Certification Testing
In This Section
Certification Testing
Certification Testing Schedule
| Certification Level | Written Exam | Practical Skills Exam | Application Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter I Beaver County, Closed Test |
8/5 BCS PSTF |
8/8 at 7:30 AM BCS PSTF |
Closed |
Closed |
| Support & Firefighter I | 8/25 at 6:30 PM 蘑菇视频 PSTF | Upstairs Classroom |
8/29 at 7:30 AM 蘑菇视频 PSTF |
Discount Deadline: 7/22 |
Discount: $295 |
| Driver/Operator Aerial | 9/26 at 7:30 AM 蘑菇视频 Closed |
9/26 蘑菇视频 Closed |
Discount Deadline: 8/24 |
Discount: $185 |
| Entry Level Testing | Support, FFI, HMA & TIMs |
11/16 (HMA & Support) |
11/21 at 7:30 AM (FF1 & TIMs) 蘑菇视频 Closed |
Discount Deadline: 10/9 |
Discount: $365 |
| Firefighter II Class/Certification Class Dates: 9/14, 9/16, 9/21, 9/23, 9/30, 10/3, 10/4 & 10/14 |
10/24 at 7:30 AM |
10/24 蘑菇视频 PSTF |
Deadline: 8/31 |
Regular Price: $385/person |
| Fire and Emergency Services Instructor I Class Dates: 1/9, 1/10, 1/23 & 1/24 |
1/30 at 8 AM |
1/30 at 8 AM |
Deadline: 12/23 |
Regular Price: $225/person |
| *If you cannot attend any part of the certification, please contact us at least two weeks before your scheduled certification. If we are not notified, you and your department will be responsible for the registration fee. | ||||
Note: All certifications have limited enrollment. To reserve your spot, you must submit a completed certifiction application, supporting documentation, and a 蘑菇视频 class registration form by the application deadline or before the certification is full.
How to Register
All applications can be found on the .
- Complete appropriate certification application, typed and paperclipped. You must complete all pages on the application, including Chief's Signature(s).
- Paperclip all supporting documentation to the back of your application. Supporting documents should be copies, all other documents must be originals.
- Complete the .
- Register for a free to review your certification status.
- Submit your application and 蘑菇视频 Registration Form before the application deadline.
Please mail the original application and copies of the supporting documentation to:
- 蘑菇视频
Attention: Public Safety Training Facility, Certification
107 College Dr.
Butler, PA 16002
- 蘑菇视频
- After you submit certification materials, you will receive notification of the status of your certification application within 30 days.
- Before the certification, review appropriate for study reference materials.
- After your application is approved, about 2 weeks before your certification date, you will receive notification of the agenda and items you will need for your certification.
Note: To receive discount pricing, candidates must submit completed application(s), all required supporting documentation, full payment, and email confirmation that they have met the discount requirements by the discount deadline date. No exceptions.
Need to Prepare?
蘑菇视频 offers various prep classes for certifications.
Example of Certification Prep Classes:
- Firefighter I - Entry Level Fire Training or a Firefighter I Prep Class
- Firefighter II 鈥� Advanced Firefighter or a Firefighter II Prep Class
- Hazardous Materials Awareness - Hazardous Materials Awareness or Operations Class
- Driver/Operator 鈥� Pumper - Emergency Vehicle Operator Training (EVOT) and Pump Operations I & II
- Hazardous Materials Operations - Hazardous Materials Operations or Technician classes
- Fire Instructor I - part of the 蘑菇视频 Educational Methodology for Local Level Instructors class
Certification Testing Details, Retest Procedures & Resources
- Must complete the skill in a timely, safe & proficient manner (Move with a purpose)
- PSFA Facial Hair Policy does apply -
- No cameras, textbooks, or skill sheets in permitted in the testing or staging area.
- Testing facility/grounds are secured no friends, family, visitors, or fire officers permitted.
- No electronic devices are permitted during testing, for example cell phones, smart watches, pagers and all other electronic devices.
- No one will be permitted to leave the testing area for any reason.
- You will be given a routing card (do not misplace as you will need at each skill station)
- You could be sent to each station as a team but will be evaluated individually. When finished, return to the staging area to be assigned to another station.
- If you must use the restroom 鈥� check with the router.
- If you are caught cheating, the test coordinator will ask you to leave quietly. You will not be permitted to continue the test until a final decision is made by the State Fire Academy
- State Fire Academy has the final decision on all certification matters.
On Test Day
You must pass all skill stations - If you are unsuccessful on 3 or fewer skill stations, you may retest the same day. Only one retest per skill station. If you are unsuccessful on 4 or more skill stations, you may NOT retest the same day.
If you need to come back to retest on a different day
Written test can be given anytime. Skill station tests can only be given when a certification is scheduled. You can attend any PSFA Certification Test Site to take a retest.
To schedule a retest at 蘑菇视频 PSTSF
When you are ready to retest, email the letter from the PSFA Certification Office to Jason Bragunier by emailing jason.bragunier@bc3.edu Please include in the email 3 dates and times when you prefer to take the written retest or which scheduled Certification you want to retest the skill station(s). Please provide at least 21 days notice when you want to schedule a retest.
Do not lose your letter from the PSFA regarding retesting, no retest will be given without this letter.
- Listen to the evaluator鈥檚 directions closely, and ask questions before you begin each skill
- Communicate with your partner, remember appropriate PPE for skill station (ie, eye, hand, head protection, etc)
Understanding the New Requirements for Support Firefighter, Firefighter I (FFI), and Firefighter II (FFII) Certifications
Effective July 1, 2026, candidates can no longer test under the NFPA 1001 ("old") certification standard.
For complete certification requirements, visit .
