Overview
NYS Certification in the areas listed below serves to recognize the attainment of prescribed levels of training in specific disciplines, as established by the Minimum Standards for Firefighting Personnel in the State of New York, through the completion of NYS Fire or Code Enforcement training.
Pursuant to General Municipal Law (GML) 209-w, career firefighters in fire departments employing six or more career firefighters are required to attain the New York State Firefighter certification within the timeframe established by the Minimum Standard (section 426.5) and meet the annual in-service training requirements included within section 426.7. Pursuant to GML 209-x, career fire officers, upon promotion to a first line supervisory position, are required to attend the First Line Supervisors Training Program (FLSTP) conducted by the Fire Department of The City of New York (FDNY), which includes completion of the requirements of the NYS Fire Officer I certification. All other certifications are voluntary.
Training or education determined to meet or exceed the training requirements listed for certification may be accepted as equivalent at the discretion of State Fire Administrator. Contact the Standards Unit of the Fire Operations and Training Branch with any additional questions or concerns: [email protected] .
Note: Where completion of the Firefighter I course is required for a New York State Certification, completion of all of the following NYS courses will be accepted as equivalent for certification purposes:
- Firefighting Essentials or Basic Firefighter; AND
- Initial Fire Attack or Intermediate Firefighter; AND
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations.
Fire Instructor
Fire Instructor I
Designed For: Personnel assigned to provide fire service training.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Firefighter I (01-05-0019);
- Apparatus Operator - Pump (01-05-0005) or Pump Operator (01-05-0037);
- Truck Company Operations (01-05-0046) or Ladder Company Operations (01-05-0029);
- Fire Officer I (NFPA 1021 2009 ed.), Introduction to Fire Officer (01-11-0024) or Preparing for Command (01-11-0038); AND
- Fire Service Instructor I (01-11-0051), Educational Methodology (01-11-0050) or Training Officer Workshop I (01-11-0056) and Training Officer Workshop II (01-11-0058).
Download the Fire Instructor I Application
Fire Instructor II
Designed For: Designated fire instructor personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- NYS Fire Instructor I certification; and
- Fire Service Instructor II (01-11-0052) or ALL of the following:
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- Educational Methodology (01-11-0050), Training Officer Workshop I and Training Officer Workshop II (-1-11-0058).
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Fire Investigator
Designed For: Designated fire investigator personnel.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Fire Investigation (01-01-0043);
- Fifty (50) hours of documented fire investigation field activity.
Note:
A total of fifty (50) hours of fire investigation field activity must be documented and occur after the completion date of the required course. A maximum of five (5) hours of field activity per incident will be accepted toward the total. Fire investigation field activity should involve skills associated with scene examination, documenting the scene, evidence collection/preservation, interview, post-incident investigation, and presentations. We recommend experience includes investigation of both accidental and intentional fire incidents.
To maintain fire investigator certification candidates must annually perform and document twelve (12) hours of tested training relating to fire investigation, AND twelve (12) hours of fire investigation field activity. For purposes of documentation, a maximum of five (5) hours of field activity per incident will be accepted. It is the candidate’s responsibility to maintain documentation supporting completion of the in-service training requirements.
Fire Officer
Fire Officer I
Designed For: Fire Officers with first-line supervisory responsibilities (i.e. Company officers).
Prerequisite: NYS Fire Instructor I certification.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Fire Investigation for the Line Officer, OR both Fire Behavior and Arson Awareness AND Principles of Fire Investigation; and
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations.
Download the Fire Officer I Application
Firefighter
Firefighter Recruit II
Designed For: All fire service personnel.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Fire Behavior and Arson Awareness OR Fire Investigation for the Line Officer;
- Local Rules and Regulations, Policies and Procedures, and Right to Know information; and
- Firefighting Essentials and Initial Fire Attack OR
- Basic Firefighter, Intermediate Firefighter and Advanced Firefighter; OR
- Firefighter I and Firefighter II.
Download the Firefighter Recruit II Application
Firefighter Recruit I
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Prerequisite: NYS Firefighter Recruit II certification.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Truck Company Operations (01-05-0046) or Ladder Company Operations (01-05-0029);
- Apparatus Operator - Pump (01-05-0005) or Pump Operator (01-05-0037);
- Accident Victim Extrication Training (01-04-0001); and
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations (01-09-0071).
Download the Firefighter Recruit I Application
Firefighter
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Prerequisite: NYS Firefighter Recruit I certification.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Completion of a basic fire training program certified by the State Fire Administrator as meeting the requirements of section 426.6 [i.e. Recruit Firefighter Training (01-05-0038)]; OR completion of all of the following:
- Rescue Technician - Basic (01-04-0032) or Rescue Operations (01-04-0029);
- Incident Command System (01-11-0023);
- Basic Wildland Fire Suppression (01-05-0007);
- Inspection of Existing Structures (02-06-0008);
- Standard first aid or equivalent;
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), AND
- Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).
NOTE: Completion of a basic fire training program certified by the State Fire Administrator as meeting the requirements of section 426.6 [i.e. Recruit Firefighter Training (01-05-0038)] meets the requirements for this certification and does not require pre-requisite completion of the NYS Recruit II and I certifications.
Download the Firefighter Application
Firefighter In-Service
Designed For: All fire service personnel. Required for career firefighters of fire departments employing six or more career firefighters.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Completion of an annual in-service fire training program certified by the State Fire Administrator as meeting the requirements of section 426.7.
