Villagers
I'm Kyle Chamberlain
Owner and Principal Fire Protection Consultant
Fire Advisor Consulting Inc.
Toronto, ON
What is your current job role and building code experience?
I am the owner and principal fire protection consultant at Fire Advisor Consulting Inc., a fire protection and life safety consulting firm based in Toronto, ON. I have been in the fire protection industry for over 15 years and am well versed in the application and intent of fire safety codes and standards.
My experience is combined among fire and life safety positions served in both the private and public sectors, giving me unique insight into both domains of this field of work. My expertise includes conducting fire safety inspections of all building types and occupancies, reviewing fire protection issues and design strategies, fire safety and evacuation planning, building plans review, fire safety training presentations, fire investigations, design of fire protection systems and Fire and Building Code consulting.
What impact do you hope to have at Kilo Lima?
I hope to be able to share my fire safety knowledge with people and be part of a community that continuously helps each other, and the broader industry learn and understand the complexities of our work.
My career would have never progressed if it were not for the people who took the time to help me learn and grow in this industry. Through Kilo Lima, I hope to do the same for people. At the end of the day, this is all about safety in the built environment and the more we help each other as professionals through knowledge sharing, the less people in our communities will be negatively impacted by unsafe conditions.
I believe that having worked in the public and private sectors throughout my career, I am able to see both sides of the coin and offer insight into how both can work collaboratively together to achieve the same goal.
What are the biggest challenges facing the building code industry today?
One of the biggest challenges I see is getting the general public and the construction industry on-board with the benefits of achieving Code compliance. The Building and Fire Codes do a good job of serving their purpose when people are “forced” to use them.
However, I believe there is still a lot of work to do on the public education side of things. There needs to be more emphasis on educating people as to why it is in their best interests to have their new or existing buildings meet (or exceed) Building and Fire Codes. People tend to be reactive, but if there was a greater understanding of the benefits of code compliance (through positive messaging), people would be more apt to always choose to put the issue on the top of their priority list when they are considering construction or when maintaining their existing building. There is still work to do on shifting attitudes.
"My career would have never progressed if it were not for the people who took the time to help me learn and grow in this industry.”
WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT OUTSIDE THE OFFICE?
My wife and I thoroughly enjoy travelling and heading up to our cabin in Northern Ontario. I love carpentry and working with my hands which helped me to build our little cabin.
I am an avid soccer player and play the position of goalkeeper in which I am known as “The Wall” (kidding). I would consider myself an enthusiastic outdoorsman and love to hop in a boat and fish with my friends all over Ontario, especially in the remote sections of French River and Georgian Bay.
