§141.390. Recertifications

a)         The goal of the recertification process shall be to ensure continued demonstration of knowledge and skill proficiency in given areas of certification for Illinois fire service personnel.

 

b)         All referenced recertifications in this Section shall be specific to certifications attained from the Office.

 

c)         Any certification that requires a recertification shall remain valid if the recertification requirements are not completed, but shall not be considered current.  Certifications that are not considered current shall be ineligible to be used as a prerequisite to obtain a higher level of certification.

 

d)         Certifications that require recertification are: 

 

1)         Fire Investigator

 

2)         Arson Investigator

 

e)         Certifications that require recertification beginning January 1, 2022 are: 

 

1)         Fire Apparatus Engineer

 

2)         Company Fire Officer

 

3)         Fire Department Incident Safety Officer

 

4)         Fire Department Health and Safety Officer

 

5)         Advanced Fire Officer

 

6)         Chief Fire Officer

 

7)         Fire Department Safety Officer

 

8)         Fire Service Instructor I

 

9)         Fire Service Instructor II

 

10)        Fire Service Instructor III

 

11)        Training Program Manager

 

12)        Fire Inspector I

 

13)        Fire Inspector II

 

14)        Public Fire and Life Safety Educator I

 

15)        Hazardous Materials Operations

 

16)        Hazardous Materials Technician

 

17)        Confined Space Operations

 

18)        Confined Space Technician

 

19)        Trench Operations

 

20)        Trench Technician

 

21)        Structural Collapse Operations

 

22)        Structural Collapse Technician

 

23)        Vehicle and Machinery Operations

 

24)        Vehicle and Machinery Technician

 

25)        Rope Operations

 

26)        Fire Service Vehicle Operator

 

27)        Rope Technician

 

28)        Rescue Operations

 

29)        Rescue Technician

 

f)         Level-specific certifications issued on or before January 1, 2022 will no longer be considered current on December 31, 2025, except for Fire Investigator and Arson Investigator, which are referenced further within this Section.

 

g)         Certifications issued on or after January 1, 2022 will no longer be considered current 4 years after their issuance date.

 

h)         Recertification process for all levels except Fire Investigator and Arson Investigator: 

 

1)         Certifications shall remain current 4 years after their issuance date.

 

2)         Applicants for recertification must hold a current level-specific certification issued by the Office.

 

3)         Applicants for recertification must complete recertification training that follows the level-specific job performance requirements ("JPRs") in the relevant NFPA Standard within the previous 4-year certification period: 

 

A)        Documentation of successful recertification training may be demonstrated by completing the level-specific Recertification Task Book (Task Book).

 

B)        If an applicant or fire department opts not to utilize the Task Book, documentation of successful recertification training shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training record. Training records utilized for recertification documentation, at a minimum, shall include the components listed on the Task Book Proficiency Log Sheets.

 

4)         Application for recertification: 

 

A)        If utilizing the Task Book, the Proficiency Log Sheets shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

B)        If not utilizing the Task Book, a completion report meeting the same criteria of the Proficiency Log Sheets shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

C)        In lieu of uploading either the Proficiency Log Sheets or completion report, recertification completion data shall be manually entered in the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

D)        The application for recertification cannot be submitted more than 12 months prior to the date upon which certification is no longer considered current.

 

5)         The Division shall send notification to the employing fire department at one year and at 90-days prior to the date that fire service personnel's certification will no longer be considered current.

 

6)         The Office shall grant each candidate a 90-day grace period to complete the recertification requirements. If recertification is not completed within the 90-day grace period, the candidate may maintain current certification in the established recertification cycle if the candidate completes a new Task Book within 6 months of the end of the 90-day grace period, with task dates after the date the previous certification is no longer considered current.  The application for recertification shall include the Proficiency Log Sheets uploaded or manually entered using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.  Training used in one certification cycle cannot be used towards recertification in another certification cycle.  If the new Task Book is not completed within 9 months of the original date that certification is no longer current, the fire service personnel may make the certification current in a new recertification cycle by submitting proof of completion of an approved level-specific course.

