State Test's & Accepting Certifications?

[fire228]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post, but bare with me please...

I am a Certified Firefighter in Florida and have been since 1999. I also have numerous Fire Science classes (Company Officer, Haz-Mat, Etc...).

My question is, Do other states accept the Certification of Firefighter from Florida or would I have to go through another academy if I moved to a new state? Does it vary state by state?

My wife and I are looking to move within the next year, but I would hate to go through another 3-4 month academy like a newbie since I have been doing this for 12 years....

[johnny46]

*tests *bear

[Chief_Roy]

I think it would depend on the state and the department. I know of some departments (usually seems to be the larger ones) that will require you to go through the academy again no matter what certifications you have or how long you may have been a firefighter. It borders on ridiculous and being a huge waste of taxpayers dollars. In one extreme example, I had a friend who had been a paid firefighter for 10 years and had already been through the 10 week state fire academy. He got hired at another department just 50 miles away, and they insisted he had to go back through the 10 week state fire academy again. He wanted the job really bad so he did it, but I certainly wouldn't have. Most departments aren't that unreasonable.

[hwoods]

And...........

Here in Maryland, If you come to the Table with National Pro Board Certificates, you're usually in real good shape............

[Drobinson]

I just recentl. got certified in Texas and i know here if you pass the state test and all of its 4 sections you can pay to get your IFSAC seals. You can get seals for each individual cert, FF1 FF2 hazmat awareness hazmat ops ect. and once you have these seals your cert transfers to something like 44 states and multiple countries. From what i understand most states will let you apply for a cert in there state with the seals and some will make you take their certification test.

[CaptOldTimer]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post, but bare with me please...

I am a Certified Firefighter in Florida and have been since 1999. I also have numerous Fire Science classes (Company Officer, Haz-Mat, Etc...).

My question is, Do other states accept the Certification of Firefighter from Florida or would I have to go through another academy if I moved to a new state? Does it vary state by state?

My wife and I are looking to move within the next year, but I would hate to go through another 3-4 month academy like a newbie since I have been doing this for 12 years....

It's probably depends on what state you are trying to go to or may be thinking og.

Try a google search for those states.


For Virginia it is >>> www.vafire.com


`

[gunnyv]

Not that anyone is moving TO Michigan anymore, but Michigan does not accept certs from anywhere else. They want your $$$. If you are certified elsewhere and sponsored by a Michigan FD, they will allow you to challenge the test, but you'll pay almost as much as the academy price.

[pasobuff]

NY will accept some certs - and is moving toward more Pro-Board requirements....however, individual paid FD's you'd have to check with on a one by one basis - not sure how they deal with certifications, especially coming from a career job into another career job....if it is civil service, there may be requirements listed in the experience or pre-requisites section of the posting.

[Marc the Shark]

I'm not trying to high jack your thread but I have a question of the same nature... I'm also in Florida and am wondering if California specifically would accept a Florida cert, make you test or would i have to do the academy all over for California?