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations (01-09-0071); and
- Accident Victim Extrication Training (01-04-0001); OR
- NYS Hazardous Materials Responder I certification.
Note: Completion of annual refresher training of sufficient content and duration as to maintain competence or demonstration of competence in required knowledge and skills at least annually is required to maintain this certification. It is the responsibility of the certified individual to maintain documentation of completion of this annual in-service training or demonstration of competency requirement.
Download the Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations Application
Hazardous Materials Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Prerequisite: NYS Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations certification.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Hazardous Materials Technician (01-09-0039); or
- NYS Hazardous Materials Responder II certification.
Note: Completion of annual refresher training of sufficient content and duration as to maintain competence or demonstration of competence in required knowledge and skills at least annually is required to maintain this certification. It is the responsibility of the certified individual to maintain documentation of completion of this annual in-service training or demonstration of competency requirement.
Download the Hazardous Materials Technician Application
Hazardous Materials Advanced Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Prerequisite: NYS Hazardous Materials Technician certification.
Required Fire Service Training:
- Hazardous Materials Advanced Technician (01-09-0002)
Download the Hazardous Materials Advanced Technician Application
Incident Safety Officer
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Incident Safety Officer (01-15-0007);
- Principles of Building Construction: Combustible (01-05-0034) or Building Construction for Fire Suppression Forces: Principles of Wood Frame and Ordinary Construction;
- Principles of Building Construction: Noncombustible or Building Construction for Fire Suppression Forces: Noncombustible and Fire Resistive Construction (01-05-0035);
- Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations (01-09-0071); AND
- Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST) (01-05-0018).
Technician
Confined Space Rescue Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Rescue Technician-Basic (01-04-0032) or Rescue Operations (01-04-0029);
- Confined Space Awareness and Safety (01-04-0014);
- Confined Space Rescue (01-04-0013) or Confined Space Rescue-Technician Level (01-04-0012);
- Current NYS Department of Health Certified First Responder (CFR) certification; and
- Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification from one of the following: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or National Safety Council.
Note: Rescue Technician-Basic/Confined Space/Rescue-Technician Level Course (01-04-0033) may be substituted for Courses 1, 2 and 3 above.
Download the Confined Space Rescue Technician Application
Rope Rescue Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Rescue Technician-Basic (01-04-0032) or Rescue Operations (01-04-0029)
- Intermediate Rope Rescue (01-04-0023) or Rope Rescue - Operations Level (01-04-0035);
- Advanced Rope Rescue I (01-04-0003) or Rope Rescue - Technician Level I (01-04-0036);
- Advanced Rope Rescue II (01-04-0004) or Rope Rescue - Technician Level II (01-04-0037);
- Current NYS Department of Health Certified First Responder certification; and
- Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification from one of the following: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or National Safety Council.
Download the Rope Rescue Technician Application
Structural Collapse Rescue Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Rescue Technician-Basic (01-04-0032) or Rescue Operations (01-04-0029);
- Basic Structural Collapse Operations (01-04-0055);
- Medium Level Structural Collapse Concepts (01-04-0040);
- Medium Structural Collapse Operations: Tools (01-04-0057);
- Medium Structural Collapse Operations: Void Search and Rescue (01-04-0060);
- Medium Structural Collapse Operations: Interior Shoring (01-04-0058);
- Medium Structural Collapse Operations: Exterior Shoring (01-04-0059);
- Concrete Breaching and Breaking (01-04-0011);
- Rescue Heavy Rigging (01-04-0028);
- Current NYS Department of Health Certified First Responder certification; and
- Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification from one of the following: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or National Safety Council.
Note: Completion of Medium Construction Relating to Building Failure (01-04-0025), Shoring Concepts (01-04-0017), and Void Concepts (01-04-0049) may be substituted for Medium Level Structural Collapse Concepts (01-04-0040) listed as #3 above.
Download the Structural Collapse Rescue Technician Application
Surface Water Rescue Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Rescue Technician-Basic (01-04-0032) or Rescue Operations (01-04-0029);
- Water Rescue - Operations Level (01-04-0053);
- Swift Water Rescue - Technician Level (01-04-0041);
- Current NYS Department of Health Certified First Responder certification; and
- Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification from one of the following: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or National Safety Council.
Note: Water Rescue Operations and Swift Water Rescue - Technician Level (01-04-0051) may be substituted for Water Rescue - Operations Level (01-04-0053) and Swift Water Rescue-Technician (01-04-0041) listed as # 2 and #3 above.
Download the Surface Water Rescue Technician Application
Trench Rescue Technician
Designed For: All fire service personnel
Required Fire Service Training:
- Rescue Technician-Basic (01-04-0032) or Rescue Operations (01-04-0029);
- Basic Trench Collapse Concepts (01-04-0061) or Trench Rescue - Awareness Level (01-04-0008);
- Medium Structural Collapse Operations: Tools (01-04-0057);
- Basic Trench Collapse Operations (01-04-0009) or Trench Rescue - Operations Level (01-04-0042);
- Advanced Trench Collapse (01-04-0005) or Trench Rescue - Technician Level (01-04-0043);
- Current NYS Department of Health Certified First Responder certification; and
- Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification from one of the following: American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or National Safety Council.
Contact OFPC Standards Unit
For questions or concerns, contact the OFPC Standards Unit of the Fire Operations and Training Branch using the phone or email below.