Recognition Process of In-House or Third-Party Training
Requests for recognition of any non-³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ training conducted in-house by a fire department or by a third-party provider must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis according to the ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿â€™s (³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿) Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) policy and procedures.
Generally, students seeking PLAR will be assessed by completing a challenge exam, skills assessment, portfolio assessment, or a combination of assessment methods to determine whether the training meets the learning outcomes of the requested ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ course. Please note that a favourable PLAR assessment is not guaranteed.
Students applying for PLAR credits are required to complete and submit the Prior Learning Recognition request form, with applicable fees, and arrange for the submission of supporting documents. PLAR assessment will not commence until all required fees have been received.
³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ is the only firefighter training provider in B.C. dually accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (The Pro Board) and the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ also holds the Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation, recognized for meeting or exceeding quality assurance standards set by the province of B.C.
The ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ PLAR policy supports the needs of the fire service by helping to ensure firefighters completing ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ programs fully meet the minimum job performance requirements as outlined in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and the British Columbia Fire Service Minimum Training Standards.
Fire departments that use the ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ Vocational Firefighting Programs (Exterior, Interior, and Full Service Firefighter Operations) are encouraged to have training officers complete the requirements to become a . ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ Evaluators serve an integral role in ensuring that fire service members who have completed ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ courses and training have done so to the level required to meet NFPA standards and the requirements of IFSAC and Pro Board accreditation.
The ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿â€™s (³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿) Fire & Safety Division has received requests from students and Fire Department Training Officers to recognize .
The Fire & Safety Division (FSD) has been consulting and working with IAFF representatives from Washington DC, the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association, Pro Board, the FSD Fire Service Advisory Committee, and other valued stakeholders. Through this consultation process, FSD will provide the following recognition of IAFF Hazmat Operations certification:
- Reciprocity/Waiving Prerequisites (No Credit Granted)
For students looking to enrol in ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿â€™s HZMT-1120 Hazardous Materials Technician Level course, ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ will provide Pro Board reciprocity1 and waive prerequisites for students who have completed Pro Board-accredited IAFF Hazmat Operations courses. Students will need to submit a Requisite Waiver to receive reciprocity to enrol in HZMT-1120 to gain NFPA 1072 Technical Level certification through ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿. Students will not receive credit for their IAFF courses.
- Prior Learning Assessment (To Receive Credit)
Students completing the Fire Fighter Technologies Certificate (FFTC) or Full Service Fire Fighter Operations program that need credit on their ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ transcript for their Pro Board-accredited IAFF Hazmat Operations courses will be required to complete ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿â€™s Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process.
Completion of the PLA will bridge the identified gap in training specifically for obtaining credit for HZMT-1100 Hazardous Materials Awareness Level (0.5 credits) and HZMT-1110 Hazardous Materials Operations Level (2.0 credits) courses.
To receive the 2.5 credits and recognition on your ³Õºº¾ãÀÖ²¿ transcript, students will be required to submit the following:- Pro Board accredited IAFF HazMat Operations Certificate
- Written confirmation and validation from the AHJ (e.g. Fire Chief) stating that the student has completed an additional 14 hours of Hazardous Materials practical training in:
- Hazmat scene management (Incident Action Plans)
- Decon
- Donning and Doffing level A and or B suits
- Scenario Based training demonstrating the ten defensive tactics described in NFPA 6.6.3.1
1 - Reciprocity allows students to submit proof of certification to a particular NFPA standard permitting them to register and complete the next level of certification for that particular standard. It is also important to recognize that although Pro Board encourages reciprocity among certifying entities, it is not automatic or required.
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