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JIBC hires first female director of fire and safety division

Charlene Jordan-Jones was a member of the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service
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Charlene Jordan-Jones is the first female director of Fire and Safety Division at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. (Contributed)

The Justice Institute of British Columbia has just hired its first female director of Fire and Safety Division.

Charlene Jordan-Jones will be stepping into her new position on Sept. 9.

“I am very excited to be returning to the Fire and Safety Division as the director as I have over 25 years of experience and relationships within the fire service,” said Jordan-Jones, who will be splitting her time between the fire training centre at the Maple Ridge campus along 256th Street and her office at the JIBC headquarters in New Westminster.

“I plan to focus on building relationships and connecting with our stakeholders and students to support their training and education needs,” she added.

Jordan-Jones previously served as the deputy director of the Fire and Safety Division for eight years and most recently served as the manager for International Programs and Business Development at the JIBC’s Office of International Affairs.

She joined the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service in 1994 after teaching in the public and private elementary and middle school sector. During this time she was responsible for community fire and life safety education programs and also served as the Public Information Officer.

Jordan-Jones was the first female career member at AFRS where she rose to the rank of lieutenant in the Fire Prevention Office. During this time she co-authored the provincial Fire and Life Safety Education curriculum, and worked in the Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centre in Kamloops for the B.C. Office of the Fire Commissioner during the 2003 wildfires.

In 2006, Jordan-Jones was seconded to the JIBC Fire and Safety Division to manage the Fire Officer I-IV courses and certifications. This developed into permanent positions including program manager, program director, and then deputy director in 2010. As deputy director, she led the development and approval of the Fire Officer Certificate, Fire Prevention Officer Certificate, and Fire Fighting Technologies Certificate programs. She also served as acting director for 18 months.

Jordan-Jones has represented JIBC on several provincial, national and international committees including as chairperson of the Canadian Fire Service Training Directors and as an elected member on Pro Board’s Committee on Accreditation.

Jordan-Jones is currently working towards a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies at Royal Roads with a focus on higher education administration and leadership.

“Charlene brings a tremendous amount of knowledge of both JIBC and the fire service to the role, and I look forward to working with her in her new capacity,” said Sarah Wareing, dean of the School of Public Safety.

“Her extensive experience will be a definite asset as we review the Fire and Safety Division’s programs and processes to ensure they meet the training and education needs of our students,” Wareing continued.

The Justice Institute of British Columbia is Canada’s leading public safety educator. It offers internationally recognized education that leads to certificates, diplomas, bachelor’s degrees and graduate certificates; continuing education for work and career-related learning and development; and customized contract training to government agencies and private organizations worldwide.


 

cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com

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Colleen Flanagan

About the Author: Colleen Flanagan

I got my start with Black Press Media in 2003 as a photojournalist.
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