Online Recruit Firefighter Training Academy Policies and Procedures

Transcription

1 2013, Texas Engineering Extension Service.

2 Before You Begin This policy document covers online and face-to-face training with the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). If you are planning to take the face-to-face portion of this training in another state, check with your state certification agency / State Training Director to verify that this training meets all requirements. Course Goal Upon the successful completion of this course, you will have the knowledge and skills that meet and exceed National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications (2013 ed.), Firefighter I (chapter 5) and Firefighter II (chapter 6) training, and Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Awareness and Operations as described in NFPA 472 (2013 ed). Participants who successfully complete the course and pass the required written and skills test will receive a National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (ProBoard) certification. Delivery Method The course delivery methodology consists of online and face-to-face components. The online component involves required readings, interactions, activities, threaded discussions, and videos. The face-to-face component involves hands-on activities designed to meet NFPA 1001 Job Performance Requirements (JPR). Participant Evaluation For the online portion, you must pass all quizzes with a minimum grade of 70 percent before moving on to a subsequent module. You must also complete all interactions, activities, and threaded discussions within a module. To receive credit for the course you must pass the online final exam with a grade of 70 percent or higher. If you are seeking TCFP certification, upon arriving at the TEEX skills site you will be required to take an entrance exam. You will have two opportunities to pass this exam with a grade of 70 percent or higher. You must pass this test in order to continue in the program and receive TCFP certification. System Requirements In order to successfully complete this course, you should have the following system requirements: Recommended screen resolution: 1280 x1024 Minimum screen resolution: 1024 x 768 Broadband or high speed internet Latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari web browsers Latest version of Flash Latest version of Adobe Reader 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 1

3 Class Timeline Upon registering for the course, you will have six months to complete the online portion of the class. After successfully passing the online portion of the course within the allotted time period, you will have six months (from the end date of your online training) to complete the skills (face-to-face) portion of the course. No skills documentation will be accepted after the six month period. Course Length Online: 335 hours Face to Face: 210 hours Course Materials Along with the online portion of this course, you will use the following textbook: Corbett, Glenn, ed. Fire Engineering s Handbook for Firefighter I and II. Tulsa, OK: PennWell Corporation, Corbett, Glen, ed. Fire Engineering s Handbook for Firefighter I & II: 2013 Skills Addendum. Tulsa, OK: PenWell Corporation, Participant Conduct No trainee shall allow personal conduct to be detrimental or degrading to the Online Recruit Academy. This includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty or unlawful conduct during class or at any time while representing the Online Recruit Academy. All trainees will conduct themselves as professional firefighters. Conduct unbecoming a firefighter may jeopardize the participant s continuation in the program. Violation of the TEEX Online Recruit Firefighter Training Academy rules, regulations, or policies will result in disciplinary action being taken. The seriousness of the infraction (dishonesty, cheating, falsifying information are some examples of serious violations) will aid in dictating the level of disciplinary action to be taken. It will be the responsibility of the Online Recruit Academy Training Manager to determine the appropriate course of action. Participant Dismissal The TEEX Online Recruit Firefighter Training Academy Manager has the authority to dismiss a student during any portion of the course (online and face-to-face). The Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) reserves the right to request, at any time, the withdrawal or dismissal of any participant whose health, conduct, academic performance or hygiene make it undesirable for the person to remain in the program. 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 2

4 Certification Requirements The National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (ProBoard) For national ProBoard certification, the following are the minimum certification requirements as defined by NFPA standards and the Texas Engineering Extension Service/Emergency Services Training Institute (TEEX/ESTI): Firefighter I prerequisite is a NFPA 472 Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Operations Level course (in accordance with NFPA 1001 [2013 ed.]), that meets the mission-specific competencies of 6.2 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and 6.6 Product Control. Firefighter II prerequisite is NFPA 1001 Firefighter I. Documentation of the requirements will be collected during the course and submitted to the ESTI Certification Office. If the documentation is not submitted during the course, the participant will incur an automatic late fee of $75 and will have six months from the class end date to submit approved documentation. No certification requirements will be accepted after six months of the class end date. Documentation can be either faxed to or ed to ESTIProBoard@teexmail.tamu.edu. Certification requirement documentation must be dated on or before the class end date. The ESTI Certification Office will serve as verification that the appropriate certification requirements have been met for ProBoard certification. Participants will not be able to appeal the late fee or six month deadline requirement. Texas Commission on Fire Protection The following are the minimum certification requirements for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection in accordance with their Web site: Complete a Texas Commission on Fire Protection-approved basic structure fire suppression training course Successfully pass the Texas Commission on Fire Protection examination Other certification requirement as described by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Criminal background check To ensure you are meeting the most up-to-date certification requirements, visit the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Web site at to review the current requirements. In order to become certified, you must submit an Application for Certification (form TCFP-002), any required supporting documentation, and the required fee. All documentation must be in accordance with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection requirements. Contact the Commission at (512) for further information. A FIDO account is required by Texas Commission on Fire Protection within three business days of the start of the online class. Please go to to create your account. Jason.Loyd@teex.tamu.edu with your PIN number once your account is created. 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 3

