FFOSHA Q & A

 

FFOSHA Questions and answers

Below is a listing of common questions asked during the round of public hearings held around the state on F.A.C. Rule 69A-62.

Are the proposed rules going to include any type of implementation period by the Division?

The rule calls for immediate compliance however the rule allows the division to work with any department that shows 'good faith effort'. As long as the fire department in question demonstrates that they are trying to comply, we will work with them without the threat of fines. Our goal is to help all fire departments provide a safe workplace for ALL firefighters in Florida.

What other standards will volunteer firefighters who possess a State Basic Volunteer Certificate need to meet in order to continue to perform as volunteer firefighters for 2-In-2-Out purposes?

Basic Volunteer Certificate did not include such training as SCBA. In order for a Volunteer Firefighter to perform within the 'Hot Zone', he / she must be 'trained commensurate to duty'. Volunteer Firefighters holding the old SBVC must document required training prior to participating in specific operations. We wouldn't want to send anyone into an environment they have not been properly trained to handle. Our goal is to make sure everyone goes home in the same condition they responded.

May Department of Defense firefighters respond individually as a member of a local volunteer fire department and meet the exemption standards or will they have to qualify for Firefighter II or I?

Department of Defense Firefighter II can obtain Florida Firefighter I status through a simple request to the Division without the requirement of a test. They simply need to make an application to the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training. They will only have to show proof of their D.O.D. certification. The application for exemption form will be available on the 'Standards' web page at the Volunteer/Firefighter1 web page after implementation.

This question has been asked in several different ways, so we will attempt to ask it generically: There are a lot of volunteer firefighters, including Chief officers, who have had and are having ongoing training, not all of which is documented, will they be allowed to sit for the Firefighter I test?

Those volunteers who have had the requisite training but cannot document that training will be permitted to demonstrate their proficiency for a state certified instructor. Once they have demonstrated their proficiency in the prerequisite areas, they will be permitted to sit for the firefighter I test.

There were several questions regarding the term 'commensurate with duty'. Does that mean everyone has to be Firefighter I or better and are S130 and S190 required to fight wildland fires?

Trained 'Commensurate with duty' means you need to have been trained to perform the duties you are assigned to. Your Incident Commander should not be sending you into the hot zone if you have not been trained to perform within that environment. This training needs to be documented.

S190 and S130 are requirements of the Division of Forestry just as FF I and FF II are requirements for structure firefighting. It all comes down to being trained to perform the tasks you are assigned. The entire intent is to make sure everyone who shows up at the call makes it home after the call.

If we have a state certified instructor within our department, may we conduct our own firefighter I class within our fire department at our own pace?

If you know a state certified instructor, even on another department, you are free to do your own training, at your station, at your pace. If you don't know a state certified instructor and you want to have your own training at your station and at your own pace, the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training will help you find a state certified instructor.

How does the Basic Volunteer Certificate exemption apply to the 2-in/2-Out and 'Exclusionary Zone'?

The exemption for SBVC allows a volunteer firefighter who holds that certificate to avoid taking the Firefighter I test and still participate in the 'Hot Zone' or 'Exclusionary Zone' provided they have been trained to perform the tasks assigned. SBVC, in and of itself may not included SCBA or other necessary training however, so you may still have to show documentation of that training. Your Chief has the responsibility of knowing what tasks you have been trained to perform and what documentation is on file.

Can a person in firefighter I training participate as one of the 2-In/2-Out people?

Again we need to look at 'Trained Commensurate to Duty'; as a member of the 2-out team this individual is likely to be required to enter an IDLH so the question is 'Have they been trained to perform the tasks assigned'? If they have been trained to fight an interior structure fire and to use SCBA as well as all the rest of the training required, the answer is yes. What is important to remember here is that we train to fight fires; we do not fight fires to train. This is not the type of profession where O.J.T. can easily be used.

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