Follow the professional qualifications in the updated NFPA 1001 so fire fighters will be ready to meet job challenges safely and effectively.

NFPA 1001: Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications identifies the minimum job performance requirements for career and volunteer fire fighters whose duties are primarily structural in nature. Provisions address entrance requirements, Fire Fighter I, and Fire Fighter II.

Changes in the 2013 edition address five major areas:

• Hazardous materials items referenced NFPA 1001 will continue to refer to NFPA 472: Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents to provide guidance in meeting the federal mandate for hazardous materials training for fire fighters and emergency response personnel.
• Adoption of 13 skill requirements from the Essential Jobs Tasks in NFPA 1582: Comprehensive Occupational Medical Programs for Fire Departments
• Addition of defining language and job performance requirements (JPRs) for fire fighters regarding fire and life safety initiatives. This will enhance community outreach efforts and supplement ongoing community risk reduction efforts, including such activities as public fire education, pre-incident inspection, receiving station visitors, and informing small groups about prevention.
• The time limit requirement associated with the JPR for donning PPE and SCBA was removed to shift the priority to personal safety.
• A new JPR was developed to address the need for a fire fighter to activate an emergency call for assistance.

Update to the 2013 NFPA 1001 to make sure fire fighters are up to the task.