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It was a great course!

Provided insight with backing as to effective fire investigation. Great discussions and forum for learning.

Very knowledgeable instructors well presented the course.

Live fire burn props were also well constructed and demonstrated fire behavior with challenging scenarios. Great course!

The RDCK recently contracted with Fire Wise Consulting Ltd. to perform an inspection and audit of 4 rural firehalls in Beasley, Tarrys, Riondel and Winlaw – all small communities in the West Kootenay.The outcome of the assignment has proven to be a valuable tool for the 4 Fire Chiefs and the RDCK. The report is very readable and provides excellent direction in correcting deficiencies in a non-threatening manner.Furthermore, the report has been well received because of the professional and personal approach by Bob Turley and Glen Sanders in developing the report in consultation with the 4 Fire Chiefs.This has been a most positive exercise for the 4 Fire Departments and the RDCK.

 

The audit conducted by Fire Wise provided us with a baseline of identified items where we need to improve. The audit also provided affirmation of many areas that we are doing the ‘correct’ things in our operation. There are a number of priority items we are working on; developing a new (governing) policy which clearly identifies the level of service we provide, what priority goals/objectives we will achieve in the coming years, a succession planning tool, and continuation of the defined training for our Fire Fighters.

I was skeptical about having someone come into our hall and do an audit , as I had no help/guidance for the first 20 years that I was in charge of day to day operations which included all administration duties as well. I would not have been comfortable with auditors that I did not know but you and your partners put me at ease right away. There was no negativity about the way things were being done with operations or administration on my end. When we went over the audit you asked questions, I answered with why / how we do things the way we do and then you made suggestions on how / where I could improve. Since the audit was done I have been able to use it to support my budget objectives as long as I spread them over several years. I have recommended to all that would listen that it is in their best interest to have an outside agency do an audit of their hall operations and administration.

 

Beaverly Fire Rescue underwent the audit this past winter and we are very pleased with the results. We found that by helping us to determine what needs to be done and by identifying areas needing improvement, we were provided with a base to develop a strategic plan. The process and results confirmed to the Beaverly Fire Rescue Management Committee the various department roadblocks we face, as well as potential support opportunities available to us. By being solution oriented and assisting us with our concerns in ways as simple as providing sample documents for easy incorporation into our system, my own original fears and concerns proved to be unfounded. I believe that having the opportunity to see our own Fire Department from someone else’s perspective is a very useful tool for myself and the Beaverly Fire Rescue officers and firefighters.

I am pleased to say that your report was the slam dunk that my council needed to move forward with their decision. Thank you so much for your insight and efforts on your report. Your review is guiding much of my focus and I am delighted to have such a clear path to follow. Thank you again for all of your assistance.

I would like to thank FireWise Consulting for putting on an exceptional training course (NFPA 1033) last week in Nisku, Alberta. Your instructors were fantastic and the practical component of the course was excellent. The fellas working on the burn cells and keeping them dry did an amazing job given all the moisture we had during the course. If I am able to learn as much on investigating and proper report writing as you have forgotten over the years I will consider myself very fortunate! Again, thank you.

My career has spanned nearly 31 years and I can certainly state your fire investigation course is one of the best training experiences I have incurred during my career. Even with my extensive background and experience, I felt completely engaged throughout the fire investigation course learning new information and material, a very exciting opportunity.”
To read the full letter from Chief Zayonce, please click here: David_Zayonce.pdf

 

Thank you very much for the valuable presentation you gave to our department on the topic of Fireground Command. The content and related information were thought provoking, and I believe will contribute to all members’ decision making and actions in fire and other emergency responses.

Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services has been utilizing the Company Inspector course offered by FireWise Learning Academy for quite a few years now. It has been an excellent addition to our Fire Prevention portfolio, and a tremendous resource that staff continues to draw upon year after year. All of our staff have completed the interactive online course, and continue to access the content to maintain their competencies. This course has provided a solid foundation of information which staff has used to develop positive working relationships with our building owners. We believe that relationships based on common understanding of values and goals is crucial in the promotion of life safety in our community, and having all of our staff trained and fluent in the basics of the BC Fire Code is critical in communicating our inspection goals to the community.

The program was really well received by the majority of our firefighters. They all claimed it was valuable. Everyone printed out a certificate and it was added to their personal files. As we have new staff the course was taken at a convenient time and we are already seeing results. I would recommend this to any fire department who need to bring staff up to speed on company inspections.

I have been receiving some very good feedback from our members and there is noticeable improvement in the quality of company inspections being performed by those who have taken the course. As CFPO I am very pleased with the results of the training.

I thought the Company Inspection course was very well laid out. I especially liked the videos followed by the quiz. I felt it made you remember a lot better and prepared you for the final test. It was very informative. I will definitely pass the info along to my crew.

 

I want to pass on my comments regarding your on-line inspection program. Having recently put a new class of recruits from the College of the Rockies Fire Program through your course it is easy to see why this program gives students the knowledge and confidence they need to complete an inspection on their own. We completed this course as a class; however, we also see the benefit of working on it on an individual basis. The easy to follow presentation, chapter reviews and the additional learning opportunities included with the program allowed the class to interact and get the most out of this learning experience.

I am sending you this email to provide feedback regarding your Company Inspection Course and congratulate you on a successful online pilot project. As a teacher, I found the course to be very well-structured and incredibly user-friendly. We conducted the course as a group (in-class) aside from the quizzes and final exam. This classroom-based method worked great for our work-experience program (full-time) firefighters. The “additional learning opportunities” were added-value content which engaged the class in group discussion and served as additional resources in conjunction with the unit presentations. Using the course in a “self-study” format will work well with our paid-on-call firefighters and allow them to go through the course at their own pace. The course content was current, relevant and broken down into small, manageable units that flowed from start to finish. Good work, FireWise!

The learning platform is easy to use

Not only does the course instruct students on the “how” of conducting fire inspections, but just as importantly, students learn the “why” of each inspection point. The learning platform is easy to use and navigate through the course material. The audio-visual presentation breaks down topics in easy-to-understand packages of information. Students who complete this course will be able to competently and confidently conduct quality fire inspections. This in turn will have an immediate and direct impact on improving fire and life safety in the communities in which they serve.

This Course Provided an Exceptional Learning Experience

Jim Kettles here from Ontario Canada. I’m actually still employed as a police officer (36 years now) and will likely be retiring sometime in the New Year. The majority of my time here has been devoted to criminal investigations. I’m currently a Detective Sergeant in Mississauga attached to the Criminal Investigation Bureau. I have an application in with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office and am hoping to get hired in the next few months. In order to make myself a more competitive candidate with the Fire Marshal, I took the 1033 course with Firewise Consulting and completed both the online portion as well as the two-day practicum. Having taken many courses over the years, I can tell you that this one in particular provided an exceptional learning experience from both an academic and practical standpoint. Please call me anytime if there’s anything else I can answer for you concerning the course.