1. (1) (a) In order for the Commission to determine if a training is equivalent to a required training offered by the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy, all training programs seeking such determination of equivalency must submit:

   1. 1. An outline of the training to be used; and either;
   2. 2. A correlation of the program to the applicable NFPA standards; or
   3. 3. A correlation of the program to the class offered by the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy.
   4. (b) A department may use a previously-approved training program on file with the Commission provided that the program meets or exceeds the current Commission- adopted NFPA standard and is approved by the Commission.

2. (2) To sit for certification testing, each individual must submit documentation that the prerequisites for the appropriate level of certification have been met.

   1. (a) An applicant sitting for the Fire Fighter I test without completing the prerequisite courses must have satisfied the requirements of T.C.A. § 4-24-112 and the prerequisite Hazardous Materials Awareness (HMA)/Hazardous Material Operations (HMO) certifications.
   2. (b) Certificates of course completion do not constitute certification.
   3. (c) Certification as Fire Fighter I shall be considered proof of a firefighter’s completion of a minimum sixteen (16) hours of initial training and basic and live burn training requirement.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-24-101, 4-24-107, and 4-24-112. Administrative History: Original rule filed December 14, 2009; effective March 14, 2010. Repeal and new rule filed October 27, 2014; effective January 27, 2015. Amendments filed April 2, 2025; effective July 1, 2025.