§141.15. Definitions

Unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms have the meanings ascribed in this Section:

 

"Act" means the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act [50 ILCS 740].

 

"Application for Certification " means the application submitted by the employing fire chief or their designee for a Candidate to receive certification that verifies successful passage of the State Practical Examination and completion of a series of prerequisites for that certification under Subpart D.

 

"Candidate" means fire service personnel participating in the certification program for the purpose of certification or recertification.

 

"Certification" means the official documentation awarded by the Office to eligible fire protection personnel after successful completion of established requirements of this Part.

 

"Division" or "DPSE" means the Division of Personnel Standards and Education within the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

 

"DPSE WebAccess Portal" or "WebAccess Portal" means the web-based program that shall be utilized by the fire service to participate in the certification programs. The DPSE WebAccess Portal can be accessed at:  https://webapps.sfm.illinois.gov/PSEPortal/Account/Login.

 

"Fire Advisory Commission" or "FAC" means the advisory board which is established under the State Fire Marshal Act [20 ILCS 2905/3] to advise the Office in the exercise of its powers and duties.

 

"Fire Association" means a fire-related association, organization or entity that is represented on the Fire Advisory Commission by a member who serves as an ex-officio member pursuant to Section 3 of the State Fire Marshal Act [20 ILCS 2905/3].

 

"Fire Brigade" means an organized group of employees at a facility who are knowledgeable, trained and skilled in at least basic firefighting operations, and whose full-time occupation might or might not be the provision of fire suppression and related activities for their employer.

 

"Fire Department" or "Department" means an organization providing fire suppression, training, fire administration, fire investigation, fire prevention, rescue, executive support and related activities.

 

"Fire Service", "Fire Service Personnel", "Fire Protection Personnel", "Fire Fighter" or "Firefighter" means a fire department, fire protection district, fire association, training facility, OSFM and the members of these entities who are engaged in fire suppression, training, fire administration, fire investigation, fire prevention, rescue, executive support and related activities, including individuals who have retired from active fire service duties and are officially affiliated with fire service training, mutual aid, incident command, fire ground operations or staff support for fire associations.

 

"Fire Service Experience" means fire suppression training, fire administration, fire investigation or fire prevention experience in a fire department, including rescue, executive support and related activities.

 

"Illinois Fire Service Institute" or "IFSI" means the State Fire Academy for the State of Illinois, operated by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, pursuant to 110 ILCS 365/2.

 

"Job Performance Requirements" or "JPRs" means a written statement that describes a specific job task, lists the items necessary to complete the task, and defines measurable or observable outcomes and evaluation areas for the specific task as recognized and defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

 

"Local Governmental Agency" means any local governmental unit or municipal corporation in this State. It does not include the State of Illinois or any office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency of the State except:

 

a State-controlled university, college, or public community college; or

 

the Office of the State Fire Marshal. (Section 2(b) of the Act)

 

"NFPA" means the National Fire Protection Association.

 

"Non-Affiliated Individual" means an individual who is not fire service personnel while attending and completing courses allowed under Section 141.215.

 

"Office" means the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

 

"Qualified Instructor" means an individual who possesses certification or certifications required to provide instruction for a specific certification level as listed in Subpart D.

 

"Recertification" means the process where a specified certification listed in Section 141.390 may be renewed through the successful completion of the relevant task book or tally sheet and the submission of a new Application for Certification by the employing fire chief or their designee.

 

"Request for Examination" means the submission of the Request for Examination to the Division from a training facility requesting to schedule a State Written Examination.

 

"Standards" or "Standard" means the applicable NFPA standard or standards.

 

"State Fire Marshal" or "SFM" means the Executive Director of the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

 

"State Practical Examination" means a Division-approved psychomotor examination.

 

"State Written Examination" means a Division-approved computer-based or paper examination.

 

"Successful Completion" of a course means the completion of the course and meeting the requirements of the training facility.

 

"Tally Sheet" means the digital DPSE-provided sheet that may be used by candidates to document JPR completion or points required for recertification as specified in Section 141.390.

 

"Task Book" means a Division-provided booklet used to evaluate a candidate’s performance of skills or work experience required for a specific certification or recertification found in this Part. The task book includes: references to the relevant NFPA Standard and the observable behaviors, activities and tasks that must be met for certification or recertification.

 

"Training Facility" means an academy, fire association, fire department, fire protection district, fire brigade, or college located within the State of Illinois and approved by the Division to provide the training for fire protection personnel, as referenced in Section 141.100.

 

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 424, effective January 1, 2023)