Durham College (DC) congratulates students Deanna Chaikalis and Matthew Vella who were honoured as award recipients at the Canadian Fire Safety Association’s (CSFA) annual education forum on April 5.

Chaikalis won the $500 Mircom Group Award for her exceptional overall skills focused on fire detection systems, codes, fire protection system design and practical lab skills. Vella won the $1,000 Siemens Canada Award for his outstanding performance in fire detection, codes, fire protection system design, practical lab skills and Auto CAD.

The CFSA is a non-profit organization that works to promote the science and improve the methods of fire protection and prevention against loss of life and property.

Each year, the association awards scholarships to top students enrolled in a fire protection technology program to promote the study and improvement of fire protection and prevention. The recipients of the awards must demonstrate outstanding academic proficiency with a grade point average of more than 3.3.

Chaikalis and Vella are both honours graduates of DC’s Firefighter – Pre-service, Education and Training program. They returned to DC to study in the Fire and Life Safety Systems Technician program to gain higher qualifications and further develop their critical thinking skills in the field of fire safety.

 DC’s Fire and Life Safety Systems Technician program prepares students for career opportunities in the fire industry by providing a curriculum that directly aligns with current employer demands. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of the fire suppression, fire detection, building and fire codes, plans examination, fire protection design and life safety planning.