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Kentucky offers an accredited fire fighter certification to any present Kentucky
fire fighter or currently enrolled student of fire safety/science at KCTCS or Eastern Kentucky University. Out of State First Response personnel CANNOT be certifiied under the Kentucky
system without association with a Ky Fire Department or the fire/science programs at EKU or KCTCS. Non-firefighters associated
with a first response agency or fire brigade/safety team within Kentucky may be certified to the Haz Mat standard only.
REMINDER: Candidates must be at least 18 years of age and be a member of a Kentucky FD or a full-time student of
Fire Science at EKU or KCTCS to be eligible for firefighter testing. Candidates must bring state issued drivers license
or ID card to skills testing site for positive identification and verification of age eligibility. Candidates under 18, may
complete any of the written exams, and may certify to Haz Mat Awareness only.
All Certifications are based on the Professional Qualification standards set forth by the NFPA for Firefighters, except Haz Mat, which is a Job Performance standard. Our accreditation is through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). This accredited certification is issued by the Governors Commission on Fire Protection, Personnel Standards and Education, commonly known as the Kentucky Fire Commission. Kentucky currently holds accreditation in 9 certification levels, those certifications being: Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2 (NFPA 1001-2008), Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations (NFPA 472-2008), Driver/Operator Pumper, Mobile Water Supply and Aerial (NFPA 1002-2003), Airport Fire Fighter (NFPA 1003-2005) and Fire Instructor 1 (NFPA 1041-2007).
Kentucky honors reciprocity of other entity accredited certifications on a case by case basis. Kentucky does NOT honor certifications that were obtained through "grandfathering or implication". Firefighters with accredited certifications from outside Kentucky, who certified through a testing of cognitive knowledge and practical application, may receive a non-accredited Kentucky Firefighter Certification through reciprocity. This non-accredited certification is statutory and is based upon training.
All Certifications are based on the Professional Qualification standards set forth by the NFPA for Firefighters, except Haz Mat, which is a Job Performance standard. Our accreditation is through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). This accredited certification is issued by the Governors Commission on Fire Protection, Personnel Standards and Education, commonly known as the Kentucky Fire Commission. Kentucky currently holds accreditation in 9 certification levels, those certifications being: Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2 (NFPA 1001-2008), Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations (NFPA 472-2008), Driver/Operator Pumper, Mobile Water Supply and Aerial (NFPA 1002-2003), Airport Fire Fighter (NFPA 1003-2005) and Fire Instructor 1 (NFPA 1041-2007).
Kentucky honors reciprocity of other entity accredited certifications on a case by case basis. Kentucky does NOT honor certifications that were obtained through "grandfathering or implication". Firefighters with accredited certifications from outside Kentucky, who certified through a testing of cognitive knowledge and practical application, may receive a non-accredited Kentucky Firefighter Certification through reciprocity. This non-accredited certification is statutory and is based upon training.
Additional
certifications, such as Driver Operator and Airport Firefighter may be required to obtain Kentucky's statutory firefighter
certification. These requests are handled on a case by case basis by the Fire Commission System Office in Versailles. Additionally,
three (3) Kentucky specific training courses, consisting of 20 hours training, must be completed in addition to the out-of-state
accredited certification to qualify the candidate for Kentucky statutory certification. Those courses are Kentucky Firefighter
Survival (8 hrs), Kentucky Firefighter Rescue (8 hrs) and Kentucky Wildland Firefighting Awareness (4 hrs). All 3 course are
available through the office of an Area Coordinator of State Fire Rescue Training.
Persons interested in gaining Kentucky statutory certification for the purpose of qualifying for incentive
or state aid should contact the Kentucky Fire Commission office in Versailles at 800-782-6823.
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Kentucky IFSAC Accredited Certification Program * PO Box 248 * MOREHEAD
* KY * 403511-888-301-2946