This message is to inform the fire service about changes to the Fire Inspector series of courses offered by the Alabama Fire College.
The AFC is accredited by IFSAC and ProBoard to 74 levels. While these 74 levels provide an avenue for our students to achieve certification in many areas, it also comes with its own set of challenges. One being that for the AFC to maintain accreditation, we must almost continually modify our training, curriculum, and testing processes to adhere to the National Fire Protection Association standards when the NFPA standards change, which is approximately every five years.
One recently revised program is NFPA 1030, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Prevention Program Positions. The Fire Inspector series is changing from three levels, Inspector I, II, and III, to two levels, First Responder Inspector and Fire Inspector. The new Inspector levels do not invalidate the former Inspector I, II, and III levels.
The new 32-hour First Responder Inspector is geared toward company-level personnel and designed to provide an overview and awareness of inspection processes for line personnel. The Fire Inspector course is designed for those who will conduct more in-depth inspections, are assigned inspection duties, and may eventually progress to Fire Plans Examiner. The Fire Inspector course will consist of 16 hours of pre-course material, 48 hours of in-person classroom instruction, and 16 hours of post-course material. This course will contain the knowledge and skills formerly in the Inspector II and Inspector III courses. The hours may be reduced once we conduct the pilot courses and determine exactly how long it will take to deliver the content.
After January 1, 2025, the prerequisite for Fire Plans Examiner will be either Inspector III (old standard) or Fire Inspector (new standard). If you do not have Fire Inspector III, you will be required to take the 80-hour Fire Inspector course to meet the prerequisite for Fire Plans Examiner. It may be preferable for some, particularly if they have Fire Inspector II, to go ahead and take the current 40-hour Fire Inspector III course prior to January 1. For a list of upcoming Fire Inspector courses, please log into the AFC Dashboard and filter for upcoming Inspector courses.
The AFC staff and I acknowledge that the changes in the NFPA standards create confusion and frustration. However, to remain accredited the AFC must meet the requisite knowledge and requisite skills outlined by the NFPA. As always if we may be of service please do not hesitate to contact us.
Matt Russell, Executive Director