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Committee reopens waiting-period rules for certifications; 30‑day retest and instructor three‑year rules questioned
Summary
The rules subcommittee reviewed waiting periods between firefighter certifications and debated whether short retest windows hinder recruit training while longer waits are needed for instructor and officer credentials.
The rules subcommittee returned to a longstanding topic: how long a firefighter must wait between certification levels and whether to keep or change the 30‑day waiting window.
Members said the current 30‑day rule — and earlier reductions of some waiting windows to 15 days — can create operational and scheduling problems for recruit classes and combined academy courses. Several training officers and chiefs described recruit cohorts that complete practical competencies but then must wait 30 days to test again, which can disrupt momentum and training schedules.
At the same time, some committee members urged preserving longer minimum service or waiting periods for higher‑level certificates (examples discussed: instructor 1 often tied to a three‑year service clock; officer progression with multi‑year spacing) to ensure practical experience before advancing to supervisory or instructional roles. Participants cited concerns that very rapid progression (months rather than years) could allow individuals to obtain leadership or instructor credentials before gaining sufficient on‑the‑job experience.
The subcommittee discussed possible options: (a) retain no waiting period between certain foundational practical courses (for example, between HMA/HMO and Firefighter I/II practicals) to accommodate modern academy structures; (b) keep or formalize longer service‑based wait requirements for instructor and officer levels (three years or more after a baseline certification); or (c) allow some programmatic exceptions for accredited combined classes while preserving waiting periods for promotion‑oriented certifications.
Next steps: staff were asked to draft a proposal that (1) identifies which low‑level practical certifications could be exempt from the 30‑day wait for students completing an accredited academy, and (2) recommends service‑time minimums for instructor and officer level certifications. The subcommittee did not vote on a final standard.
Ending: Members asked staff to return with concrete, chapter‑level language proposing a mix of reduced waits for academy cohorts and preserved service time requirements for higher‑level credentials.
