COQUITLAM, B.C., November 19, 2025 – Coquitlam’s Junior Firefighter Program is now accepting applications for 2026, offering students in grades 11 and 12 a chance to explore a career in firefighting.
Presented in partnership with School District No. 43, Coquitlam Fire/Rescue’s Junior Firefighter Program has seen 82 youth successfully graduate from the respected program since its launch in 2019.
Applying to the Program
The program will take place the first week of spring break, March 13 – 20, 2026. Details on the application process, timeline and the online application form are available on the City’s website at coquitlam.ca/JuniorFirefighter.
In addition to the in-depth application form, prospective students will also need to participate in a personal interview and a fitness test to ensure they meet academic and physical requirements.
Deadline: The application period closes at 3 p.m. on December 5, 2025.
Program Highlights and Goals
Coquitlam’s Junior Firefighter Program is a condensed version of their eight-week firefighter basic training program, with both hands-on activities and classroom instruction. Highlights include aerial ladder experience, basic first aid and CPR/AED (defibrillator), hose and nozzle drills, high angle equipment and rappelling, auto extrication exercises, fire ground drills, fire extinguisher training, and a public service component. Check out a video from the 2025 program to see the students in action and hear from instructors.
Coqitlam Fire/Rescue hope to attract a diversity of students with a range of interests. The goal is to provide them with unique and rewarding hands-on training experiences, and ones that have potential to lead to a career as a firefighter.
Visit coquitlam.ca/JuniorFirefighter for all the program information and a link to the School District’s application form.
Media contact:
Chris Fox
Deputy Fire Chief
City of Coquitlam
firerescue@coquitlam.ca
604-927-6400
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.