July 8, 2014 – Waverley, NS – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Things are warming up in Waverley as the Nova Scotia Firefighters School (NSFS) moves forward with a new addition to its 28-acre training facility. Over the course of the next year, the NSFS will construct a modern, live-burn facility complete with a helipad and helicopter training tools.
This initiative is in response to the need of the offshore oil and gas and marine industries for enhanced fire-safety training facilities. The upgrades will allow the NSFS to expand its program and offer students access to the most up-to date emergency response training/certifications in the field. This venture will also assist Fire Departments across Nova Scotia and the rest of Atlantic Canada to further develop skills essential to ensuring the safety of our emergency responders and the people within our communities.
The new infrastructure will also provide the NSFS with the necessary resources to engage in research projects in emerging fields, such as human-related fire behavior, fire dynamics, and fire investigative techniques, just to name a few. These new opportunities will make the region an attractive training destination for overseas markets, positioning Nova Scotia as a centre of excellence in the field of fire research.
The Government of Canada is investing $750,000 in the project, through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund (ICF), as announced today by the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (ACOA). The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing $100,000 through Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. Additional support for the project includes $400,000 from Falck Safety Systems Canada, a world-leading provider of emergency preparedness and safety services to the marine industries.
Quick Facts:
- The NSFS was established in 1967 and delivers a range of safety, survival and emergency response training to the offshore petroleum, marine transportation, fishing and land-based fire-safety industries.
- For over four decades, the NSFS has been supported by Fire Departments throughout the province and trains over 5,000 students annually.
- The NSFS works closely with industry and academia to improve safety technologies and practices, and has been providing fire safety training for marine and the offshore industry workforce for over 20 years.
- To meet the highest quality standards possible, the new, live-burn facility will comply with the codes and regulations set by the National Fire Protection Association, an internationally-recognized authority on fire, electrical and building safety.
Quotes:
“Our Government is pleased to support the Nova Scotia Firefighters School as they improve their facility to meet the growing safety needs of our local communities as well as the marine and oil and gas sectors. This project will help to diversify and strengthen the economy by enabling the School to train a qualified workforce, while becoming a national and international centre of excellence for fire safety research.”
- The Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
“A state-of-the-art fire training centre in Waverley, Nova Scotia will ensure our emergency responders are ready to support the province's growing economic industries like oil and gas, marine transportation, and energy to ensure safe operations. The Government of Nova Scotia is proud to support this project, knowing it will benefit industry and create opportunities to market our specialized training to other jurisdictions.”
- Bill Horne, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank
“This partnership between private and public sectors will increase training capacity and improve training effect, benefiting the industry and emergency services in the region while increasing safety and reducing environmental impact.”
- John Cunningham, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Firefighters School
Associated Links:
Contacts:
Kelsie Corey
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of State
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-941-7241
Alex Smith
Director, Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-426-9417 / 902-830-3839 (cell)
E-mail: Alex.Smith@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Chrissy Matheson
A/Media Relations Advisor
Economic and Rural Development and Tourism
902-424-0281 / 902-219-3121 (cell)
E-mail: mathescl@gov.ns.ca
John Cunningham
Executive Director
Nova Scotia Firefighters School
902-861-3823 Ext 223
Email: jcunningham@fireschool.ca
