The Last Word with Firewise Training & Consulting
Isabelle Crow
Share this content
Michael Cadotte, President and CEO of Firewise Training & Consulting, explains how NFPA standards translate into practical, scenario-based training
Can you give us a brief introduction to Firewise and its place in the fire and safety industry?
Firewise is a Canadian company that has delivered NFPA-based training outside North America since 2011, working with fire departments, industrial responders and NATO units across the Middle East and South Asia. Our Certified NFPA 1041 instructors have coached more than 5,000 students, turning each Job Performance Requirement in the standard into practical drills that graduates can reproduce on their own fire-ground.
What innovation has Firewise brought to the sector?
We recently ran an NFPA 1006 Tower-Crane Rescue course at the Qiddiya project in Riyadh for Saudi Sicli. Qiddiya covers about 370 km² – more than twice the size of Walt Disney World – and already operates roughly 30 tower cranes.
Michael Cadotte
The course uses the 2021 edition of NFPA 1006, which superseded the 2013 standard in January 2025 and reorganised technical-rescue competencies around realistic risk profiles. We design scenarios that mirror the most likely incident on site – a medical emergency involving a crane operator 40 m above ground – and layer in desert heat and restricted access. A Matrice 30T drone provides aerial size-up, followed by a rope-based extraction and a ground-level hand-over, allowing every new JPR to be practised under time pressure.
What makes your approach to training different?
NFPA standards are written by working firefighters, so every requirement is tied to a task that actually happens during an incident.
Michael Cadotte
We teach to those tasks and then require students to demonstrate the skill under timed, scenario-based evaluations. Because the documentation is recognised by regulators and courts, finishing the course builds a traceable link from training to competence and reduces liability for the authority having jurisdiction.
How do you tailor your training to a specific context?
The standard sets the bar, but each site shapes the lesson plan. Before instruction begins, we run a risk assessment and gap analysis, confirm anchor points, review rescue equipment and map evacuation routes. At Qiddiya we proved anchors that can hold at least 4,535 kg, set independent main and belay lines for redundancy and ran the final scenario on a 20 m cliff followed by a 165 m lower to the plateau base.
What’s your personal philosophy on training?
Train like your life depends upon it, because it does. Training means working the mind and the body until both respond automatically. Don’t ignore weak areas; practise them until they become strengths. Train on everything, in daylight and darkness.
Can you share a moment from your career that shaped this approach?
When I joined the fire service 38 years ago the mechanics of a fire pump intimidated me. I asked questions, read manuals, climbed under the pumper and traced every valve until I could troubleshoot faults in seconds. Turning that weakness into competence proved that honest, repetitive practice beats talent.
What message do you want to leave with other professionals?
Being at your best is critical – attitude, fitness and preparation are non-negotiable. Technical skills fade when they are not rehearsed, so revisit the standard, run the drills and welcome feedback. Continuous, structured training is the only guarantee that the next alarm ends with everyone going home.