A background in a trade
• An entrepreneurial spirit
• Some first responder/first-aid training
• Participated in team sports
• Volunteer experience in your community
• Military experience
• Some level of post-secondary education
• Passion for the fire service

Program Strengths

This is an academic program where you can learn from and receive mentorship from experienced fire training officers

It takes place on our 25-acre fire training facility in Maple Ridge, BC. You can get hundreds of hours of live-fire training experience with access to 30 training props. Props include:

• A three-story burn building

• Steelship training prop

• Rope rescue tower

• Western Canada’s only 11-car train derailment training prop

You will meet with representatives from various fire departments in fire hall and ride-along experiences.

Evaluations are comprehensive to support your understanding of the requirements needed to earn NFPA 1001 Firefighter II Professional Qualifications.

You will also have access to volunteer opportunities in the community during and after completing the program.

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

If you complete the Hazardous Materials courses at JIBC, you will also receive certification for "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 parts: online firefighting knowledge-based courses, on-campus firefighting applied learning courses, and a liberal studies component. 

Complete the online and on-campus firefighting courses to eceive "NFPA 1001 Certificate" with IFSAC and ProBoard^® seals.

Complete the liberal studies component of the program to receive the 30-credit, academically recognized Firefighting Technologies Certificate. 

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

Program Format

This program starts you off with online courses for the first 12 weeks. After that, you will begin in-person training for 7 weeks.

Online knowledge/theory-based courses allow the flexibility to learn from home. Full-time in-person 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

We will supply you with course manuals when you attend class. If additional books or other materials are required, we will let you know when you are accepted into the program. 

Uniform

You 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 an acceptance letter 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 pants (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 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 I and II Professional Certification (21.5 credits)

Tuition (April 1, 2024-March 31, 2025)

Domestic Tuition: approximately $10,300.  Program deposit: $500

International Tuition: approximately $30,900.  Program deposit: $5,000

Program deposit is due eight weeks prior to the start of the program and will be credited towards tuition.  This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Additional Fees (as of April 1, 2024, subject to change)

• Domestic Application Fee: $75 (non-refundable, non-transferable)
• International Application Fee: $150 (non-refundable, non-transferable)
• Student Union Fee: $69 (approximately)
• Student Union Health & Dental: $285 (approximately)
• Textbook: $225 (approximately)
• Uniform: current pricing is provided by the JIBC Bookstore
• Equipment Rental: $930 (approximately)
• Domestic EMRG-1200 Incident Command System Level 100: $44.54*
• International EMRG-1200 Incident Command System Level 100: $127.22*
• Domestic HZMT-1100 Hazardous Materials Awareness: $63.94*
• International HZMT-1100 Hazardous Materials Awareness: $185.42*
• Domestic HZMT-1110 Hazardous Materials Operations: $1,267.54*
• International HZMT-1110 Hazardous Materials Operations: $3,777.02*

Fire Fighting Technologies Certificate (30.5 credits)

Tuition (April 1, 2024-March 31, 2025)

Domestic/International Tuition/Deposit: identical to NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II Professional Certification

A program deposit is due eight weeks before the start of the program and will be credited toward tuition. This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Additional Fees (as of April 1, 2024, subject to change)

• Identical to NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II Professional Certification, with the addition of:
  • Three Liberal Studies Electives Domestic: $1,725 (approximately)*
  • Three Liberal Studies Electives International: $5,052 (approximately)*

* You must register for these additional courses separately from the FFTC program. You can pay for them at the time of registration. If you completed these courses at other post-secondary institutions, you can apply for a Transfer Credit.

STEP ONE - Submit Your Application Form and Prerequisites Assessment

Complete your application form and pay the application fee via EducationPlannerBC. You must submit all prerequisite documentation by the application deadline to admissions@jibc.ca. 

The application process requires the submission of all paperwork confirming the mandatory prerequisites are met. You are responsible for ensuring the package is complete with all documentation. You must submit the documents by the application deadline. 

Selection Process Results

We will email you to let you know if your application is incomplete. At that point, you can contact us for further information.

We will compile the results from each component to produce a candidate score. We will use this score to rank a list of candidates and fill program seats by working from the top of the rank order list down.

If you are a successful candidate, we will contact you to offer you a seat in an available class. If you are an unsuccessful candidate, you will receive an email inviting you to contact us for further feedback. We will also provide developmental suggestions if you decide to apply again.

STEP TWO - Receive Acceptance and Make Payment

If you are a successful candidate, we will contact you to offer 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 recommend attending an upcoming hands-on firefighting information session to learn if you're the right kind of person to do this job. 

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

A: Yes. Students in the full-time and part-time programs are eligible for financial assistance from StudentAidBC. Students accepted into the program are also 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 for applying to 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). We work with that system to facilitate transfer agreements that benefit BC students. Further information on how your credits might transfer is available from the BC Transfer Guide.