Fire Systems Engineering Technician

 

Recent changes to provincial building and fire codes are creating a significant demand for trained people to design, modify and test fire safety systems.

 

Program Highlights

This two-year program will prepare graduates for jobs in the rapidly growing fire safety sector. Changes in provincial Fire Codes require that all fire safety systems be inspected and tested once each year, escalating the need for trained people to fulfill these requirements. At the same time, due to the large number of retirements in the Fire Protection/Safety industry in the next three to ten years, there will be a significant demand for program graduates. This program is one of only two such college programs available in Ontario. Students will learn how to design, market and maintain security and safety systems for residential and commercial environments that require fire detection, fire suppression, and fire prevention system maintenance, testing and inspection. The Ontario Assocation of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) conditionally recognizes this program as meeting all the academic requirements for certification in the Certified Technician (Ctech) category. The program also covers all of the curriculum requirements of the Canadian Fire Alarm Association (CFAA) and the Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association (CASA).

 

Word from the Workplace

"Here's an opportunity to save lives every day through fire prevention and protection. You can learn to eliminate fires before they begin, creating a safe environment for people to live, work and play." Eric Chant
Fire Prevention Captain, Peterborough Fire Service

 

Why Choose Fleming?

Our program is one of only two such college programs available in Ontario. You'll be in demand as one of the few graduates in this field in the province. You'll acquire generalist skills in a wide range of technology, while developing specialist skills as a fire systems engineering technician. A broader base of knowledge means you are versatile in the workplace.

Students will learn in the college's state-of-the-art technology facility. In this spectacular environment, they will have open access to the engineering commons, providing increased time to work in the labs on assignments and projects. Upon entrance to the program, students will take common courses that develop the fundamental skills required of a technician. As they proceed through their program, they will encounter more specific fire safety related course work.

 

What it Takes to Succeed

• enjoyment of hands-on learning
• a desire to build, design and repair systems
• attention to detail
• excellent listening skills (for diagnosing problems) and strong personal skills

 

Career Opportunities

With a large number of retirements in the field in the next decade, as well as increased demand for specialists in the fire systems management field, employment opportunitites are diverse and plentiful. Employment opportunities are diverse and include working for fire alarm inspection and fire suppression system companies, as well as fire alarm or sprinkler system manufacturers. Job titles include:

• fire alarm technician
• fire safety system installer
• fire safety system verification and testing technician
• municipal fire safety inspector
• municipal building inspector
• insurance industry fire safety inspector
• fire safety officer (for large manufacturing companies, hospitals, universities, and apartment complexes)

The demand for entry level positions is strong, with starting salaries in the $40,000 per year range, increasing to the $60,000 range with experience.

 

Minimum Admission Requirements

OSSD with the majority of credits at the College (C) and Open (O) level, including:

• 2 College (C) English courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12)
• 2 College (C) Math courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12)

When (C) is the minimum course level for admission, (U) or (U/C) courses are also accepted.

Recommended:

• Grade 12 Math for Technology as 1 of the 2 Math requirements
• Grade 12 College (C) Chemistry 

Mature Students
If you are 19 years of age or older before classes start, and you do not possess an OSSD, you can write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test to assess your eligibility for admission.

 

Selection Process

 

University Transfer Agreements

• University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Course	Hours
Semester 1
Technical Communications	60.00
Technology Career Essentials	45.00
Applied Mathematics for Technology I	60.00
Electricity	60.00
Fire Suppression	45.00
Ontario Fire Code Applications	45.00
Semester 2
Business Teams	45.00
Applied Mathematics for Technology II	45.00
Electronics	60.00
Fire Chemistry	60.00
Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics	45.00
Software Fundamentals	60.00
Technical Graphics/CAD	45.00
Semester 3
Building Construction and Codes	45.00
Engineering Science	45.00
Fire Alarm Installation and Maintenance	45.00
Fire Codes and ULC Standards	45.00
Power Electronics and Distribution	45.00
Sprinkler Systems	45.00
General Education Elective
Semester 4
Advanced Alarm Systems	45.00
Calculus for Technology	45.00
Electronics	60.00
Hazardous Materials	45.00
Managing Technical Projects	45.00
Plans and Specifications	45.00
Security and Surveillance Systems	45.00

