NC Hazardous Materials Responder Certification

Fire and Rescue Commission
INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING

In a continued effort to reduce fire loss in the State of North Carolina, the State Legislature established General Statute 58-78-5.14b, which requires the State Fire and Rescue Commission to establish voluntary minimum professional qualifications for all levels of fire and rescue service personnel.
The standard for Hazardous Materials Responder Certification is considered to be a minimum standard and the Fire & Rescue Commission fully recognizes that, due to differing requirements, many fire departments may set forth standards much higher than these for their personnel. It is the intent, however, that through a voluntary program, personnel who serve as Hazardous Materials Responders in our state, will meet or exceed this standard.

Program Standard

The NFPA 472 Standard for Haz Mat Responders Professional Qualifications, Current Edition, will be the performance standard used for Hazardous Materials Responder certification. This program is intended to meet or exceed the requirements of that standard as well as OSHA 1910.120. Agencies should continually monitor changes in either of these documents to maintain applicable compliance.

Entrance Requirements

The Hazardous Materials Responder candidate must meet the entrance requirements listed below before certification can be issued.

Age / Education Requirements

The candidate must be at least18 years of age.
The candidate must have a high school diploma or equivalent recognized by the State Department of Public Instruction (i.e., GED).

Program Requirements

The instruction and evaluation given a Haz Mat Responder who achieves certification is critical to ensuring a quality program. Training and evaluation of students must be accomplished by qualified individuals, working in conjunction with approved delivery agencies.

Student Evaluation

Evaluation of the student for certification is a critical link in the total preparedness of the individual. Student evaluations must be accomplished by qualified Level II Instructors serving as proctors. The evaluation itself must be separate and distinct from the training process.

Practical Examination

Practical examinations are intended to measure the manipulative skills of the Haz Mat Responder and will follow guidelines set forth under the Policy for Testing manual. Although capable of testing 100% of the practical objectives, the examination will only test a pre-selected percentage based on testing scenarios provided to the proctor. A score of 70% or above shall constitute a passing grade for the candidate.

Written Examination

The written exam measures the cognitive skills of the Haz Mat Responder and must follow the guidelines set forth under the Policy for Testing manual. The examination will be randomly generated and provided to the evaluator by the delivery agency. A score of 70% or above shall constitute a passing grade for the candidate.

Reciprocity

Any Haz Mat Responder certified by another state or agency whose program is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC), or the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications, and is a member of a fire/rescue agency in North Carolina may be granted equivalent certification provided the agency was accredited at the time of his/her certification. Reciprocity section.

Recertification Requirements

No recertification required as of October 2002.

Certification Authority & Records

Certificates for Haz Mat Responders will be issued by the Commission Office when the candidate has met the requirements for certification.