CHAPTER I: OFFICE OF THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL
PART 141 POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL
SECTION 141.304 FIREFIGHTER III
Section 141.304 Firefighter III
The Office recognizes the Firefighter III level as equivalent to or exceeding the Firefighter II level identified in NFPA 1001. The term synonymous with Firefighter III is Journeyman Firefighter and identifies the expected level of supervision.
a) Prerequisites
1) Certification as a Firefighter II (see Section 141.300) and Hazardous Materials First Responder – Operations (see Section 141.230).
2) Engagement in firefighting in an organized Illinois fire department as a fire protection person according to the Act as attested to by the employing Fire Chief of the individual seeking certification.
3) Attainment of three years cumulative fire service experience in a fire department that may include any combination of full-time, paid-on-call, volunteer, and military service (if a person's primary responsibility was fire protection). Proof is required. Job descriptions and personnel records are examples of adequate proof.
4) Successful completion of the Firefighter III course.
5) Passage of the State written examination (see Section 141.200).
6) Passage of the State practical skills examinations (see Sections 141.200 and 141.300(g)).
b) Reimbursement may be received for training costs for a Firefighter III (see Subpart E).
c) The instructor of a Firefighter III course must meet the requirements of Section 141.115(c).
d) The course and facility must be approved by the Office as provided in Sections 141.110 and 141.115.
e) Modular Training
Firefighter III training can be taken in a series of modules. The State written examination can be taken by module or by taking the complete examination. When an individual takes the examination by modules, the passed modules will be kept on file until all modules are passed. If an individual is training by module, and then enters a training facility or a college program that instructs the complete program mode, any previously passed modules cannot be used to exempt any portion of the examination; the complete examination must be taken. When an individual elects to be trained using the modular system, he or she may select the order of any module and its examination. (See Section 141.200.)
f) Firefighter III Certification
For certification as a Firefighter III, the candidate shall meet the job performance requirements in NFPA 1001, including requirements defined in Chapter 3, Competencies of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents, and NFPA 1500 as it applies to Firefighter III.
g) Education and Training
1) Fire department officials will determine when the education and training are to be received by the Firefighter III candidate.
2) Fire department officials will determine when the education, training and experience of a candidate are adequate for the officials to sign a Request for Examination form authorizing the Firefighter III candidate to take the State examinations.
3) All requirements of the Office shall be met for each certification level before certificates will be issued. This includes passing the State written examination and practical skills examinations and submission of the Validation-Attestation to the Office.
h) Refresher Training
The Firefighter III is considered by the Office to be the senior technical level in the fire suppression career ladder and, therefore, is not required to progress to another level in order to maintain certification. In order to insure that Firefighter III personnel maintain their proficiency, they are encouraged to keep abreast of the state of the art by participating in refresher training reflecting applicable objectives.