Tennessee Fire Commission pledges rule fixes, approves audits and training credits

The Tennessee Fire Service Commission debated implementation problems with recently filed rules, moved to streamline volunteer training and certification, and approved a set of department audits and VEIP payments at its meeting.

Commissioners said uncertainty about deadline timing and requirements — particularly whether CPR remained required and which timelines applied — has created confusion for departments and volunteers across the state. The commission voted to approve audits for multiple departments, to allow the commission office to process future VEIP batches without repeated commission approval, and to approve several high-school and community training programs that commissioners said are contributing to a local recruitment pipeline.

The discussion centered on how rules were communicated and when they become enforceable. Assistant Commissioner Bell reported that rules have been returned from the payrolls office and said they will appear on the Secretary of State website once final. Director Zimmerman gave a detailed operations update, including applicant counts for open positions and testing statistics: 13 applicants for the West Tennessee coordinator post, about 23 applications for accreditation managers, 7,537 career VEIP submissions and 891 volunteer submissions for VEIP 2024, and 7,183 tests administered during 2024 with 5,325 certificates issued. Zimmerman also described ongoing work on ACADIS online testing and a test revalidation program with 13 revalidations complete and eight remaining.

Commissioners, trainers and chiefs reported that verbal guidance given to departments during the multi-year rule rollout differed from the written rules now on file, and that some departments were told they had three years to meet standards only to discover different effective dates in the final rule. Chief David Doris and several other attendees urged the commission to prioritize clearer written guidance and faster corrective action so departments are not disadvantaged by inconsistent instructions.

The commission also discussed volunteer education policy changes. A volunteer education subcommittee recommended simplifying how volunteer departments demonstrate annual training: accepting documented in‑service training for the year rather than requiring advance program submissions by an October 1 deadline, and allowing the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to define who qualifies as a firefighter for their volunteer department. Commissioners said the proposals are intended to make certification more attainable for volunteer departments without removing training requirements.

On testing and training capacity, members discussed a proposal to use Tennessee Board of Regents proctored environments (TCATs and community college facilities) to support online ACADIS testing; the commission expects that work to take roughly a year. The Fire Academy project updates included plans to receive a 95-foot VIN-mounted platform in May and a residential burn prop expected to be turned over in April.

Votes at a glance - Approve minutes for the Oct. 22 meeting — approved (mover not specified in record). - Add agenda item to add a commissioner to the volunteer subcommittee (letter J) — motion made by Commissioner Scott; second by Commissioner Green; approved. - Add item under old business for fire inspector curriculum (letter C) — added to old business (motion approved). - Restore one hour credit for a stress-management class — motion to restore credit failed (motion not seconded / failed in licensing discussion). - Table book-consolidation proposal (Jones & Bartlett test bank verification pending) — motion to table; approved. - Approve in‑service audits for multiple departments (including Delta, Brighton, Millington, Haywood/Brownsville, Fairview, and East Tennessee audits) — approved; Brighton to receive a re‑audit for paperwork follow-up. - Approve VEIP payments batch (Arlington, Athens, Bedford, Bolivar, Cleveland, Spring Hill, Cookeville, Dyersburg) and authorize the commission office to process future batches — approved. - Approve Cherokee High School and Volunteer High School training programs — approved. - Accept courses submitted by UT Center for Industrial Services (various compliance and trench classes) — approved. - Add Commissioner Cobb to the book committee; add Vice Chair Scott to the BIP subcommittee; add member to Rules subcommittee (letter K) — approved. - Adjournment — approved.

Commissioners and staff said the commission will open rule changes for further review and intends to accelerate rule-subcommittee work. Several members asked for more frequent subcommittee meetings and better statewide communications, including email notices and Teams participation for public and local users. The commission committed to publish contact information and to attempt monthly subcommittee meetings while rules are in transition.

Background and next steps Director Zimmerman said the commission is pursuing test revalidations, ACADIS online testing integration with TBR proctoring sites, and completion of remaining audits. Assistant Commissioner Bell and other commissioners emphasized that while the rules are now on file, the commission will seek to reconcile past verbal guidance with the written rules and pursue policy fixes through the rule-making process and subcommittee work. The commission scheduled a workshop in Gatlinburg on April 22 and indicated several subcommittee meetings will be publicly posted for Teams participation.

Less central items included routine procedural votes to add members to committees, committee reports on volunteer education subcommittee actions, and the Fire Academy updates on recruit class scheduling, free volunteer training including dorms and meals, and facility construction progress.