Semester 1

Technical Communications

Course Number: COMM032

This course, designed specifically for students in technology-based programs, stresses the development of technical communication as it applies to workplace and academic needs. Students will prepare a variety of technical documents and in the process learn to apply standard rules of usage. Key applications include lab reports, proposals, research reports, documenting sources, editing and proofreading strategies, and spoken presentations.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Technology Career Essentials

Course Number: GNED058

Employers hire people who are successful in demonstrating important social, emotional and essential employment skills. This course allows you to understand and further develop positive social and emotional learning, and how to manage yourself and others now and in your careers in today's technology world. You learn emotional intelligence including self awareness, successful self-management, interpersonal awareness and relationship management to help you interact with others including teams. It also includes effective learning techniques, dealing with a diverse individual and global workplace, methods to appreciate and develop a positive work ethic and an innovative problem solving and adaptable mind. These skills are taught with an individual, team, business and customer focus. These success skills are what technology employers are looking for in their employees and this course can help you towards being triumphant in your technology career.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Applied Mathematics for Technology I

Course Number: MATH018

This course is designed to prepare the student mathematically for a variety of technical areas. The intention is that students successfully completing the course: will make accurate calculations of applied problems involving approximate numbers using accepted engineering rules; perform basic algebraic operations involving fundamental concepts in order to properly manipulate algebraic formulae; recognize and solve technical problems requiring the concepts of ratio and proportion; identify mathematical functions and use EXCEL to prepare graphs of those functions; apply a basic routine to solve linear equations emphasizing the solutions of linear formulae; recognize exponential and logarithmic functions and use EXCEL to graph these functions using both normal and semi-logarithmic scales; recognize and solve technical problems requiring quadratic equations. Emphasis will be placed on appropriate use of computer spreadsheets as a problem-solving tool. Data and formulae from the first semester case study will be integrated as much as possible into the first semester mathematics curriculum.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Electricity

Course Number: ELCT084

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of electricity and electrical test equipment. Topics to be covered include; basic DC and AC principles, such as voltage, current, resistance, power and the laws that govern them. Students will also learn how to work with components such as resistors, inductors, capacitors and test equipment, including digital multimeters, power supplies and oscilloscopes. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to construct and analyze simple DC and AC circuits and use test equipment to verify their operation and troubleshoot them as needed. Students will also be introduced to the basic concepts of semiconductors and the P/N junction diode and to basic digital logic to help prepare them for courses in the following semester.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Fire Suppression

Course Number: MECH098

This course will provide the learner with an in depth understanding of fire suppression. The course will focus on the chemistry and physics of fire, and the current methods of suppression and extinguishing in the industry.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Ontario Fire Code Applications

Course Number: LAWS058

This course examines the Ontario Fire Code and how it relates to fire protection, prevention, detection, and suppression. Students are required to develop an occupancy fire safety plan as prescribed by statute. Field exercises provide hands-on experience with fire safety equipment.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Semester 2

Business Teams

Course Number: SOCI125

Learn about the movement towards getting work done through teams in organizations, and develop the knowledge and skills to thrive in this area. This course meets the General Education requirements primarily in the areas of Work and the Economy and Social Understanding, as well as touching Civic Life, Personal Development, and Cultural Understanding.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Applied Mathematics for Technology II

Course Number: MATH037

Applied Mathematics for Technology II prepares students mathematically for a variety of technical fields. All topics are covered with applicable problem sets in both written and spreadsheet formats. The topics covered are: graphing of linear, quadratic, polynomial, hyperbolic, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric functions: curve fitting and linearization: exponential and logarithmic functions and equations: complex numbers and basic statistical analysis.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Electronics

Course Number: ELCT082

This course will provide the learner with an understanding of electronic devices in complex circuits. The emphasis is on designing and testing circuits to solve typical industrial, medical and interfacing problems.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Fire Chemistry

Course Number: SCIE081

Fire Chemistry is a General Chemistry course with a laboratory component and has been designed to prepare the student for study and work in the Fire Protection and Prevention field. This course enables students to deepen their understanding of chemistry through the study of energy changes and rates of reaction, chemical systems and equilibrium, electrochemistry, and a brief study of organic chemistry.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics

Course Number: MECH099

This course will provide the student with a working knowledge of hydraulics and fluid mechanics, including instrumentation and measurement techniques.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Software Fundamentals

Course Number: COMP086

This course provides a foundation for a variety of topics in Applied Computing and Engineering Science including algorithmic solutions and the algorithmic process, information processing, computer programming as well as the system development life cycle. This introduction will focus on algorithmic design and computer solutions using object oriented principles. Lecture material will provide an introduction to the theory and logic behind today's computer oriented society and computer programming in an object oriented environment. Hands on computer labs will allow the student to apply and reinforce the principles of algorithm development and programming in an object oriented environment.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Technical Graphics/CAD

Course Number: AUTM041

This course will introduce the fundamentals of drafting including orthographic projection, symbol libraries and the basics of computer aided drafting software. This will enable the student to create detailed multview mechanical working drawings and architectural layout plans.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Semester 3

Building Construction and Codes

Course Number: LAWS107

This course introduces the student to building construction techniques and terminology and how this relates to the Ontario Building Code. Among the topics covered will be occupancy use and loading, building area, fire separations and sprinkler requirements.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Engineering Science

Course Number: AUTM045

This is a study of the physics underlying the principles of motion, mechanics, thermodynamics, and fluid mechanics. The analysis and modelling of these systems are done using the appropriate mathematical techniques and computer software.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Fire Alarm Installation and Maintenance

Course Number: ELCT085

This course will provide the learner with a working knowledge of Fire Alarm Systems and will include hands on experience in the installation and trouble shooting of both conventional and addressable systems.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Fire Codes and ULC Standards

Course Number: LAWS106

This course will provide the learner with an in depth knowledge of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act and the Ontario Fire Code.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Power Electronics and Distribution

Course Number: AUTM037

This course will provide the student with a review of AC Fundamentals, impedance, power and phasor diagrams associated with both single and three phase systems. The course will explain the construction, operation, sizing and protection of transformers in both AC Distribution systems and power supplies. The structure and layout of typical AC Distribution systems will be discussed in detail including protective devices, component sizing, applicable codes, single line diagrams, metering, power factor control and load calculations. Power switching devices, voltage control and AC/DC power supply concepts will be introduced.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Sprinkler Systems

Course Number: MECH186

This course will provide the learner with a working knowledge of sprinkler systems and other water based fire suppression systems including hands on experience trouble shooting and testing sprinkler systems and components.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Semester 4

Advanced Alarm Systems

Course Number: ELCT044

This course will provide the learner with a working knowledge of Integrated Alarm and Security Systems and will include hands on experience in the installation and trouble shooting of the integration of command centres, fire alarms card access and security systems.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Calculus for Technology

Course Number: MATH005

This is a calculus course with a focus of differentiation, integration, differential equations and Laplace transforms applied to engineering analysis. This course is mandatory for students pursuing a technology diploma.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Electronics

Course Number: ELCT082

This course will provide the learner with an understanding of electronic devices in complex circuits. The emphasis is on designing and testing circuits to solve typical industrial, medical and interfacing problems.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Hazardous Materials

Course Number: SCIE082

This course will provide the learner with an in depth knowledge of hazardous materials, their storage, handling, inter-reactivity and fire protection requirements.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Managing Technical Projects

Course Number: ELCT020

This is a multi-disciplinary course designed to help students develop their skills in managing technical projects. Students will learn how to identify and plan a project and work toward achieving their project goals. They will interact with a team in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of the project goals. They will communicate in written, spoken, or visual format at various stages of the project. The course also includes evaluating the technical, interpersonal, and communication processes the team uses. Students will work on managing a project typical to one that a computer-systems professional would be involved in.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Plans and Specifications

Course Number: LAWS108

This course will enable the learner to interpret working drawings and specifications of buildings with respect to fire safety systems requirements. The learner will also be able to modify CAD to add fire safety information.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Security and Surveillance Systems

Course Number: ELCT083

This course will cover Electronic Security Alarms, Video Surveillance Systems and A/V and control elctronics found in buildings. Theory of operation, applicaple codes and practice and hands on installation practice will be included.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00