About Us

About FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy

FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy was founded to bring the fire safety professionals’ collective experience to the fire service community. Access to the knowledge that can save lives is the cornerstone on which FireWise delivers its services. Our management team knows what can happen to front-line personnel when adherence to public safety principles, procedures and protocols are not founded on comprehensive corporate due diligence by both the Authority Having Jurisdiction for a fire department and the fire department officers.

Founded by Bob Turley and Glen Sanders in 2008. In 2019 Ernie Polsom joined FireWise as a partner.  Drawing on their collective experience they provide clients with realistic and achievable recommendations. Their thorough consulting has assisted countless communities and enhanced public safety. FireWise is also well known for providing comprehensive training programs and workshops.

With over 120 years of combined experience, FireWise has a wealth of real-world experience. FireWise is recognized for its complementary skill sets. Our clients are provided with informed and practical solutions to meet their regulatory compliance and industry challenges. 

FireWise is a value-driven and Benefit Corporation for Good company committed to delivering quality information over profits to ensure that those in the fire service and their governing authorities receive the knowledge and support needed to help them provide a high level of fire protection in their communities or business.

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FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy
1022-2440 Old Okanagan Hwy,
West Kelowna, BC, V4T 3A3

877-322-7911
info@firewiseconsulting.com

Contact us to request a free consultation or to learn more about the FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy services and training that we offer. We are just a phone-call or e-mail away. Please know that we are here to help you. We live in the Pacific Time Zone area so please note that your queries will be addressed during those hours.

Our Team

FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy has been recognized for its complimentary skill sets informed by over 120-years of combined knowledge. Its wealth of real-world experience is evident in its curriculum, workshops and consulting.

Vraya Forrest

Vraya Forrest

Administration Support and Marketing Specialist
250-889-1622
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Julie Turley

Julie Turley

Manager of Student Services and Administration
250-571-9338

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TESTIMONIALS

Fire Inspector Level II

The code review questions helped reinforce concepts in the ppt and gave the opportunity to navigate through the codes to gain more familiarity. The on-line learning experience was very good and consistent with my previous experience taking my NFPA 1033 Level II through FireWise. The flexibility to complete the material around my professional schedule was appreciated. Materials and website were well laid out and easy to navigate through the chapters.

Brad Reid, Sturgeon County Emergency Services, 

Fire Inspector Level I & II Combined

“I really enjoyed the fact that the course was self-paced. I was able to proceed at my own pace without feeling rushed to learn about things that I wanted to spend more time on, such as calculating occupant loads and min/max exit widths. The presentation of the course materials was great. In my opinion, the course was perfect for what I was looking for. I gained the knowledge required of a professional Fire Inspector along with accredited certification for career advancement.”

Jonathan Lanteigne, CFB Esquimalt Fire Rescue, 

FIOC – II: Summerland, 2022

“The hands-on investigation of the fire cubicles was my favourite part of the course. Even though every fire scene will be different, it was great to go through the process with some guidance from the experienced instructors.”

Jason Eaton, Midway Volunteer Fire Dept

FIOC – II: Summerland, 2022

“My favourite part of the course was the involvement of all the students and the knowledge available. The instructors were very willing to help and truly wanted everyone to be a part of the weekend events. Instructors also encouraged and tried to make us better with gaining the necessary knowledge and skills throughout the weekend.”

Nigel Thomas, Summerland Fire Dept

FIOC – II: Summerland, 2022

“Excellent instructors! It was awesome to tie together all of the online learning we had done with some very beneficial, fun, informative, and practical experiences. Thank you!”

Aric, Stokell, Lethbridge Fire Prevention Bureau

FIOC – II: Taber, August 2022

“Well organized and well thought out. The teachers were knowledgeable and gave good information. Nice venue, and the controlled burns were awesome!”

Robyn Kaplan, Prince George RCMP

FIOC – II: Taber, August 2022

“I found the whole course fantastic! The online portion was laid out great and in an easy-to-follow manner. The practical portion tied everything together, the burn cells were fantastic, and the instructors made the course!”

Dave Tovey, Beaumont Fire Services

 

FIOC – II: Taber, August 2022

“My favourite part of the course was reviewing a fire scene before ignition. As a fire investigator, this does not happen, and it was very informative to go through this process. Excellent course!”

Warren Pardy, RMWB Fire Prevention

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This course, by far, exceeded all of my expectations.

I have been with a career Fire Department for 13 years, working as a Firefighter and Inspector.  By far, this course exceeded all my expectations and took my field inspections to the next level.  Noticeably, my overall performance has vastly improved in areas of reporting, noticing deficiencies, and confidence in my understanding/use of the building and fire code.  Every detail of the course was well thought out, and communication with the Administration team was second to none.  Thank you very much for a greatly applicable course, and I highly recommend this course for any in the field of work!

Sean Metcalfe. Burnaby Fire Department,
Fire Inspector Level I&II.

