HomeMy WebLinkAbout500.003 - Accredited Local AcademyEffective Date: April 2015 Michael Gilbert, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 02/10/2023 Section 500.003
Next Revision (1) Date: 02/10/2025 Page 1 of 3
Fresno City Fire Department
500 Firefighter Trainee Manual
SECTION 500.003 ACCREDITED LOCAL ACADEMY
PURPOSE
The Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department) academy was developed to create
a Fire Fighter I (FFI) Academy with certified instructors and evaluators to be compliant
with changes in Office of the State Fire Marshal State Fire Training (SFT) 2019
curriculum.
APPLICATION
SFT requirements brought California in line with the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) requirements for Fire Fighter I (FFI) and Fire Fighter II (FFII). The
following sections outline some of the requirements for FFD to maintain accreditation.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
When a firefighter trainee academy is held, all requirements set forth by SFT, under
the local accreditation should be adhered to.
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
To enhance efficiency, all firefighter trainee information specific to the academy,
including Department forms and policies, will be available to the firefighter trainees via
FFD’s Learning Management System (LMS), and other digital means. This avoids the
need to produce multiple copies of each policy and manual. If the firefighter trainee
chooses, he/she can print what he/she deems important. Each firefighter trainee is
issued an iPad for use, which is to remain the property of FFD. The iPad is the
firefighter trainee’s primary access point to FFD training, computer programs, and
email system. Training staff will ensure the appropriate applications are installed and
functioning prior to dispersal. Firefighter trainees may also utilize their own personal
devices if they wish.
Firefighter trainee logins must be created and available before the orientation.
Personnel Services Department should trigger the USER ID’s and a password once
a firefighter trainee accepts the offer of employment. This should be completed a
minimum of one week prior to firefighter trainee orientation. This allows time for
the instructors to test the login information and make corrections, if needed.
Effective Date: April 2015 Michael Gilbert, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 02/10/2023 Section 500.003
Next Revision (1) Date: 02/10/2025 Page 2 of 3
The academy certification test request must be made within SFT six weeks prior to
the start date and have a registered lead instructor and registered skills evaluators
associated with the request.
All written exams may be done via the LMS. This provides instant grading and limits
the need to hand grade the exams. Scores are generated and added to a spreadsheet
to maintain each firefighter trainee’s cumulative average. This is not intended to limit
the ability of an instructor to use a handwritten exam. An impromptu exam is a
valuable tool, which should be used when an instructor deems it appropriate.
For a firefighter trainee to receive credit for passing the Accredited Local Academy
FFI process, he/she needs to score a minimum of 70% on the capstone written exam.
Each module must be passed. Consistent with SFT standards, one retest will
be offered per module if needed. If a firefighter trainee fails a module retest,
he/she will be removed from employment with the City of Fresno. This does not
impact the employment standard of 80% as passing for FFD. The score of the SFT
exam will be added into the cumulative total. According to SFT, the exam is validated
by ensuring questions are the same across the three reference choices (currently FFD
uses IFSTA Essentials of Firefighting). If reading is assigned along with lectures, the
firefighter trainees should receive the material while in the academy.
The academy has been structured to follow the reference material to ensure all
material is covered prior to the module exams. Prior to issuing the written exam, the
registered lead evaluator will ensure all SFT and third-party vendor test fees are paid.
The Psychomotor/Manipulative exam for each module operates in a similar manner.
SFT will provide the lead instructor a list of the mandated skills, and one or more of
the random skills for the exam. The random skills are not to be shared with the
firefighter trainees per the SFT. There is a total of 7 required skills and 41 random
skills in the FFI module. Firefighter trainees should have been trained in all required
and random skills and have access to the skills sheets. The process is the same
across the three different modules. Only registered evaluators who received training
in the process are to be utilized. A minimum of two evaluators assesses the trainees’
skills during each exam. Additionally, two new evaluators are used if a retest is
necessary. Nothing in the SFT process would limit FFD from adding additional skills
to the exam process or the method in which the skills are delivered -- station based
versus scenario based.
PROCESS
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Effective Date: April 2015 Michael Gilbert, Battalion Chief
Current Revision Date: 02/10/2023 Section 500.003
Next Revision (1) Date: 02/10/2025 Page 3 of 3
INFORMATION
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DEFINITIONS
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CROSS REFERENCES
Office of the State Fire Marshal State Fire Training
https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/divisions/state-fire-training/cfstes-professional-
certification/fire-fighter-1-2019/