Professional qualifications for the Chief Fire Officer
certification are identified in NFPA 1021. 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 identifies the Chief Fire Officer as an
individual who has administrative responsibilities, the authority to affect
practices, policies and procedures of the department, and is, or reports
directly to, the Fire Chief, Fire Administrator or head of department.
a) Prerequisites
1) Certified as a Fire Officer II or Advanced
Fire Officer.
2) Engagement as
Illinois fire protection personnel, as attested to by the employing Fire Chief
of the individual seeking certification.
3) Attainment of ten years minimum fire
service experience in a fire department.
4) Successful completion of the Chief Fire
Officer required courses.
5)
Experience Requirements
A) The applicant must
have current experience in performing command level duties for a minimum of 5
years to be certified. Individuals applying with prior experience shall be
evaluated individually.
B)
Documentation of work experience as a Chief Fire Officer or Provisional Chief
Fire Officer must be provided in the application for certification.
i) The documentation of work experience
related to objectives shall include completion of an application for
certification that provides proof of the required command level experience and
submittal of supporting documentation, including, but not limited to: a current
resume, organizational chart, position description, college degrees,
transcripts and letters of reference.
ii) The application for certification must 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).
C)
Until such time as the experience requirement is met, the Chief Fire Officer
candidate will receive a certificate attesting to his/her Provisional
Qualification as a Chief Fire Officer . Provisionally qualified status does not
certify the individual as a Chief Fire Officer . Provisional qualification can
only be given after completion of all formal courses.
D) A person possessing a certificate as a
Provisional Fire Officer II may take and be reimbursed for Fire Officer III
courses (see Subpart E). However, an individual must be certified as a Fire
Officer II to receive Provisional Fire Officer III certification.
6) Application for certification
and documentation of work experience.
b) Passage of the State written
examination.
c) Reimbursement may
be received for training costs for Chief Fire Officer (see Subpart
E).
d) A qualified instructor for
this level must be a certified:
1)Fire Service
Instructor II; and
2)Fire Officer
III or Chief Fire Officer.
e) The course and facility must be approved
by the Division as specified in Subpart B.
