Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) An
Illinois Chief Fire Officer certification shall meet or exceed the
qualifications identified in NFPA 1021.
b) Prerequisites
1) Engagement as Illinois fire protection
personnel, as attested by the employing fire chief of the candidate seeking
certification;
2) Currently hold a
position at the managerial or administrative level;
3) Current certification as an Advanced Fire
Officer;
4) Completion of the NIMS
300 and 400 Command and General Staff courses;
5) Documentation of a minimum of 10
cumulative years of fire service experience;
6) Submission of the Chief Fire Officer
application supplied by the Division, including:
A) Resume;
B) Organizational chart of their fire
department;
C) Copy of the
candidate's highest degree or transcripts;
D) Copy of the candidate's Advanced Fire
Officer certification;
E) Copies of
the candidate's NIMS 300 and 400 or Command and General Staff course
completions;
F) Three letters of
reference, one being from their immediate supervisor;
G) Documentation of a minimum of 10
cumulative years of fire service experience; and
H) Signed statement of attestation by the
fire chief or, in the case of the applicant being the fire chief, the
supervisor of the fire chief (such as Mayor, President of Trustees or similar
official).
7) Successful
completion of an approved Chief Fire Officer course following these phases of
education:
A) Phase 1: Background and
foundational information can be taught via online learning management systems
or in the classroom, consisting of a minimum of 200 instructional hours;
and
B) Phase 2: Practical
applications and information review shall be completed in a traditional
classroom setting. This section shall be completed in class to achieve student
interaction with the complex management situations that Chief Fire Officers
encounter. This phase consists of a minimum of 100 instructional
hours.
8) Passage of the
State Written Examination;
A) Once a candidate
has successfully completed Phases 1 and 2 of an approved Chief Fire Officer
course, the candidate may challenge the State Written Examination;
B) The State Written Examination shall be
passed within one year after completion of Phase 2 of an approved Chief Fire
Officer course. If the State Written Examination is not passed within one year
after completion of Phase 2 of an approved Chief Fire Officer course, the
candidate shall be required to retake Phases 1 and 2 prior to receiving
certification;
9) Phase
3: Submission of a completed Task Book for certification. The task book for
certification shall be signed by the fire chief or, in the case of the
applicant being the fire chief, the supervisor of the fire chief (such as
Mayor, President of Trustees or similar official). The candidate shall have a
maximum of 3 years from date of passage of the State Written Examination to
complete the Chief Fire Officer Task Book supplied by the Division;
10) For Full Certification, a candidate must
meet all requirements in NFPA 1021 for Fire Officer III and Fire Officer IV and
the requirements identified in the current Task Book;
11) For Provisional Certification, a
candidate must meet all requirements in NFPA 1021 for Fire Officer III and
requirements identified in the current Task Book; and
12) Candidates who have completed a Chief
Fire Officer course prior to January 1, 2022, and have not received Full
Certification by December 31, 2025, must complete a new course prior to
applying for or receiving Full Certification at the Chief Fire Officer
level.
c) Training
documentation shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training
records at the employing fire department.
d) A qualified instructor for this level must
be certified as Fire Service Instructor II and Chief Fire Officer.
e) Fire department or individual
reimbursement may be available for training costs for Chief Fire Officer as
provided in Subpart E.
f) The
course as set forth in Section
141.115 and the training
facility as set forth in Section
141.100 must be approved by the
Division.
g) Credit for an
equivalent course will be approved by the Division when the equivalent course
meets the requirements of Section
141.120.