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Commission clarifies ERG use: ERG allowed in practicals but excluded from written HMA/HMO tests; review planned
Summary
Staff explained that HMA/HMO written tests are derived from the textbook, not the Emergency Response Guide (ERG), and the commission supported the director’s move to remove ERG from written testing to encourage study; commissioners requested pass/fail data and a six‑month review to evaluate effects.
The Tennessee Fire Commission discussed and effectively endorsed a staff decision to exclude the Emergency Response Guide (ERG) from written Hazardous Materials Awareness (HMA) and Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) tests, while leaving ERG use permitted during practical evaluations.
Director said the written HMA/HMO tests are "derived exclusively from the textbook" (Jones & Bartlett) and that allowing ERG during a timed written exam had produced open‑book conditions where examinees could 'research the ERG' and pass without studying. He said this change was prompted by a challenge where a question quoted the ERG verbatim and the office concluded that removing ERG from the written exam would better preserve test integrity and compel study of core material.
Several commissioners pushed back, saying ERG is the field reference firefighters carry throughout their careers and that excluding it from written tests risks making candidates unfamiliar with a key operational resource. Commissioners asked staff to provide pass/fail data and to re‑evaluate the policy in six months; the director agreed to supply the requested data and to revisit the decision if outcomes indicate harm.
The commission clarified that ERG may still be used during practical testing and field operations; the change discussed applies to the written testing environment only. Staff said they will monitor pass/fail rates and report back at the next meetings and at a six‑month review point.
