NFPA Standard Edition Updates to Watch for in 2022: NFPA 1521 Standard for Fire Department Safety Officer and NFPA 1021 Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications
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NFPA standards consolidation plan: The Emergency Response and Responder Safety Consolidation Project (ERRS) will consolidate 5 groups of standards that will be released over the next 4-5 years.
Impacts to standard levels from this plan include the retirement and replacement of some standard numbers and updated edition cycles. 16 standards have been consolidated into similar groupings with a change to the number and title.
At this time, only Group 1 has been released which includes the consolidation of NFPA 472, 473, and 1072 into NFPA 470: Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Standard for Responders. Additional details with any impact to the certification levels will be provided once the information is available.
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Combined DO/DOP Practical: A candidate may request in advance from DFPC a “combined practical” for Driver Operator and Driver Operator Pumper certification. Practical requests must be put in the RMS separately for each level and notification of combination request needs to be provided in advance to DFPC.
A combined practical takes place on the same day using a pumper for the driving JPRs 1 thru 8 and for the pumping JPRs 9 thru 15. The advantage of a combined practical is that the candidate only has to perform JPRs 1 thru 8 one time with one vehicle. The following rules apply:
- In addition to JPR’s 1 & 2; JPR’s 3a, 3b, & 3c for Driver Operator and JPR’s 3a, 3b, 3c, & 3d for Driver Operator Pumper certifications will have to be successfully performed by the candidate and evaluated by the AHJ prior to proctor arrival on test day. The above listed JPR’s must be signed by the Chief or his/her designee and given to the proctor on test day. If the proctor does not receive these AHJ JPR’s the candidate will not be allowed to participate in the practical evaluation on that given test day.
- If the candidate fails the driving JPRs while using the pumper he/she will have to wait a minimum of 30 days to test again.
- If the candidate fails JPRs 1 thru 8 while driving a pumper, he/she cannot attempt a retake with a utility vehicle on the same day.
- If the candidate passes the driving JPRs and fails the pumping portion of the DOP certification, the proctor will pass the candidate for Driver Operator certification but not for Driver Operator Pumper portion. In this situation, on a separate date, the candidate will have to perform JPRs 1 thru 15 using a pumper for DOP certification
- If the candidate passes both the driving JPRs and the pumping JPRs on the same day, the proctor will pass the candidate for both Driver Operator and Driver Operator Pumper certification practicals.
- A combined practical cannot be performed on two separate dates. This is considered two separate practical exams, one for DO and one for DOP, using the appropriate apparatus for each practical exam.
- All practical exams and written tests must be successfully passed within one calendar year when opting for a combined practical.
- A combined practical for Driver Operator Pumper and Driver Operator Aerial is NOT permitted.
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Changes to Reciprocity Process: A proposed update to the reciprocity process would change the non-accredited, non-renewable Colorado Recognition Certificate to a non-accredited, renewable Colorado Recognition Certificate.
If this change is approved, there are some items of note: current reciprocity certificate holders with Colorado Non-Accredited, Non-Renewable Recognition Certificates that have an expiration date AFTER implementation of the new reciprocity process can submit the application requesting their current non- accredited, non-renewable recognition certificate(s) be issued under the new reciprocity process as a Non-Accredited, Renewable Recognition Certificate.
The fee will be waived for applicants that hold a current recognition certificate(s) that apply to have their recognition certificate(s) converted under the new reciprocity process. Applicants can only apply once for reciprocity per certificate level.
The certificate(s) must have been accredited under the current or previous edition of the applicable standard. The date that the certificate was issued cannot exceed two (2) NFPA cycles from the date of issue.
Colorado Non-Accredited Recognition Certificates will be issued for a three-year period and are subject to the renewal requirements for each individual certification as outlined in Section 9 of the Policy and Procedures Manual.