5 What should I do if I require Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations for testing? The Department of Justice ADA Title III Regulation 28 Part 36 states that Any private entity that offers tests or courses related to applications, licensing, certification, or credentialing for secondary or postsecondary education, professional, or trade purposes shall offer such tests or courses in a place and manner accessible to persons with disabilities or offer alternative accessible arrangements for such individuals. If this regulation applies to you, please inform your instructor immediately so that accommodations can be made to meet your needs. Official documentation must be provided to the ESTI Certification Office on or before the first day of class if special accommodations need to be arranged for testing. Certificate Information What is National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (ProBoard) Certification? ProBoard was established to oversee an internationally recognized means of acknowledging professional achievement in the fire service and related fields. Professional credentials are given in the form of certificates for various job positions identified in the NFPA standards. ESTI at TEEX is a ProBoardaccredited agency and as such, evaluates candidates and issues certificates to those who demonstrate competence in the JPR designated in the NFPA standards. What are the evaluation requirements for this certification? Participants seeking ProBoard certification must successfully complete: all course activities, all skills required per the Texas Commission on Fire Protection that must be completed throughout the course as well as additional skills tested at the end of the academy, and the ProBoard certification exam. What is the format of the certification test? The certification test is composed of questions that may include multiple choice, matching, and/or true/false formats. A sample of the type of question that may appear on the test is as follows: In the Incident Command System (ICS), who is in charge of a specific geographical area of the fire ground? A. Liaison officer B. Safety officer C. Division supervisor D. Operations officer 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 4

6 How do I prepare for the certification test? Items appearing on the certification test may or may not be covered in the classroom presentations and activities; therefore, you must review the required readings for the course. To prepare for the certification test, you should review the following materials: Corbett, Glenn, ed. Fire Engineering s Handbook for Firefighter I and II. Tulsa, OK: PennWell Corporation, 2009 Corbett, Glen, ed. Fire Engineering s Handbook for Firefighter I & II: 2013 Skills Addendum. Tulsa, OK: PenWell Corporation, TEEX Online Recruit Academy How do I prepare for the skills requirements? Samples of ProBoard skills sheets are included in the Resource Room of the online course. The skills sheet identifies those components of the NFPA standard deemed applicable for practical evaluation by subject matter experts. Candidate preparation for the skills evaluation is best accomplished through careful listening, questioning, and active participation in all activities. In addition, it is important that participants incorporate any feedback received during all classroom activities. How is the certification test scored? A score of 70 percent is required to pass all certification tests conducted by ESTI. All certification tests are scored and statistically analyzed once they have been returned to the ESTI Certification Office. The results of certification tests are reported to participants on a pass/fail basis. What happens if I fail the certification test? In the event that you receive a failing score, you will receive a remediation/retesting form with instructions and contact information from the ESTI Certification Office. You are given one opportunity to retest, and it is your responsibility to make arrangements for the retest. If you fail the retest, you fail the entire course and must retake the course at your expense to attempt to qualify for ProBoard certification again. The ESTI Certification Office will provide you with a list of the NFPA JPRs that were not mastered. You can use this information to develop a remediation study plan that focuses on the areas that need the most improvement. All retests must be scheduled with a minimum of three weeks advance notice to the ESTI Certification Office. All retests must be completed and received in the ESTI Certification Office within six months of the class end date to not incur a fee. Retests completed and received in the ESTI Certification Office between six months and twelve months of the class end date will incur a fee of $75. No retests will be accepted after twelve months of the class end date. 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 5