Requirements
- Minimum Age: 14
- Current PSFA-approved Hazardous Materials Awareness/Refresher (or higher) completed within one year of certification. Training must meet the requirements of NFPA 1072 (2017) or NFPA 470 (2022).
- Current PSFA-approved Traffic Incident Management (TIM) course. Click link above for course list.
- Completion of one of the following:
- EL-26 Support Firefighter Training Program (current Firefighter Entry-Level Program)
- PSFA-approved EL-26 Support Firefighter Bridge Program
- EL22 Entry-Level Interior Firefighter (ELIF)(2022鈥�2026)
- EL14 Entry-Level Interior Firefighter (ELIF)(2014鈥�2022)
- Bucks Basic Fire Academy
For complete certification requirements, visit .
Requirements
- Minimum Age: 17
- Current PSFA-approved Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) or Refresher completed within one year of certification. Training must meet the requirements of NFPA 1072 (2017) or NFPA 470 (2022).
- Current Support Firefighter Pro Board Certification.
- Completion of one of the following:
- EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1) (current Firefighter Entry-Level Program)
- EL22 Entry-Level Interior Firefighter (2022鈥�2026) with Live Fire
- EL14 Entry-Level Interior Firefighter (2014鈥�2022) with Live Fire
- Bucks Basic Fire Academy and a PSFA-approved Structural Burn Session
- Current PSFA-approved First Aid program or Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) Emergency Services Certification. For a complete list of courses visit: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/osfc/fire-departments/train/cpr-first-aid-requirements
Important Notes
- PSFA-approved Structural Burn Sessions (SBS) are no longer accepted unless submitted with a Bucks Basic Fire Academy.
- Entry-Level "Essentials" certificates earned before 2014 are not accepted for Support Firefighter or Firefighter I certification.
For complete certification requirements, visit .
Requirements
- Minimum Age: 18
- Current PSFA-approved Incident Command System (ICS) course, including one of the following:
- National Fire Academy Incident Command System Course
- NIMS ICS for the Fire Service
- Incident Command System and Resource Management for the Fire Service
- NIMS ICS for EMS
- NFA IS-100 and IS-200 (Independent Study or Facilitated Courses)
- Current Firefighter I Certification.
- Completion of one of the following:
- EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2) (current Firefighter Entry-Level Program)
- EL22 Advanced Firefighter (2014鈥�2026)
- Current PSFA-approved Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO) or Refresher completed within one year of certification. Training must meet the requirements of NFPA 1072 (2017) or NFPA 470 (2022).
- Current Vehicle Rescue Operations training, including one of the following:
- Pennsylvania Joint Vehicle Rescue Program (NVRA and NVRO)
- Pennsylvania Joint Vehicle Rescue Technician Certification
- Pennsylvania Joint Vehicle Rescue Program (PVRO-24)
- Pro Board or IFSAC NFPA 1006 (2021 Edition), Chapter 8 鈥� Common Passenger Vehicle Rescue Operations
- Pro Board or IFSAC NFPA 1006 Vehicle Technician Level I or Vehicle/Machinery Rescue Certification
Support Certification
- Firefighters who completed EL14 or EL22 Interior Firefighter with Live Fire may proceed directly to the Support Firefighter and Firefighter I certification pathway.
Firefighter I Certification
- Candidates must first earn the Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification before testing for Firefighter I.
- PSFA-approved Structural Burn Sessions (SBS) are no longer accepted unless submitted with a Bucks Basic Fire Academy.
- Candidates who completed an Essentials program prior to EL14 or EL22 (before 2014) are not eligible to test and must complete the current training requirements.
Note: This applies to certification testing only.
Firefighter II Certification
The previous option to challenge the Firefighter II certification examination has been eliminated.
Bridge Courses
Support Firefighter Certification Bridge 蘑菇视频:
If you currently hold one of the following courses, the requirements to obtain Support Firefighter Certification are:
Introduction to the Fire Service (EL22): Candidates must complete the new EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS) program.
Fireground Support (EL22): Candidates may complete the 12-hour BEL22_26 Bridge Course to become eligible for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification and a PSFA-approved Traffic Incident Management (TIM) course.
Exterior Firefighter (EL22): Candidates may complete the 12-hour BEL22_26 Bridge Course to become eligible for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification and a PSFA-approved Traffic Incident Management (TIM) course.
蘑菇视频 PSTF Testing Types
Open Testing 鈥� These certifications are open for public enrollment.
Closed Testing 鈥� These certifications are for a specific fire department or organization and its members. The organization controls how many candidates can attend the certification. The organization must pay for a minimum of 15 candidates.
Off-Site Testing 鈥� To increase accessibility of certifications, we can deliver certain certifications locally. Requests must be submitted at least 120 days before the certification date. Off-site testing is normally for HMA, Driver/operator series & Fire & Emergency Instructor series.
*Candidates must meet the prerequisites of the certification they are testing for. 蘑菇视频 offers various prep classes for certifications.
蘑菇视频 PSTF Certification Types
- Driver/Operator - Pumper, Tanker, and Aerial - by individual appointment or group testing
- Evaluator Workshop
- Fire Fighter I & II
- Fire Instructor I & II - part of the 蘑菇视频 Educational Methodology for Local Level Instructors course
- Hazardous Materials Awareness - by individual appointment or group testing
- Hazardous Materials Operations
- Mission Specific - Technical Decontamination
- Mission Specific - Mass Decontamination & Victim Recovery
- Mission Specific - Air Monitoring
- Traffic Incident Management
Additional certifications may be available based on request.
Contact Us
| Kevin Smith Director of Public Safety Training Facility and Programming |
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| Jason Bragunier Public Safety Fire Training and Certification Coordinator |
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| Sarah Miller Administrative Assistant, Fire Training |
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