About Us
Firefighter Services of Ontario Ltd. is a highly qualified and diverse team of professionals dedicated to delivering comprehensive, individualized, and reliable physical and psychological profiling, empowering municipalities through analytics to make data-driven decisions when building teams.
The Company
Firefighter Services of Ontario Ltd. (FSO) is a specialized recruitment service dedicated to supporting municipalities in the evaluation of career and volunteer firefighter candidates. Through health- and occupation-specific assessments, we measure both physical and psychological readiness using validated, legally defensible screening protocols. Behind every assessment is a team of highly qualified professionals committed to accuracy, consistency, and care. We understand the pressures candidates face throughout the pre-employment process, and we strive to create an experience that is professional, transparent, fair, and supportive from start to finish.
Municipalities wishing to schedule a test date, please contact us. Thank-you.
Our Services
We offer 7 screening and testing components. Prior to registering, candidates are expected to know the testing required by each department.
Board of Directors
Fern Pham
Fern Pham is the Founder and CEO of Firefighter Services of Ontario, where she leads with a deep commitment to integrity, fairness, and excellence in firefighter recruitment. With over 17 years of experience in candidate assessment, Fern has built a reputation for creating processes that are both rigorous and respectful, ensuring candidates are evaluated with care, consistency, and professionalism.
As the former and longest-standing Manager of Brock University Firefighter Screening Services, Fern played a key role in shaping one of Ontario’s most recognized firefighter assessment programs. Her work has supported thousands of candidates and municipalities across the province, bridging the gap between high-performance standards and a positive candidate experience.
Fern holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Health Sciences from Brock University and was awarded the Distinguished Graduating Student Award for achieving the highest academic standing in her program. She is also an instructor at Humber College in the Fire Service Executive Management (FSEM) program, where she developed the Employee Wellness course, reflecting her passion for supporting not only candidate success, but long-term health and performance within the fire service.
Known for her thoughtful leadership and strong sense of accountability, Fern brings a people-first approach to every aspect of her work. She believes that how candidates are treated throughout the recruitment process matters just as much as the outcome, and that trust, transparency, and care are essential to building strong partnerships with both candidates and municipalities.
DR. LISA COTIE has been working with FSO for over a decade. Dr. Cotie completed her PhD in Kinesiology at McMaster University and is currently completing her post-doc at University of Ottawa. Her main academic focus is in Fitness and Lifestyle assessment and Exercise Prescription in many populations. Dr. Cotie has worked at McMaster University as an Instructional Assistant in the Department of Kinesiology and at the University of Guelph Humber, where she taught Fitness and Lifestyle Assessment in Clinical populations. Dr. Cotie is a Certified Exercise Physiologist (CEP) through the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (CSEP). Dr. Cotie is certified as a CSEP – Certified Personal Trainer Instructor/Examiner, giving her the qualifications to certify successful applicants as Personal Trainers through the CSEP.
DR. BRENT E. FAUGHT is a Professor of Epidemiology in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at Brock University. His research expertise is in physical activity and health. Dr. Faught created the Brock University Firefighter Screening Services in 1999. This program was considered the leading firefighter pre-employment screening service in Canada. Dr. Faught has also been solicited as an expert witness in human rights tribunal cases involving health assessment protocols in the fire service industry.
DR. DIVYA JOSHI is a Research Associate Academic in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University. Dr. Joshi has been working with Firefighter Services of Ontario for over a decade. She completed her PhD in Epidemiology at McMaster University. Dr. Joshi has instructed several undergraduate and graduate level courses in biostatistics and epidemiology at Brock University. Her overarching areas of interest include examining the impact of exposure to adverse childhoold experiences on health and aging of individuals across the life course and generations.
ANDY MACDONALD was the General Manager of Emergency Services at the City of Guelph. He began his fire fighting endeavours with the Snelgrove Volunteer Fire Department, after earning his BSc from McMaster University. He started his professional fire fighting career two years later with Brampton Fire and Emergency Services. Andy progressed through the ranks, promoted to the department’s Fire Chief from 2008 – 2014 (retired in 2014). Andy was a member of the executive of the Brampton Professional Fire Fighters Association, for many years. Andy has continued his formal education throughout his career. Andy holds Certificates in Advanced Industrial Relations and Organizational Development from the Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre. He participated in the Program on Negotiations at the Harvard Law School and has also studied at York University and the Ontario Fire College. Andy is a member of the Adjunct Faculty of Queen’s University and teaches Negotiation Skills at the Queen’s Industrial Relations Centre. He was also the Director of Fire Management Studies at Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. Andy was the recipient of an Honorary Degree from Humber College for his work in Fire Service Education and Fire Fighter Mental Health. He spends much of his free time aiding in many charitable causes and was the driving force behind the construction of his dream, the world’s first Fire/Life Safety Education Centre in Brampton. Andy’s other charitable exploits include rappelling off the CN Tower in 1985 to raise money for a Toronto burn unit, earning him a spot in the Guinness Book of Records.
BRENDA MAGGS started working for the City of Niagara Falls in 1989 and has 15 years experience working in Human Resources. Her responsibilities include managing payroll, benefits, recruitment, labour relations and has been instrumental in successfully negotiating Collective Agreements. The City has three unions CUPE (inside and outside workers), ATU (transit) and the Niagara Falls Professional Fire Fighters Association. She has been responsible for hiring Fire Fighters, since 1997, implementing new and improve recruitment strategies. Brenda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Economics from Brock University and has attended many Human Resources courses. She is a member of HRPA (Human Resources Professional Association) and OMHRA (Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association). In her spare time she enjoys gardening, reading and fitness activities.
DR. ART MARCHAND graduated from the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry in 1982. Dr. Marchand is a member of the Ontario Association of Optometrists and Canadian Association of Optometrists. His professional interests include advanced contact lens technologies. Dr. Marchand is well versed in the NFPA standards for vision and has administered vision testing on thousands of firefighter applicants. Dr. Marchand’s hobbies include hockey and golf. He is an active member of Kiwanis, and has served as president of the St. Catharines branch. He has participated in The Big Move Cancer Ride and believes strongly in giving back to the community.
What Candidates Are Saying
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“Congratulations and exciting times are ahead as you launch the new Firefighter Services of Ontario. I will continue to use your services in full-time and volunteer candidate screening. Again, you have my support and congratulations.”
