Student Testimonial - Liam

Name: Liam
Program: Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training
Year of graduation: 2023

Why did you choose Humber College?

I was previously teaching middle school in Toronto when I decided that I wanted a career change and had settled on pursuing a career in emergency services. My goals were to either become a firefighter or paramedic. In talking to friends and family who were in that industry or in school themselves for it the number one option I kept hearing was, “Go to Humber College for Firefighting.” I would always ask why and the response I kept getting was they are simply the best. From their resources and equipment, to their staff, to the campus itself. I had also heard that in terms of the fire departments around the GTA, they all recognize Humber College as a step above the others, and if I was fortunate enough to get into the program that this would give me a competitive advantage upon graduation and going into job applications. In hindsight, I can say that everything I heard was 100% correct!

What are your career aspirations?

My career aspirations were to become a fulltime firefighter somewhere in Ontario. This was the one goal I had going into the program as I had already had a career as a teacher and was ready to move onto something new. Since I was little, I always knew that I wanted a career where I could help people and make a difference in not just my community, but others as well. Throughout my time in the program at Humber I was able to work alongside others who had similar goals, but also with the faculty who wanted all the students to achieve these goals. One thing about Humber that stood out to me early on was that the faculty is 99% active-duty Firefighters and that as they are teaching and training you, they are not just looking at you as a student, but as a potential colleague in the future. All of this has led to me being hired by a large metropolitan department within the GTA less than a year from graduation. It is not doubt in my mind that Humber played a huge part in making that come to fruition.

How did the faculty help you on your road to reaching your goals?

From day one of the program, and even before class started at the Meet the Faculty event, I knew that I was in good hands. The faculty are some of the most knowledgeable, friendly, patient, and compassionate humans I have ever met in my life. Having worked in education myself, I know what it takes to capture the attention of 40 or so students and to make activities and lessons fun and engaging. The staff in the Pre-Service Firefighter program made every day not just fun but impactful as well. Their attention to detail, caring attitude, and their will to know you as a person, not just a student number made me look forward to each and every day at school. Their drive to make you succeed is second to none and the way they empower you to be the best version of you is what leads to the success of the program. One captain in particular always used a line with me that made me always work harder and strive for more. He would always ask me if I wanted to be a good firefighter, or a great one. This drove me and helped me achieve the success that I did throughout my time at Humber and beyond.

What would you say has been the single best learning experience in the program you are in?

To single out one experience that was the best is a challenge in itself. There are so many to choose from my time in the program. The easy answer is the culminating activities at the end of semester 2, which are the live burns. These are days where you get to put all your learning to the test and partake in real-life firefighting operations alongside not only your peers, but the faculty as well. I remember showing up for my first burn day and talking to my platoon and saying, “this is what we have spent the last 7 months working towards!” These burn days push you to limits you didn’t know you could break, and teach you things about yourself you may not have previously known. But at the end of each of those days you walked away proud and eager for the next one knowing not only what you could accomplish but what you wanted to improve upon for the next one. Another experience that should not go unmentioned is the number of repetitions for each skill that you will get throughout the program. There are other Pre-Service programs you could attend that are shorter in duration than Humber’s, however, you will not get the same attention to detail, opportunities to try, fail, try again, and succeed as you will here. To me, this was an invaluable experience. Practice makes perfect and, in a career, where you will be working in extremely stressful circumstances, it is crucial to build the necessary skills through muscle memory and have as many opportunities to work on these skills as possible. These are all experiences that Humber and its staff offer you.

What elements of the program are best preparing you for your career?

The structure of the program is one of the best elements that has aided me in my career. Humber runs the Pre-Service Firefighter program as a pseudo-fire department. The students must wear a uniform every day and keep up to standards such as remaining clean shaven, polished boots, and a clean uniform – just like you would in a real department. The program leads are referred to as “Chiefs” and the instructors as “Captains” – just like in a real department. Having this element of realism made it seem much less like school and more like job training. I could talk about the equipment that Humber has which is amazing and all tools that you would see on a real fire truck. I could talk about the apparatus (trucks) that Humber has and how they are newer, formally in-service vehicles from real departments. But the crux that makes this program as good as it is, are the staff. As I’ve said, all the staff are current or recently retired firefighters from around the GTA. This allows you to draw from their experiences and knowledge and gain in-depth information on the various departments they work for and communities that they serve. Their varying roles, ranks, and backgrounds give you the most full-fledged knowledge you can achieve and best prepare you for your career ambitions and life after graduation. They are constantly accessible and always there to work with you and help you achieve all your goals.

Would you recommend this program to others, and why?

Without a doubt I would tell anyone interested in the career of Firefighting or any emergency service for that matter to pursue their education at Humber. Although I only studied in the Pre-Service Firefighter program, I had the privilege to partake in Humber’s “Rescue Day” which is an interprofessional learning activity. All the emergency service programs come together – Firefighting, Paramedics, Emergency Telecommunications – to practice real world scenarios and work together in synchrony – just as you would in the real world. This showed me that not only is the Firefighting program top notch, but so are the other programs as well. My experience and accolades of this program where so high that it led my brother to apply and succeed in the Pre-Service Firefighting program as well and even have family members who were successful at other schools Firefighting programs talk about how envious they were that I got into and graduated from Humber. Throughout my applications to fire departments I was constantly asked where I completed my Pre-Service program. When I would say Humber College, they would always smile and nod approvingly knowing I had learned from the best.