The Testing Candidate

Each candidate for certification will be one of the following:

  • A member of a Louisiana fire department
  • A member of some other Louisiana emergency responder organization
  • A member of an industrial corporation that has been approved for certification
  • An individual or out of state personnel taking a class at the OSFM Fire and Emergency Training Academy

In all cases, a Test Request Form will need to be completed and submitted. Candidates for certification must be at least eighteen (18) years of age. Identification and age are verified with a photographed ID (driver's license). The fire chief/administrator, training officer, or pre-approved designate of the department/organization recommends the candidate for examination. No individual or out of state personnel will be examined unless he/she is taking a class at the OSFM Fire and Emergency Training Academy.

 

Filling Out the Form

The Test Request Form is a fillable, PFD form that allows for entering information by computer. The form has capabilities to automatically attach the completed form to email application or the form can be printed for scanning and emailing or for submitting hard-copies via fax or mail.

The fire chief or administrator of the department recommends the candidate for examination and will need to fill out the information on the test request form pertaining to them. The candidate can view the Certification Testing Schedule to decide on a time and location that is convenient for them. The candidate can take any test at any one of the test sites as long as the specific test requirements are met. The requirements for each specific examination can be found by clicking on the chosen examination listed in the list of available exams. Pre-registration is required and must be completed by the deadline listed. Walk-in registration at the test site will not be accepted.

Any candidate that does not show up for the examination, the department or organization will be subject to the charge. In order to avoid charges, test candidate cancellations must be made twenty-four (24) hours before the scheduled test time.

Once the Test Request Form completed, it must be submitted to the Louisiana Firefighter and Emergency Responder Certification Program. The complete form should be sent via email, fax, or mail within seven (7) days prior to the examination date chosen.

 

Costs & Fees

Non-supported Louisiana Fire Department Members/Industrial/Individual Fees:

The fee for candidates that are not a member of a Louisiana Fire department supported by the 2% Fire Insurance Fund is $80.00 and must be paid prior to or on the day of the examination, unless other arrangement have been approved by the Manager of Certification. Allowed payment options include purchase order, credit card, money order, or check.

Supported Louisiana Fire Department Members:

Candidates that are a member of a Louisiana Fire department supported by the 2% Fire Insurance Fund, the costs are as follows:

  • $20/exam for Hazmat Awareness, Hazmat Operations, Firefighter I, and Firefighter II
  • $35/exam for all other examinations
  • These examination charges will be invoiced to the candidate’s department, unless other arrangements for payment are made

Steps to Receiving Confirmation Notice for Testing:

A candidate for certification must meet the prerequisite requirements as outlined by NFPA Professional Qualifications and the Louisiana Firefighter Certification Program for the certification level requested. The requirements for each specific examination can be found by clicking on the chosen examination listed in the Certifications Offered listing. After the Certification program receives a valid candidate's test request form, the request is then processed for approval. Upon completion of the processing, a confirmation notice is sent electronically to the fire chief, training officer, or pre-determined designate, not to the candidate. This confirmation letter will include details regarding any prerequisite information that is still needed prior to the candidate taking the exam.

 

General Testing Information

Grading and Results:

The completed examinations will be scored in a timely fashion, with the unofficial results being emailed within seven (7) days of the exam date and official results mailed within thirty (30) days. No telephone or fax requests for results, (including pass or fail), shall be granted.

Probation Period:

Candidates failing two (2) cognitive (written) or manipulative (practical) examinations in a one hundred eighty (180) day period will be denied testing for ninety (90) days.

Skills Evaluation Expiration:

The manipulative skills evaluations expire in one hundred eighty (180) days. If the evaluation expires or if the candidate is placed on probation for two fails, a new skills evaluation for that level is required.

Examination Time Limits:

Examination times may vary, but the maximum amount of time for all written examinations is no more than two (2) hours, unless approved accommodations are applied.

 

Disability Accommodations

Individuals with disabilities may have different types of limitations that affect their abilities to take tests. The Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended) (ADAA) and the Rehabilitation Act ensure that individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to have equal and fair access. This equal and fair access is accomplished through reasonable testing accommodations at the Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Academy. Requests for accommodations will be considered on a case by case basis once adequate contemporary documentation of the disability and need for the specific accommodations requested have been provided. Accommodations which would alter essential elements of a particular program, included but not limited to reading and passing written examinations, will not be granted. To request the accommodations paperwork and process, please email us at fetacert@la.gov.

Dishonesty:

Dishonesty of any kind with respect to examinations, alterations of records, or attempts to use the mail to obtain certification will not be tolerated. Examinations must represent the student's own work and must be completed in the presence of an approved Lead Evaluator without the assistance of books, notes, devices, or outside help, unless specified otherwise in the examination directions. Candidates who give information to a dishonest candidate will be considered as culpable as the candidate being assisted.

Electronic Devices:

No electronic devices are permitted during an examination. This includes but is not limited to cell phones, pagers, smart watches, radios, etc.

The Louisiana Firefighter and Emergency Responder Certification Program is a voluntary program.