Section 0360-07-01-.04 - ENTRY LEVEL PERSONNEL(1)(a) It shall be mandatory for all qualified volunteer firefighters to become certified, when eligible, at the Fire Fighter I level in order to become eligible for educational incentive pay.(b) It shall be mandatory for all qualified career firefighters to become certified, when eligible, at the Fire Fighter I level and progress when eligible through the Fire Fighter II level of certification in order to become eligible for educational incentive pay.(2)(a)1. A volunteer firefighter must complete CPR training within twelve (12) months of the firefighter's service or not later than December 31, 2021.2. The volunteer firefighter must complete the sixteen (16) hour Introduction to Fire and Emergency Services Course, the sixty-four (64) hour Basic Firefighting Course and the Commission approved Live Burn by the end of the calendar year in which the volunteer reaches the firefighter's thirty-sixth (36th) month of service with a recognized department or within thirty-six (36) months after July 1, 2021. This requirement will be satisfied if the firefighter can show proof of having completed the sixteen (16) hour Introduction to Fire and Emergency Services Course, the sixty-four (64) hour Basic Firefighting Course, Commission approved Live Burn within ten (10) years of December 31, 2021, or Fire Fighter I or above, having no break in service exceeding sixty (60) months.3. A volunteer firefighter must complete Fire Fighter I, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations certification levels by the end of the calendar year in which the volunteer applicant reaches his/her sixtieth (60th) month of service with a recognized department or within the firefighter's sixtieth (60th) month after July 1, 2021. Firefighters who have not obtained Fire Fighter I, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations certification after that date shall not be eligible for educational incentive pay until required certification(s) have been obtained. This requirement will be satisfied if the firefighter can show proof of having completed Fire Fighter I and no break in service exceeding sixty (60) months.(b) A career firefighter must complete Fire Fighter I, Fire Fighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations certification levels by the end of the calendar year in which the applicant reaches the applicant's thirty-sixth (36th) month of employment with a participating fire department. Firefighters who have not obtained Fire Fighter I, Fire Fighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations certification after that date shall not be eligible for educational incentive pay until required certification(s) have been obtained.(3) Qualified personnel, who are separated from the fire service for a period of greater than 60 months and then reenter the fire service shall subsequently obtain certification in accordance with rule 0360-05-01-.02.(4) Individuals hired into a department as Fire Safety Inspectors after December 31, 1990, and who are not trained in fire suppression may meet the requirements of this section by completing certification as prescribed by T.C.A. § 68-120-113 by the end of the calendar year in which they reach their twelfth (12th) month of employment. If an individual is hired as a Fire Safety Inspector and later transfers to fire suppression, the individual shall achieve Fire Fighter I, Fire Fighter II, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations certifications within thirty-six (36) months after the transfer date.(5) Individuals hired into a department as Public Fire and Life Safety Educators after December 31, 1990, and who are not trained in fire suppression may meet the requirements of this section by completing certifications as Public Fire and Life Safety Educator I and Public Fire and Life Safety Educator II by the end of the calendar year in which they reach their twenty-fourth (24th) month of employment. If an individual is hired as a Public Fire and Life Safety Educator and later transfers to fire suppression, the individual shall achieve Fire Fighter I, Fire Fighter II, and Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations certifications within thirty-six (36) months after the transfer date.(6) The date an individual became employed as a firefighter or volunteered as a firefighter, respectively, for participation in the Educational Incentive Pay Program shall be the date used to calculate deadlines for certification.(7) All career fire departments participating in the Educational Incentive Pay Program shall ensure to have their qualified personnel obtain the Fire Fighter II level of certification no later than the thirty-sixth (36th) month from the date the department enters into the Educational Incentive Pay Program. Department personnel that have not obtained the required certification(s), as provided in rule 0360-07-01-.04(1)(a) and (b) and (2)(a) and (b), shall be ineligible to receive educational incentive pay until the required certification(s) have been obtained.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0360-07-01-.04
Original rule filed August 27, 1979; effective October 10, 1979. Amendment filed September 30, 1983; effective December 14, 1983. Amendment filed November 8, 1990; effective December 23, 1990. Repeal and new rule filed October 14, 1994; effective February 28, 1995. Amendment filed April 25, 2005; effective July 9, 2005. Amendment filed December 14, 2009; effective March 14, 2010. Repeal and new rule filed October 27, 2014; effective January 25, 2015. Amendments filed July 27, 2018; effective October 25, 2018. Emergency rules filed September 2, 2021; effective through March 1, 2022. Emergency rules expired effective March 2, 2022, and the rules reverted to their previous statuses. Amendments filed August 29, 2022; effective 11/27/2022.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-24-101, 4-24-106, 4-24-107, 4-24-201, and 4-24-202.