Certifications are a measurable way of demonstrating and maintaining our skills, even if they may seem like a lot of work.
We asked readers on Facebook to share their opinions on if firefighters should be required to recertify each year like EMTs. We gathered the most compelling responses and shared them below.
We now invite you to join in by adding your own opinion in the comment section below.
1.“If your department is doing training the way they are supposed to be, then you shouldn’t have to.” — Clinton Gibbens
2.“That would be the end of volunteers.” — Nick Seiden
3.“Yes. Refreshment courses and updates are always helpful — even to a 31-year veteran like myself. New tactics and equipment always need in-service training and lets you get a feel for the new equipment.” — John M Finnigan
4.“It wouldn’t be a bad idea for career firefighters. Maybe every five years for career and every two years for volunteer firefighters.” — C.J. Marin
5.“Specialized skills like hazmat, rope, confined space and water rescue have to be refreshed every year. Some type of live burn training at least once a year isn’t a bad idea; most departments already do this annually anyway.” — Danny Williams
6.“Recertification’s should be per department based on the number of calls. Smaller departments with fewer calls should need a recertification every 2-3 years. Big city departments that handle more fire calls in a year should be every 5 years.” — Jim Barrella
7.“The last thing I need is one more thing to stress about after 240 hours of fire training per year, 72 hours of EMS training per year, two jobs totaling to about 90 hours per week, the additional classes I take on my personal time and a family to take care of.” — Tyler Morris
8.“Yes. I have seen so many firefighters that don’t go to classes and are stuck with what they learned as a rookie 20-30 years ago. Weekly training is great, but you need outside classes — especially in the volunteer department. " — Gregg Egbers
9.“Absolutely. The fire service is just as dynamic as EMS.” — Austin J Woolsey
We also polled our readers here and the results can be seen below.
