Always in the public eye

Of course the Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Education Program teaches students the hard skills for becoming an fire prevention officer - the Ontario Fire and Building Code, ULC standards on FAS, lesson plan development, how to do a press release and so on. What we also teach are the soft skills and relevant knowledge that is not always in the text books about being in the public service.

We spend time ensuring the students understand what it means to be a public servant and always being in the public eye. As with all emergency services, for fire prevention a uniform is part of the job and therefore visibility in the community as you undertake your role is one of the realities of this career.

Students in the program have a uniform that they wear when required in years 1 and 2 - doing inspections, public events, guest speakers in class - and the 3rd year students wearing the uniform for all classes is mandatory. This helps to prepare the students to be very visible in their role as an FPO. Sometimes hard to teach but easy to show when we have the learner placed in similar circumstances - in this case on campus, every day, in uniform, standing out in their community.

Yesterday I was visiting with some 2nd years when an eagle eyed 3rd year saw me from across the Oasis lounge on campus and snapped the attached photo. He said I wasn't hard to miss in my blindingly white uniform shirt... a teaching moment to show how even having them in uniform is experiential learning to prepare them a fully as we can for their future role in life safety.