THUNDER BAY – This week, more than a hundred firefighters and students are at the Thunder Bay Fire Training Centre for FireCon 2026.
For six days, firefighters from the Manitoba border to Sault Ste. Marie are learning and sharing skills at a number of courses and in preparation for an exam at the end with the Ontario Fire College.
“FireCon is a tremendous opportunity for us to come to the North and really deliver courses that resonate with the local communities up here in the North and Northwestern part of the province,” said John McBeth, deputy fire marshal for the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs.
McBeth said that the opportunity is about “bringing together different municipalities that are going to learn together, teach together, and take the skill sets back to their municipalities where it matters most.”
FireCon has been running for more than 30 years, this year included over 30 instructors, nine courses, a tradeshow at the Valhalla Inn and the final examination.
At the training centre was a mix of both students learning basic and beginner courses, and firefighters strengthening their skillsets with advanced courses. According to a release from FireCon on Monday, the programming is “designed to support firefighters and fire service leaders at multiple stages of their careers.”
Some of the courses happening Thursday were in rope rescue and investigation.
Devon Noel from Dryden Fire Service was participating in the rope rescue activity at his third FireCon, where firefighters were learning how to package patients from high, low and steep angles, Noel explained.
The convention is about connecting with others and building relationships said Noel, adding that the fire service is a brother- and sisterhood that he loves to be able to collaborate with.
For the investigation course, instructors use what is called a burn cell that has prearranged furniture within it. Dexter Hupe, deputy fire chief for the City of Kenora said that the instructors create a scenario and light a fire in the burn cell for students to determine how it started.
The fire in the burn cell is recorded so students can investigate and check their hypotheses afterwards in the video, explained Hupe, who also president of Emergency North Training which organizes FireCon.
Along with Kenora’s fire department, firefighters from Sioux Lookout, Fort Frances, Neebing, Thunder Bay, Greenstone, Schrieber and more could all be found at the training centre.
McBeth stressed to Ontarians that Sept. 28 is test your smoke alarm day, when everyone should take the time to test their alarms and practice their fire escape plan.
