Fire & Emergency Services
Emergency Training Centre - History
ETC’s roots are in the post-World War II era when massive infrastructure development was taking place in Alberta’s urban and rural communities.
To respond to this growth, an organization was needed to provide training for firefighters. Initially there was a mobile, nameless unit that trained Alberta’s volunteer fire departments.
In 1959, a Fire Officers Training School was established at Vermilion, under jurisdiction of the Alberta Fire Commissioner’s Office.
Through the next half century the facility would have many name changes, but continued its mission to train fire, and then other emergency service, personnel.
To respond to this growth, an organization was needed to provide training for firefighters. Initially there was a mobile, nameless unit that trained Alberta’s volunteer fire departments.
In 1959, a Fire Officers Training School was established at Vermilion, under jurisdiction of the Alberta Fire Commissioner’s Office.
Through the next half century the facility would have many name changes, but continued its mission to train fire, and then other emergency service, personnel.
| Historic chronology | ||||||
1959 -- Fire Officers Training School was established at Vermilion, under jurisdiction of the Alberta Fire Commissioner’s Office.
1968 – Renamed the Alberta Fire Training School (AFTS) 1974 -- Firefighter and fire officer training was split into distinct career paths. Late 1970s -- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards were adopted to guide course development. 1980 -- McKay-Makey building was officially opened 1989 – Official opening of the bay addition 1993 — Multi-level technical rescue prop officially opened 1996 – The emergency services technology (EST) program begins. 1998 -- Moved from provincial government jurisdiction to become a subsidiary corporation of Lakeland College - Firefighting Training Program, 12 week NFPA 1001 course, is launched. 2002 – Renamed fire etc. July 1, 2004 -- The corporate status was dissolved and fire etc. became a division of Lakeland College
2009 – Celebrated the training facility’s 50th anniversary. Name changed to Lakeland College Emergency Training Centre. |
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