Wisniewski Training & Certification Measures for Firefighters Clears Committee

WISNIEWSKI TRAINING & CERTIFICATION MEASURES FOR FIREFIGHTERS CLEAR COMMITTEE

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Law and Public Safety panel today released four bills Assemblyman John Wisnieswki sponsored to improve training, certification and recruitment for firefighters in New Jersey.

"We must ensure that our firefighters have the proper training and skills to do their jobs and do them safely," said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). "Our brave first responders in the line of fire face life and death situations every day. Every split second, every action, and every reaction could result in a life being saved or lost."

Wisniewski's measures would address basic training requirements for paid entry-level firefighters; accreditation standards of recruit firefighting training programs; and certification for firefighting, fire suppression and fire rescue.

"Everyday, New Jersey's professional and volunteer firefighters put themselves in harms way to keep our communities and families safe," Wisniewski said. "They need uniform training and certification standards that will help them fulfill their missions of protecting property and saving lives."

The Assembly panel today released the following measures:

• A-1934 - would establish uniform basic training requirements for entry-level career firefighters and any career firefighters promoted to supervisory positions - except the position of chief. Only firefighter promotions occurring after the enactment of this bill would be affected by the basic training requirement.

The training program for entry-level firefighters would include 122 hours of instruction and utilize a curriculum providing one-time initial training. The training program would be primarily based upon the standards set forth for fire service training and certification in the New Jersey Administrative Code or any other recognized national standard that may be adopted by reference.

Firefighters promoted to higher titles would be subjected to further training consisting of a minimum of 160 hours of instruction over a minimum of four weeks, and would provide one-time initial training for persons promoted to lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and deputy chief.The provisions of the bill would not take effect until one year after enactment.

• A-1947 - would require all recruit firefighting training programs conducted by the state Division of Fire Safety to be accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications, the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications, the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress or any successor entity.

Recruits that successfully complete an accredited recruit firefighter training program would be eligible to receive a certificate of national certification offered by the organization that accredited the training program.

Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Essex), who is a Nutley deputy fire chief, and Assemblyman Joe Vas (D-Middlesex) also are sponsoring the bill with Wisniewski.

• A-1961 - would require career and volunteer firefighters to obtain "firefighter 1" certification from the state Division of Fire Safety before engaging in fire suppression, firefighting or fire rescue. Incumbent firefighters would be required to obtain the certification within 12 months of the bill's effective date. This bill would take effect on the first day of the six-month period after its enactment.

Scalera and Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) also are sponsors of this bill.

• A-2097 - would exempts firefighters with five or more years experience in fire suppression, fire fighting or fire rescue from certification requirements. According to statistics released by Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), fires killed more Americans than all other natural disasters combined in 2006. There were 1.6 million fires that year, claiming 3,245 civilian lives and 16,400 civilian injuries. Direct property loss due to fires for the year was estimated at $11.3 billion.

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