Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) The goal of the
recertification process shall be to ensure continued demonstration of knowledge
and skill proficiency in given areas of certification for Illinois fire service
personnel.
b) All referenced
recertifications in this Section shall be specific to certifications attained
from the Office.
c) Any
certification that requires a recertification shall remain valid if the
recertification requirements are not completed, but shall not be considered
current. Certifications that are not considered current shall be ineligible to
be used as a prerequisite to obtain a higher level of certification.
d) Certifications that require
recertification are:
1) Fire
Investigator
2) Fire Apparatus
Engineer
3) Company Fire
Officer
4) Fire Department Incident
Safety Officer
5) Fire Department
Health and Safety Officer
6)
Advanced Fire Officer
7) Chief Fire
Officer
8) Fire Department Safety
Officer
9) Fire Service Instructor
I
10) Fire Service Instructor
II
11) Fire Service Instructor
III
12) Training Program
Manager
13) Fire Inspector
I
14) Fire Inspector II
15) Public Fire and Life Safety Educator
I
16) Hazardous Materials
Operations
17) Hazardous Materials
Technician
18) Confined Space
Operations
19) Confined Space
Technician
20) Trench
Operations
21) Trench
Technician
22) Structural Collapse
Operations
23) Structural Collapse
Technician
24) Common Passenger
Vehicle Rescue
25) Heavy Vehicle
Rescue
26) Rope
Operations
27) Fire Service Vehicle
Operator
28) Rope
Technician
e)
Level-specific certifications issued on or before January 1, 2022 will no
longer be considered current on December 31, 2025, except for Fire
Investigator, which is referenced further within this Section.
f) Certifications issued on or after January
1, 2022 will no longer be considered current 4 years after their issuance
date.
g) Recertification process
for all levels except Fire Investigator:
1)
Certifications shall remain current 4 years after their issuance
date.
2) Applicants for
recertification must hold a current level-specific certification issued by the
Office.
3) Applicants for
recertification must complete recertification training that follows the
level-specific job performance requirements ("JPRs") in the relevant NFPA
Standard within the previous 4-year certification period:
A) Documentation of successful
recertification training may be demonstrated by completing the level-specific
Recertification Task Book (Task Book).
B) If an applicant or fire department opts
not to utilize the Task Book, documentation of successful recertification
training shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training record.
Training records utilized for recertification documentation, at a minimum,
shall include the components listed on the Task Book Proficiency Log
Sheets.
4) Application
for recertification:
A) If utilizing the Task
Book, the Proficiency Log Sheets shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess
Portal.
B) If not utilizing the
Task Book, a completion report meeting the same criteria of the Proficiency Log
Sheets shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.
C) In lieu of uploading either the
Proficiency Log Sheets or completion report, recertification completion data
shall be manually entered in the DPSE WebAccess Portal.
D) The application for recertification cannot
be submitted more than 12 months prior to the date upon which certification is
no longer considered current.
5) The Division shall send notification to
the employing fire department at one year and at 90-days prior to the date that
fire service personnel's certification will no longer be considered
current.
6) The Office shall grant
each candidate a 90-day grace period to complete the recertification
requirements. If recertification is not completed within the 90-day grace
period, the candidate may maintain current certification in the established
recertification cycle if the candidate completes a new Task Book within 6
months of the end of the 90-day grace period, with task dates after the date
the previous certification is no longer considered current. The application for
recertification shall include the Proficiency Log Sheets uploaded or manually
entered using the DPSE WebAccess Portal. Training used in one certification
cycle cannot be used towards recertification in another certification cycle. If
the new Task Book is not completed within 9 months of the original date that
certification is no longer current, the fire service personnel may make the
certification current in a new recertification cycle by submitting proof of
completion of an approved level-specific course.
7) When submitting for recertification, the
fire chief must attest that all the requirements of this Section are met and
affirms that:
A) The candidate seeking
recertification is engaged as Illinois fire protection personnel.
B) Training documentation for recertification
shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's fire department training
records and is available for review by the Division upon request.
C) The submission of the application and
Proficiency Log Sheets or completion report is true and accurate to the best of
their knowledge.
8) Fire
service personnel who possess the highest level of certification within
specific disciplines and who desire that certification to remain current, shall
only be required to recertify at the highest level. Once recertified at the
highest level, all lower level recertifications shall automatically be
processed and approved.
h) Recertification Process for Fire
Investigator.
1) Certifications shall remain
current 4 years after their issuance date.
2) Applicants for recertification must hold a
current Office level-specific certification.
3) Applicants for recertification shall
complete recertification training that follows the established course
objectives identified in NFPA 1033, totaling 100 points over the 4-year period,
based on the point system on the tally sheet used by the Division. Point
dissemination shall be determined by the Division.
4) Application for recertification:
A) If utilizing the Division-supplied
Recertification Tally Sheet, the Tally Sheet shall be uploaded using the DPSE
WebAccess Portal.
B) If not
utilizing the Division-supplied Recertification Tally Sheet, a completion
report meeting the same criteria of the Tally Sheet shall be uploaded using the
DPSE WebAccess Portal.
C) In lieu
of uploading either the Tally Sheet or completion report, recertification
completion data shall be manually entered using the DPSE WebAccess
Portal.
D) The application for
recertification cannot be submitted more than 12 months prior to the date upon
which certification is no longer considered current.
5) The Division shall send notification to
the employing fire department at one year and at 90-days prior to the date that
fire service personnel's certification shall no longer be considered
current.
6) The Office shall grant
each candidate a 90-day grace period to complete the recertification
requirements. Training used in one certification cycle cannot be used towards
recertification in another certification cycle. If recertification is not
completed within the 90-day grace period after the date that certification is
no longer considered current and the candidate desires to maintain a current
certification, the candidate shall be required to complete an approved Fire
Investigator course to obtain recertification.
7) When submitting an application for
recertification, the chief attests that all the requirements of this Section
are met and affirms that:
A) The candidate
seeking recertification is employed by a local governmental agency or the
Office.
B) Training documentation
for recertification shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's
department training records and available for review by the Division upon
request.
C) The submission of the
application and Tally Sheet or completion report is true and accurate to the
best of their knowledge.
i) When all recertification requirements are
met, a new certificate will be available on the DPSE WebAccess
Portal.
j) The Office may extend
deadlines for requirements of this Section for good cause shown (e.g., military
deployments, medical leaves, personal emergencies, Acts of God or natural
disasters, Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, etc.).