Northern College in Timmins has been designated an Ontario Fire College Regional Training Centre.
The designation means that the school can offer Ontario Fire College courses and training to fire personnel in the province. The training centre will be based at the new Integrated Emergency Services Complex (IESC), currently under construction.
“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,” Northern president Dr. Fred Gibbons said in an Aug. 20 news release.
“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.”
Northern College is currently one of three post-secondary institutions serving as an OFC Regional Training Centre.
The facility will soon include an Advanced Disaster Management Simulator (ADMS) system, which will offer virtual environments and scenarios training system – the first of its kind in Canada.
Courses may be available as early as spring 2019.
Construction on the $20-million Integrated Emergency Services Complex began in 2017 and the goal for completion is September.
When complete, the complex will serve as a teaching facility for students enrolled in the pre-service firefighter, paramedic, paramedic bridging, and police foundations programs, while also serving as headquarters for the City of Timmins Fire Service and Cochrane District Emergency Services.