 

Very knowledgeable instructor group

“Very knowledgeable instructor group with very effective delivery to foster a good learning environment and discussion focused on building the core skills necessary to succeed in our career paths.”

Darren Arseneault, Regional Fire Chief, County of Forty Mile, AB
Fire Investigation Origin and Cause Level II – Taber 2021

One of my favourite courses to date

“Doing the online portion prior to the course allowed time to become familiar with the content and apply it in the practical component. The way the course was laid out was very well done and it was one of my favourite courses to date”.

Clarence Bos – Taber, AB Fire Department
Fire Investigation Origin and Cause Levels 1 & 2 Taber 2021

 

Thank you so much for offering this program.

I will certainly be taking a few more through FireWise; it was very easy to follow and being able to do it at my own pace was great”.

Dominic Carlile, Big White Fire Department
Fire Inspector Level I & II Combined course.

Thank You!

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association, as well as our attendees, I’d like to formally thank you for your presentation about building fire safety. The attendees all gave “high marks” and were very appreciative.

Sandy Wagner, President – Board of Directors, Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association
November 2019 Building Safety Fire Prevention Presentation from Bob Turley

It was a great course!

Provided insight with backing as to effective fire investigation. Great discussions and forum for learning.

Kevin Fornal, Fire Chief / Safety Codes Officer, Viking Fire Rescue
May 2019 Fire Investigation Practicum

Very knowledgeable instructors well presented the course.

Live fire burn props were also well constructed and demonstrated fire behavior with challenging scenarios. Great course!

Randy Krieger, Senior Firefighter, St. Albert Fire Department
May 2019 Fire Investigation Practicum

The RDCK recently contracted with Fire Wise Consulting Ltd. to perform an inspection and audit of 4 rural firehalls in Beasley, Tarrys, Riondel and Winlaw – all small communities in the West Kootenay.The outcome of the assignment has proven to be a valuable tool for the 4 Fire Chiefs and the RDCK. The report is very readable and provides excellent direction in correcting deficiencies in a non-threatening manner.Furthermore, the report has been well received because of the professional and personal approach by Bob Turley and Glen Sanders in developing the report in consultation with the 4 Fire Chiefs.This has been a most positive exercise for the 4 Fire Departments and the RDCK.

Jim Gustafson, Chief Administrative Officer
Regional District of Central Kootenay

 

The audit conducted by Fire Wise provided us with a baseline of identified items where we need to improve. The audit also provided affirmation of many areas that we are doing the ‘correct’ things in our operation. There are a number of priority items we are working on; developing a new (governing) policy which clearly identifies the level of service we provide, what priority goals/objectives we will achieve in the coming years, a succession planning tool, and continuation of the defined training for our Fire Fighters.

Kaslo Fire Chief Larry Badry

I was skeptical about having someone come into our hall and do an audit , as I had no help/guidance for the first 20 years that I was in charge of day to day operations which included all administration duties as well. I would not have been comfortable with auditors that I did not know but you and your partners put me at ease right away. There was no negativity about the way things were being done with operations or administration on my end. When we went over the audit you asked questions, I answered with why / how we do things the way we do and then you made suggestions on how / where I could improve. Since the audit was done I have been able to use it to support my budget objectives as long as I spread them over several years. I have recommended to all that would listen that it is in their best interest to have an outside agency do an audit of their hall operations and administration.

Ferndale Tabor Fire Chief and FCABC Zone Five Director, Bryant Kimble

 

Beaverly Fire Rescue underwent the audit this past winter and we are very pleased with the results. We found that by helping us to determine what needs to be done and by identifying areas needing improvement, we were provided with a base to develop a strategic plan. The process and results confirmed to the Beaverly Fire Rescue Management Committee the various department roadblocks we face, as well as potential support opportunities available to us. By being solution oriented and assisting us with our concerns in ways as simple as providing sample documents for easy incorporation into our system, my own original fears and concerns proved to be unfounded. I believe that having the opportunity to see our own Fire Department from someone else’s perspective is a very useful tool for myself and the Beaverly Fire Rescue officers and firefighters.

Beaverley Fire Chief Bruce Perrin

I am pleased to say that your report was the slam dunk that my council needed to move forward with their decision. Thank you so much for your insight and efforts on your report. Your review is guiding much of my focus and I am delighted to have such a clear path to follow. Thank you again for all of your assistance.

Sicamous Fire Chief Brett Ogino

I would like to thank FireWise Consulting for putting on an exceptional training course (NFPA 1033) last week in Nisku, Alberta. Your instructors were fantastic and the practical component of the course was excellent. The fellas working on the burn cells and keeping them dry did an amazing job given all the moisture we had during the course. If I am able to learn as much on investigating and proper report writing as you have forgotten over the years I will consider myself very fortunate! Again, thank you.

