In 2022, the Province of Ontario introduced Regulation 343/22, known as Mandatory Firefighter Certification. The regulation established minimum training and certification requirements for firefighters based on the services offered by a municipality’s fire department.
Quinte West Fire and Emergency Services is considered a full-service department, covering a large response area that includes the Highway 401 corridor, the Trent–Severn Waterway, the Bay of Quinte, and a wide municipal landscape served by seven fire stations.
Before the province’s regulation, much of the training was completed in-house, leaving gaps across the broad spectrum of certifications now required to ensure firefighter safety and operational competence.
Training officer Joel McCombe has been with the Quinte West Fire Department for 11 years, overseeing training courses and certifications across the city’s seven stations. McCombe works to ensure local crews remain qualified and prepared for the wide range of situations the department may face while on active duty.
The regulation includes a phased implementation period between 2022 and 2026, giving municipalities time to bring firefighters up to the required certification levels.
According to McCombe, firefighters must meet the NFPA 1001 Firefighter I and II standards, along with certifications in pump operations and hazardous materials awareness and operations.
“That is essentially your baseline to be a firefighter,” McCombe said, noting departments must ensure members meet those requirements by July.
Over the weekend, Quinte West hosted fire departments from across the province for the NFPA 1006 Ice Water Rescue Training Course at Trent Port Marina.
“Ice rescue is important because we cover a large amount of water,” McCombe said. “Between the Trent River and the Bay of Quinte, all seven of our stations have areas where they could potentially respond to a water or ice rescue.”
According to McCombe, ice-water rescue is considered an extremely high-risk, low-frequency event, but skill training is critical to ensure positive outcomes for both rescue team members and the patient.
Ice rescue training is broken down into several levels, each focusing on specific skills such as shore-based rescue, swim rescues, and the use of inflatable rescue craft. Firefighters are trained to use specialized equipment, pull victims from ice, assist people in distress, and apply personal survival techniques while operating in frigid winter waters.
A typical rescue operation can involve between 12 and 15 firefighters working together to safely execute the rescue.
“We have people from every end of the province that come and train here locally with us during these courses, which is super exciting,” McCombe said.
On Saturday, training by Quinte West Fire and Emergency Services was in full swing at the department’s training facility in Trenton, where firefighters pumped an estimated 750,000 litres during hands-on exercises ahead of testing on Sunday.
McCombe said pump operator training teaches firefighters how to move water effectively in a variety of situations, particularly in rural areas where hydrants are not available.
Crews are trained to draft water from portable tanks supplied by water tenders, a system used when firefighters must shuttle water from nearby sources to the scene of a fire.
“There’s much more that goes into it than just putting water into a pump,” McCombe said. “We talk about drafting water, pressurized sources like hydrants, and things like elevation loss and friction loss so firefighters understand how to move water efficiently and safely.”
He added that pump training is especially important when responding to larger buildings, where pressure loss can become a challenge as water is pushed higher through a structure.
Deputy Chief Rick Caddick said the ongoing training plays a key role in ensuring firefighters remain prepared for dangerous rescue situations.
“This training ensures operational readiness for our members,” Caddick said. “They are trained to complete these dangerous rescues safely.”
Caddick added that the province’s mandatory firefighter certification standards will also strengthen consistency across departments.
“Mandatory certification will ensure all members are trained to the same level,” he said. “This assists with interoperability between stations and departments.”