Professional qualifications for Fire Officer I are identified
in NFPA 1021 (2003 edition). The Office does not recognize Fire Officer as a
rank because it is not possible to ensure that every rank used by local fire or
allied field agencies to identify employees would be consistent throughout the
State. The Office defines the Fire Officer I as an individual having the
responsibilities of company officer. Individuals may certify as Fire Officer I
until June 30, 2019, at which time the certification will no longer be issued
and the individual will be required to successfully complete all the
requirements, if he or she so desires, to qualify for certification as a
Company Fire Officer.
a) Prerequisites
1) Certification as Firefighter III or
Advanced Technician Firefighter and as Fire Service Instructor I .
2) Engagement as Illinois fire protection
personnel, as attested to by the employing Fire Chief of the individual seeking
certification.
3) Attainment of 4
years minimum current fire service experience in a fire department or as
current full time staff instructor of the Fire Service Institute.
4) Successful completion of the required 3
semester credit (40 student-contact hours minimum) courses or equivalent (see
Section
141.120
). A course taken for certification credit of 40 student contact hours
(minimum) can be used for only one area of career hierarchy.
5)Passage of the required State written
examinations for the 3 semester credit courses.
6) Experience Requirements
A) Candidates for Fire Officer I
certification must have a minimum of one year current experience as a
Provisional Fire Officer I (see subsection (a)(5)(B)) or Fire Officer I
trainee. The Office defines a Fire Officer I trainee as a person possessing
Firefighter III or Advanced Firefighter Technician certification assigned to
supervise one or more companies (a company is a crew of fire protection
personnel). The Certified Instructor and employing Fire Chief must document
this current experience as a Provisional Fire Officer I or Fire Officer I
trainee.
B) Until such time as the
experience requirement is satisfied, the Fire Officer I candidate will receive
a certificate attesting to his/her Provisional Qualification as a Fire Officer
I. Provisional Qualification can only be given after completion of all required
courses. Provisionally qualified status allows the individual to participate in
Fire Officer II courses and training. Provisionally qualified status does not
certify the individual as a Fire Officer I.
C) For purposes of figuring the year of
experience, the applicant must have been assigned to Fire Officer I duties at
least 80% of the time based on a 120 workday period (i.e., 96 days of 120
days).
7) Application
for Certification/Validation-Attestation.
b) Reimbursement may be received for training
costs for a Fire Officer I (see Subpart E).
c) Credit for equivalent courses may be
available in accordance with Section 141.120.
d) A qualified instructor for this level must
be a certified Fire Service Instructor II.
e) The course and facility must be approved
by the Division in accordance with Subpart B.
f) Exception to Experience Requirements
During Transition to Company Fire Officer. A qualified individual who has
completed the course requirements for Fire Officer I, but has not attained the
experience requirements of subsection (a)(6), may complete the Phase 3 Task
Book for Company Fire Officer provided in Section 141.309(a)(4)(D) in lieu of
the experience requirement to receive Fire Officer I certification prior to
June 30, 2019.