 

7)         When submitting for recertification, the fire chief must attest that all the requirements of this Section are met and affirms that: 

 

A)        The candidate seeking recertification is engaged as Illinois fire protection personnel.

 

B)        Training documentation for recertification shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's fire department training records and is available for review by the Division upon request.

 

C)        The submission of the application and Proficiency Log Sheets or completion report is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge.

 

8)         Fire service personnel who possess the highest level of certification within specific disciplines and who desire that certification to remain current, shall only be required to recertify at the highest level. Once recertified at the highest level, all lower level recertifications shall automatically be processed and approved.

 

9)         Recertification Requirements for Rescue Operations. Fire service personnel who possess a Rescue Operations certification may complete the recertification requirements outlined in the level- specific JPRs in the relevant NFPA Standards in lieu of completing each rescue operations-level requirements for recertification.

 

A)        Documentation of successful recertification training may be demonstrated by completing the Task Book.

 

B)        If a fire department opts not to utilize the Task Book, documentation of successful recertification training shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training record.

 

C)        Training records utilized for recertification documentation, at a minimum, shall include the components listed on the Task Book Proficiency Log Sheets.

 

10)        Recertification Requirements for Rescue Technician. Fire service personnel who possess a Rescue Technician certification may complete the recertification requirements outlined in the level- specific JPRs in the relevant NFPA Standards in lieu of completing each rescue technician-level requirement for recertification.

 

A)        Documentation of successful recertification training may be documented by completing the Task Book.

 

B)        If an applicant or fire department opts not to utilize the Task Book, documentation of successful recertification training shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training record.

 

C)        Training records utilized for recertification documentation, at a minimum, shall include the components listed on the Task Book Proficiency Log Sheets.

 

i)          Recertification Process for Fire Investigator and Arson Investigator.

 

1)         Certifications shall remain current 4 years after their issuance date.

 

2)         Applicants for recertification must hold a current Office level-specific certification.

 

3)         Applicants for recertification shall complete recertification training that follows the established course objectives identified in NFPA 1033, totaling 100 points over the 4-year period, based on the point system on the tally sheet used by the Division. Point dissemination shall be determined by the Division.

 

4)         Application for recertification: 

 

A)        If utilizing the Division-supplied Recertification Tally Sheet, the Tally Sheet shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

B)        If not utilizing the Division-supplied Recertification Tally Sheet, a completion report meeting the same criteria of the Tally Sheet shall be uploaded using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

C)        In lieu of uploading either the Tally Sheet or completion report, recertification completion data shall be manually entered using the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

D)        The application for recertification cannot be submitted more than 12 months prior to the date upon which certification is no longer considered current.

 

5)         The Division shall send notification to the employing fire department at one year and at 90-days prior to the date that fire service personnel's certification shall no longer be considered current.

 

6)         The Office shall grant each candidate a 90-day grace period to complete the recertification requirements.  Training used in one certification cycle cannot be used towards recertification in another certification cycle.  If recertification is not completed within the 90-day grace period after the date that certification is no longer considered current and the candidate desires to maintain a current certification, the candidate shall be required to complete an approved Fire Investigator course to obtain recertification.

 

7)         When submitting an application for recertification, the chief attests that all the requirements of this Section are met and affirms that: 

 

A)        The candidate seeking recertification is employed by a local governmental agency or the Office.

 

B)        Training documentation for recertification shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's department training records and available for review by the Division upon request.

 

C)        The submission of the application and Tally Sheet or completion report is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge.

 

8)         For fire service personnel who possess both Fire Investigator and Arson Investigator certifications and who recertify at either level, the dates that certification is no longer considered current will be changed for both levels to the latter date.

 

j)          When all recertification requirements are met, a new certificate will be available on the DPSE WebAccess Portal.

 

k)         The Office may extend deadlines for requirements of this Section for good cause shown (e.g., military deployments, medical leaves, personal emergencies, Acts of God or natural disasters, Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, etc.). [50 ILCS 740/1, 11 and 12]

 

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