Section 141.316  Chief Fire Officer

a)         An Illinois Chief Fire Officer certification shall meet or exceed the qualifications identified in NFPA 1021.

b)         Prerequisites

1)         Engagement as Illinois fire protection personnel, as attested by the employing fire chief of the candidate seeking certification;

2)         Currently hold a position at the managerial or administrative level;

3)         Current certification as an Advanced Fire Officer;

4)         Completion of the NIMS 300 and 400 Command and General Staff courses;

5)         Documentation of a minimum of 10 cumulative years of fire service experience;

6)         Submission of the Chief Fire Officer application supplied by the Division, including:

A)        Resume;

B)        Organizational chart of their fire department;

C)        Copy of the candidate's highest degree or transcripts;

D)        Copy of the candidate's Advanced Fire Officer certification;

E)        Copies of the candidate's NIMS 300 and 400 or Command and General Staff course completions;

F)         Three letters of reference, one being from their immediate supervisor;

G)        Documentation of a minimum of 10 cumulative years of fire service experience; and

H)        Signed statement of attestation by the fire chief or, in the case of the applicant being the fire chief, the supervisor of the fire chief (such as Mayor, President of Trustees or similar official).

7)         Successful completion of an approved Chief Fire Officer course following these phases of education:

A)        Phase 1:  Background and foundational information can be taught via online learning management systems or in the classroom, consisting of a minimum of 200 instructional hours; and

B)        Phase 2:  Practical applications and information review shall be completed in a traditional classroom setting. This section shall be completed in class to achieve student interaction with the complex management situations that Chief Fire Officers encounter. This phase consists of a minimum of 100 instructional hours.

8)         Passage of the State Written Examination;

A)      Once a candidate has successfully completed Phases 1 and 2 of an approved Chief Fire Officer course, the candidate may challenge the State Written Examination;

B)       The State Written Examination shall be passed within one year after completion of Phase 2 of an approved Chief Fire Officer course. If the State Written Examination is not passed within one year after completion of Phase 2 of an approved Chief Fire Officer course, the candidate shall be required to retake Phases 1 and 2 prior to receiving certification;

9)         Phase 3:  Submission of a completed Task Book for certification.  The task book for certification shall be signed by the fire chief or, in the case of the applicant being the fire chief, the supervisor of the fire chief (such as Mayor, President of Trustees or similar official). The candidate shall have a maximum of 3 years from date of passage of the State Written Examination to complete the Chief Fire Officer Task Book supplied by the Division;

10)         For Full Certification, a candidate must meet all requirements in NFPA 1021 for Fire Officer III and Fire Officer IV and the requirements identified in the current Task Book;

11)         For Provisional Certification, a candidate must meet all requirements in NFPA 1021 for Fire Officer III and requirements identified in the current Task Book; and

12)         Candidates who have completed a Chief Fire Officer course prior to January 1, 2022, and have not received Full Certification by December 31, 2025, must complete a new course prior to applying for or receiving Full Certification at the Chief Fire Officer level.

c)         Training documentation shall be maintained in the fire service personnel's training records at the employing fire department.

d)         A qualified instructor for this level must be certified as Fire Service Instructor II and Chief Fire Officer.

e)         Fire department or individual reimbursement may be available for training costs for Chief Fire Officer as provided in Subpart E.

f)         The course as set forth in Section 141.115 and the training facility as set forth in Section 141.100 must be approved by the Division.

g)         Credit for an equivalent course will be approved by the Division when the equivalent course meets the requirements of Section 141.120.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 10877, effective July 11, 2024)