FireCon 2025 is underway in Thunder Bay this week as more than 170 civic and volunteer firefighters from across the province have come to train in fire service procedures.
Thursday marked the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Teams of Firecon participants marked the day by climbing the training centre stairs — seven times — to commemorate the bravery of the firefighters in the tower stairwells that day.
Thunder Bay Fire Services Chief Dave Paxton said the department is helping with the event and is involved in the training courses happening throughout the city this week.
“There are a lot of certification courses required now and the Ontario Fire College and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office is very committed to delivering these affordable, required and important courses up here in the North,” said Paxton “They have made a concerted effort over the last number of years to really support the (FireCon event) with the depth of instructors from all over Ontario.”
These instructors also include Thunder Bay’s fire department leads.
“There are a lot of our experienced chief officers in the area that need some of these courses too, so they’re actually in the courses,” Paxton said. “It’s really a great partnership, and it wouldn’t happen without them.”
The evolution of firefighting, including first-responder medical skills, is an ongoing process as material manufacturing, environmental and socioeconomic dimensions change.
“There’s been a lot of change in construction, change in how you approach the different products that might be burning, the different types of vehicles and batteries are a big thing,” Paxton said. “We’re always concerned about cancer and the byproducts, and how we can do this as safely as possible. What is really important is the change of legislation, which comes into place in July 2026.”
The legislation recognizes all forms of firefighting as a “true trade,” says Paxton, making it a requirement of the job to be trained and certified in all aspects of the job.
“It doesn’t differentiate between a full-time paid firefighter or a volunteer. It’s just as dangerous and just as important to ensure that they’re trained properly and ready for the challenge in front of them,” he said.
The five-day event began on Tuesday and will wind down on Sunday. Firefighters are taking part in training courses and scenarios at three locations, including Gary’s Towing, Thunder Bay Fire Training Centre, and the Valhalla Inn Hotel and Conference Centre.
Firefighters will train in many facets of the job, including passenger vehicle extrication, dealing with hazardous materials, fire investigation and live fire attack.
Exhibiting companies from across Canada are on hand at the Valhalla Inn with interactive displays of the latest in fire and protection services, providing hands-on access to new tools, technologies and lifesaving equipment that’s available for fire services.
