New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 5 - COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Chapter 73 - STANDARDS FOR FIRE SERVICE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION
Subchapter 8 - FIRE OFFICERS
Section 5:73-8.2 - Certification and adopted training programs

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 5:73-8.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

(a) Certification for fire officer shall be granted to an individual who:

1. Has submitted an application for certification to the Office of Training and Certification;

2. Is at least 21 years of age;

3. Obtained prerequisite certification and completed educational programs as specified in (c) below;

4. Has successfully completed the adopted State instructional program for the certification title applied; and

5. Successfully passed the State exams that evaluate the Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) and components of requisite knowledge and skills contained in the NFPA 1021, 2014 Edition, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, and N.J.A.C. 5:73 Appendix, incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented.

(b) The following fire officer titles, which are associated with the adopted standard, shall be issued by the Office of Training and Certification:

1. Fire Officer I;

2. Fire Officer II;

3. Fire Officer III; and

4. Fire Officer IV.

(c) The following certifying criteria shall be established for Fire Officer certification levels adopted by this subchapter:

1. Fire Officer I, as follows:
i. Has successfully completed the adopted State instructional program for the Fire Officer I certification title;

ii. Has successfully passed the State Fire Officer I exams that evaluate the Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) and components of requisite knowledge and skills contained in the NFPA 1021, 2014 Edition, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, as amended and supplemented, and N.J.A.C. 5:73 Appendix, both of which are incorporated herein by reference;

iii. Has been issued certifications in Fire Fighter II; Hazardous Materials: Operations Level; and Incident Management Level 1 in accordance with this chapter;

iv. Shall have satisfactorily completed the course of instruction for Fire Instructor I set forth at 5:73-5.2, or equivalent, as determined by the Office of Training and Certification;

v. Shall have completed a classroom instructor-led course endorsed by the National Fire Academy titled "Incident Safety Officer" of at least 16 hours in length, or equivalent, as determined by the Office of Training and Certification;

vi. Shall have completed classroom instructor-led courses endorsed by the National Fire Academy Principles of Building Construction Series, of at least 12 hours in length, or equivalent, as determined by the Office of Training and Certification; and

vii. Shall have completed classroom instructor-led courses endorsed by the National Fire Academy Fire Tactics Series, of at least 24 hours in length total, or equivalent, as determined by the Office of Training and Certification.

2. Fire Officer II, as follows:
i. Has successfully completed the adopted State instructional program for the Fire Officer II certification title;

ii. Has successfully passed the State Fire Officer II exams that evaluate the Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) and components of requisite knowledge and skills contained in the NFPA 1021, 2014 Edition, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, as amended and supplemented, and N.J.A.C. 5:73 Appendix, both of which are incorporated herein by reference;

iii. Shall have obtained Fire Officer I certification in accordance with this subchapter; and

iv. Shall have obtained Incident Management Level 2 certification under this chapter.

3. Fire Officer III, as follows:
i. Has successfully completed the adopted State instructional program for the Fire Officer III certification title;

ii. Has successfully passed the State Fire Officer III exams that evaluate the Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) and components of requisite knowledge and skills contained in the NFPA 1021, 2014 Edition, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, as amended and supplemented, and N.J.A.C. 5:73 Appendix, both of which are incorporated herein by reference; and

iii. Shall have obtained Fire Officer II certification in accordance with this subchapter.

4. Fire Officer IV, as follows:
i. Has successfully completed the adopted State instructional program for the Fire Officer IV certification title;

ii. Has successfully passed the State Fire Officer IV exams that evaluate the Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) and components of requisite knowledge and skills contained in the NFPA 1021, 2014 Edition, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, as amended and supplemented, and N.J.A.C. 5:73 Appendix, both of which are incorporated herein by reference; and

iii. Shall have obtained Fire Officer III certification in accordance with this subchapter.

(d) The Office of Training and Certification within the Division of Fire Safety shall be permitted to adopt a training program, establish training procedures and forms, establish and administer exams, establish instructor qualifications and train-the-trainer programs, and evaluate educational programs submitted by applicants to determine equivalency towards issuance of certifications.

1. The adopted training program and equivalency determination shall comply with the current edition of the adopted NFPA 1021 standard. Upon an NFPA standard edition change, the Office of Training and Certification shall have two years from the NFPA adoption date to modify existing training programs, or adopt new training programs to comply with the new NFPA standard edition.

2. Additional instruction shall be incorporated into the adopted training program when approved and/or directed by the Office of Training and Certification.

(e) Training program instructor requirements are as follows:

1. Instructors of the adopted training program shall be certified by the Office of Training and Certification as an Instructor Level II, Incident Management Level 2, and meet the following criteria:
i. Be fire chief rank or have been a fire officer for at least a five-year period; and

ii. Have 10 years fire service experience as a structural firefighter; and

iii. Pass a command interview by the eligible organization that is sponsoring the training program; and

2. Subject matter experts can be used to "augment" instructional delivery in specialized management topics, such as: government, budgeting, planning, law, human resources, and workforce diversity.

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