A NEW Comprehensive Standard for Professional Qualifications in Fire, EMS, and Instructor Roles

NFPA 1020, Standard for Fire and Emergency Instructor, Fire Officer, and Emergency Medical Services Officer Professional Qualifications, identifies the minimum job performance requirements (JPRs) for both fire and EMS officers while also addressing them for fire service instructors. The JPRs in this standard can be used to develop curricula and certifications, write job descriptions and organizational policies, evaluate employees at the officer or instructor level, and more.

NFPA 1020 was created to consolidate both NFPA 1041, Standard for Fire and Emergency Services Instructor Professional Qualifications, and NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications, into a single, streamlined standard.

This new 2025 edition introduces unit-level (EMS Officer I), supervisory or multi-unit level (EMS Officer II), and division or agency-level (EMS Officer III) job performance requirements for EMS professionals, specifically with no firefighting prerequisites. The structure of these JPRs into new, separate jobs allows for the seamless integration of EMS officer tasks into fire- and non-fire-based EMS operations without burdening those departments that are not tasked with EMS operations.

Many JPRs in the Fire Officer I-IV levels have been revised for improved usability, with more specific evaluation criteria and annex material to explain the intent of the technical committee.