Allen Bauer, Fire Investigator, Edmonton Fire Rescue

My career has spanned nearly 31 years and I can certainly state your fire investigation course is one of the best training experiences I have incurred during my career. Even with my extensive background and experience, I felt completely engaged throughout the fire investigation course learning new information and material, a very exciting opportunity.”
To read the full letter from Chief Zayonce, please click here: David_Zayonce.pdf

David Zayonce MS, Regional Fire Chief, Lamont County Emergency Services

 

Thank you very much for the valuable presentation you gave to our department on the topic of Fireground Command. The content and related information were thought provoking, and I believe will contribute to all members’ decision making and actions in fire and other emergency responses.

Dave Balding, Chief, Malahat Volunteer Fire Department – Fireground Command

Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services has been utilizing the Company Inspector course offered by FireWise Learning Academy for quite a few years now. It has been an excellent addition to our Fire Prevention portfolio, and a tremendous resource that staff continues to draw upon year after year. All of our staff have completed the interactive online course, and continue to access the content to maintain their competencies. This course has provided a solid foundation of information which staff has used to develop positive working relationships with our building owners. We believe that relationships based on common understanding of values and goals is crucial in the promotion of life safety in our community, and having all of our staff trained and fluent in the basics of the BC Fire Code is critical in communicating our inspection goals to the community.

Scott Driver, Deputy Chief, Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services

The program was really well received by the majority of our firefighters. They all claimed it was valuable. Everyone printed out a certificate and it was added to their personal files. As we have new staff the course was taken at a convenient time and we are already seeing results. I would recommend this to any fire department who need to bring staff up to speed on company inspections.

Blaine Odenbach, Assistant Fire Chief, Fire Prevention/Emergency Program Coordinator, Mission Fire/Rescue Service

I have been receiving some very good feedback from our members and there is noticeable improvement in the quality of company inspections being performed by those who have taken the course. As CFPO I am very pleased with the results of the training.

Marcel Profeit, Chief Fire Prevention Officer, Prince George Fire Rescue

I thought the Company Inspection course was very well laid out. I especially liked the videos followed by the quiz. I felt it made you remember a lot better and prepared you for the final test. It was very informative. I will definitely pass the info along to my crew.

Mark Deakin, Firefighter, Township of Langley Fire Department

 

I want to pass on my comments regarding your on-line inspection program. Having recently put a new class of recruits from the College of the Rockies Fire Program through your course it is easy to see why this program gives students the knowledge and confidence they need to complete an inspection on their own. We completed this course as a class; however, we also see the benefit of working on it on an individual basis. The easy to follow presentation, chapter reviews and the additional learning opportunities included with the program allowed the class to interact and get the most out of this learning experience.

Jack Paterson, Lead Instructor, College of the Rockies

I am sending you this email to provide feedback regarding your Company Inspection Course and congratulate you on a successful online pilot project. As a teacher, I found the course to be very well-structured and incredibly user-friendly. We conducted the course as a group (in-class) aside from the quizzes and final exam. This classroom-based method worked great for our work-experience program (full-time) firefighters. The “additional learning opportunities” were added-value content which engaged the class in group discussion and served as additional resources in conjunction with the unit presentations. Using the course in a “self-study” format will work well with our paid-on-call firefighters and allow them to go through the course at their own pace. The course content was current, relevant and broken down into small, manageable units that flowed from start to finish. Good work, FireWise!

Eric Graham, Captain, Creston Fire Rescue

My experience with FireWise (FWC) was very professional.  From the beginning, FWC was very clear about the roles and expectations of each party.

To read the full letter from Chief Dennis Jones, Click here. Ponoka County Letter 8 Oct 2020

Dennis Jones, Regional Fire Chief”

The learning platform is easy to use

Not only does the course instruct students on the “how” of conducting fire inspections, but just as importantly, students learn the “why” of each inspection point. The learning platform is easy to use and navigate through the course material. The audio-visual presentation breaks down topics in easy-to-understand packages of information. Students who complete this course will be able to competently and confidently conduct quality fire inspections. This in turn will have an immediate and direct impact on improving fire and life safety in the communities in which they serve.

Kim Saulnier, Fire Prevention Officer
June 2019 Company Inspection Program Online Course

This Course Provided an Exceptional Learning Experience

Jim Kettles here from Ontario Canada. I’m actually still employed as a police officer (36 years now) and will likely be retiring sometime in the New Year. The majority of my time here has been devoted to criminal investigations. I’m currently a Detective Sergeant in Mississauga attached to the Criminal Investigation Bureau. I have an application in with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office and am hoping to get hired in the next few months. In order to make myself a more competitive candidate with the Fire Marshal, I took the 1033 course with Firewise Consulting and completed both the online portion as well as the two-day practicum. Having taken many courses over the years, I can tell you that this one in particular provided an exceptional learning experience from both an academic and practical standpoint. Please call me anytime if there’s anything else I can answer for you concerning the course.

Jim Kettles, Peel Region Police Detective,
Fire Investigation Origin and Cause Level I and II course

 

Who we work with

FireWise assists local governments, societies, associations, first nation communities, corporations, judicial system and fire departments.