NFPA 1000: Standard for Fire Service Professional Qualifications Accreditation and Certification Systems establishes the minimum criteria for accrediting bodies, and for the assessment and validation of the process used to certify fire and related emergency response personnel to professional qualifications standards.

NFPA 1000 is essential for:

• Organizations providing accreditation to entities certifying fire and related emergency response personnel and institutions of higher education granting degrees for non-engineering, fire-related academic programs
• Entities certifying fire and related emergency response personnel as having met or complied with a recognized national standard
• Non-engineering, fire-related, academic, degree-granting programs offered by institutions of higher education

Changes in the 2017 edition include:

• Added language that requires a certifying entity to ensure the safety and health of individuals participating in the evaluation process
• Added language that directs certifying entities to develop a policy that addresses current knowledge and skills as well as recertification and renewal requirements
• This edition mandates that certifying agencies are required to comply with applicable NFPA® or equivalent standards adopted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
• Principles and concepts identified in the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) "16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives" are included in an Annex.

Additionally, the term "fire and related emergency response personnel" has been replaced with "fire service, public safety, and related personnel" throughout the document.