7 How are the skills requirements scored? Each skill line item will either have an assigned point value or pass/fail value. In order to receive an overall Pass on a skills sheet, you must receive a passing score on all pass/fail items and have enough accumulated overall points. What happens if I fail to meet the skills requirements? You will be given one retest opportunity for each skill. You will be remediated on the skill and allowed to practice prior to the retesting event. If you fail the retest, you fail the entire course and must retake the course at your expense to attempt to qualify for ProBoard certification again. All retests must be completed and forms received in the ESTI Certification Office within six months but before twelve months of the class end date to not incur a fee. Skills retests completed and received in the ESTI Certification Office between six months and twelve months of the class end date will incur a fee of $75. All skills retests must be completed and received in the ESTI Certification Office within twelve months of the class end date or you will have to retake the course at your own expense to attempt to qualify for ProBoard certification. What happens when I pass the certification test and skills requirements? Upon successful completion of all requirements, ESTI will provide you with a ProBoard certificate that includes a national identification number. Your name will also appear in ProBoard s national registry of emergency service professionals for this certification level. Texas Commission on Fire Protection Certification Participants enrolled in this course and seeking the Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification must successfully complete: all course activities, module quizzes, and a comprehensive final exam. Note: Successful completion of all course requirements qualifies participants to take the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Firefighter Basic Suppression certification test. This test must be scheduled through the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and participants must report to a commission site on a designated date to take the commission s certification test. What is Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification? The Texas Commission on Fire Protection was established to help protect the lives and property of the citizens of Texas by developing and enforcing professional standards for the fire service. The commission annually renews the certificates of fire protection personnel in basic, intermediate, advanced, and master levels of a variety of disciplines. ESTI at the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is a certified training facility for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and as such, meets the requirements of Chapter 427, Certified Training Facilities, of the Standards Manual for Fire Protection Personnel. 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 6

8 What are the evaluation requirements for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification? In order to receive Texas Commission on Fire Protection Firefighter Basic Suppression certification, the candidate must: 1. complete a commission-approved basic structure fire suppression training program, 2. pass the commission s basic structure fire suppression examination, and 3. show proof of completion of required emergency medical response training. If all the requirements above have been met and the candidate receives a Firefighter Basic Suppression certificate from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, the candidate may be granted an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) seal for Firefighter I and Firefighter II by sending an application to the commission and paying the applicable fee. How can I schedule a Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification examination? To schedule a certification examination, you will need to contact a training approval and testing staff member to see if you qualify. The phone number is (512) If the staff has determined that you meet the minimum training requirements and are qualified to take the examination, the commission will mail a test packet to you. The test packet contains: schedules of upcoming test dates and locations; the application for testing that you will need to complete and return with the required training documentation and testing fee; and a booklet that explains the application and testing process, including a study guide for the type of test you will be taking. If the staff cannot determine whether you meet the minimum training requirements, they will help you apply for a training record review. If the staff has determined that you do not meet the minimum training requirements, they will help you find the appropriate training. What is the format of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification test? The certification test is composed of questions that may include multiple choice, matching, short answer, and/or true/false formats. Participants are responsible for making the arrangements to take the Texas Commission for Fire Protection exam. The exams are offered at one of the regional testing sites. Location, date, and time may be found on the Texas Commission for Fire Protection Web site: What happens if I fail the Texas Commission on Fire Protection exam? An individual who fails to pass a commission written examination for state certification will be given one additional opportunity to pass the examination or section thereof. This opportunity must be exercised 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 7

9 within 180 days after the date of the first failure. An examinee who fails to pass the examination within the required time may not sit for the same examination again until the examinee has re-qualified by repeating the curriculum applicable to that examination. How is the Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification test scored? A score of 70 percent is required to pass the Texas Commission for Fire Protection exam. Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) are distributed to individuals when they take a commission examination. These PINs must be used to access test scores through the commission s Web site. How do I prepare for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection skill requirements? The skills for the Texas Commission for Fire Protection are included in the Basic Structure Fire Suppression Performance Standards manual. In the Resource Room of the online course you will find a link to the commission s skills checklist. This checklist identifies those skills that your instructor will evaluate as a part of the commission s certification process. Participant preparation for the skills evaluation is best accomplished through careful listening, questioning, and active participation in all activities. In addition, it is important that participants incorporate any feedback received during all classroom activities. How are the Texas Commission on Fire Protection skill requirements scored? The scoring method is Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) for each step of the skill objective and a Pass or Fail for each individual skill section. In order to successfully pass an individual skill section, the TEEX Online Recruit Training Academy candidate must receive satisfactory scores in all the steps of the skill objective. In order to receive an overall Pass on the skill sheet, the TEEX Online Recruit Training Academy candidate must receive a passing score for all individual skill sections. What happens if I fail to meet the Texas Commission on Fire Protection skill requirements? An examinee who fails a state performance skill evaluation may be allowed a retest at a time and place to be determined by the lead examiner. If the candidate fails the retest, remedial training conducted by a certified instructor who is approved to teach in that specific subject area is required for a second retest. Remedial training must be no less than the recommended curriculum instructional hours for the section in which the failed skill(s) is reflected. An examinee being retested on a performance skill must be retested on any skill, randomly selected by the lead examiner, from the same subject area as the performance skill objective that was failed. If the examinee fails the final retest as part of a state performance skill evaluation, the examinee must requalify by repeating the entire curriculum applicable to the examination. 2014, Texas Engineering Extension Service. 8