Entry-level recruit firefighter training, aligned with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Firefighter Professional Qualifications (formerly NFPA 1001), establishes clear performance expectations and ensures consistency and standardization of firefighter training across the State of Alabama. This approach ensures that all entry-level firefighters, both career and volunteer, meet the same minimum requirements regardless of department or geographic location. The training develops essential hands-on skills required for entry-level firefighting operations while instilling teamwork, discipline, and the core culture of the fire service. As a foundational program, it prepares recruits who choose to advance their careers for additional and specialized firefighter education, ensures they can operate safely and effectively as part of a crew, and reduces risk to firefighters, their teammates, and the public they serve.
During the past six months, the Alabama Fire College (AFC) has communicated the consolidation of NFPA standards under NFPA 1010, with the changes scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2026. The following key points warrant particular attention, as this transition will impact every fire department across the State of Alabama.
The NFPA has consolidated multiple professional qualification standards into a single, unified standard, NFPA 1010, Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters, which replaces and incorporates the following:
- NFPA 1001 – Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications
- NFPA 1002 – Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications
- NFPA 1003 – Standard for Airport Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications
- NFPA 1005 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Marine Fire Fighting for Land-Based Fire Fighters
Alabama Fire College Transition to NFPA 1010
AFC will transition to NFPA 1010 effective June 1, 2026. This transition requires comprehensive updates to curriculum, training materials, certification pathways, and testing processes. No certifications will be issued for NFPA 1001, Firefighter Professional Qualifications training conducted using IFSTA 7th Edition materials after June 1, 2026. As a ProBoard and IFSAC accredited agency, AFC is required to fully implement the NFPA 1010 standard no later than June 1, 2026.
Updated Training Materials by Certification Level
The following instructional materials will be adopted to align with NFPA 1010:
- Fire Fighter I & Fire Fighter II
(Including Firefighter Bridge and Volunteer Programs)- IFSTA – Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition
- Fire Apparatus Operator
(Aerial, ARFF Driver, Emergency Vehicle Driver, Mobile Water Supply, Pumper)- IFSTA – Pumping and Aerial Apparatus Driver/Operator Handbook, 4th Edition
- Airport Fire Fighter (ARFF)
- IFSTA – Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting, 7th Edition
- Marine Fire Fighter
- IFSTA – Marine Fire Fighting for Land-Based Fire Fighters, 3rd Edition
New Certification Level: Fire Support Person
Revisions to Firefighter I and Firefighter II introduce a new foundational certification level: Fire Support Person. Key components include:
- All Firefighter I candidates will complete Fire Support Person training and certification as an embedded component of Firefighter I
- Candidates may obtain Fire Support Person certification as a standalone credential, with the option to pursue Firefighter I (Volunteer) certification within 24 months in accordance with applicable state requirements
- To achieve full career firefighter certification, trainees must complete the full progression of:
- Fire Support Person
- Firefighter I
- Firefighter II
This model establishes a progressive, scalable pathway for both volunteer and career firefighters.
Task Book Requirements
Task books will be implemented in conjunction with the new curriculum for all applicable certification levels. Task books are a work in progress and will be ready for distribution after the Alpha pilot and Beta pilot Firefighter courses this spring. Requirements include:
- Mandatory task book completion for:
- Fire Support Person
- Firefighter I
- Firefighter II
(career and volunteer candidates)
- Each task must be:
- Proctored and signed by the training officer, course coordinator, lead instructor, or instructor, and
- Verified by a separate evaluator
- Each task directly aligns with specific Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) established by NFPA 1010
- Completed task books document 100% completion of all required JPRs prior to certification testing
Testing Changes
The following testing modifications will accompany the NFPA 1010 transition:
- AFC will no longer test the 14 mandatory JPRs during or at the conclusion of training as part of AFC skills testing
- Task book completion is required before skills testing eligibility
- AFC test teams will conduct live burn testing for final evaluations for both career and volunteer Firefighter I courses
- For volunteer training, cognitive (written) testing will occur after Module III, rather than at the conclusion of each module
- More information regarding Modules and course sequencing will be released in January 2026, after the pilot courses have been delivered and the training materials have been updated
For More Information
Further details and ongoing updates will be available on the Alabama Fire College website at: www.alabamafirecollege.org/curriculum.
For ANY questions or concerns please contact your regional coordinator, who can provide guidance and walk you through the transition to NFPA 1010.
Matt Russell, Executive Director, Alabama Fire College