(a) An individual who becomes employed and is appointed
as the head of a prevention only fire department must be certified
by the commission as Head of a Prevention Only Fire Department, within
one year of appointment. The requirements in this subchapter also
apply to an individual who is appointed on an interim basis to head
of a prevention only fire department.
(b) Prior to being appointed as the head of a prevention
only fire department, an individual must:
(1) hold a Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification
as a fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator. The
individual must have five years of experience in a full-time fire
prevention position or ten years in a part-time fire prevention position
at the time of appointment, or attain the required years of experience
within one year of the appointment; or
(2) possess valid documentation of accreditation from
the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress that is deemed
equivalent to the commission's approved basic arson investigator,
fire investigator, or fire inspector curriculum and provide documentation
in the form of a sworn non-self-serving affidavit of five years of
experience in a full-time fire prevention position in a jurisdiction
other than Texas; or
(3) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of ten years of experience as an employee of a local governmental
entity in a full-time fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson
investigator position in a jurisdiction other than Texas; or
(4) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of ten years of experience as a certified fire investigator,
fire inspector, or arson investigator as a part-time fire prevention
employee; or
(5) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of ten years of fire prevention experience as an active
volunteer fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator;
or
(6) document a combined total of five years of experience
using:
(A) full-time experience while holding commission certification
as a fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator; and
(B) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of experience as an employee of a local governmental entity
in a full-time fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator
position in a jurisdiction other than Texas as referenced in paragraph
(3) of this subsection, with two years of affidavit time counted as
one year of experience for purposes of this qualification; or
(C) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of experience as an active volunteer fire inspector, fire
investigator, or arson investigator in one or more volunteer fire
departments, with two years of affidavit time counted as one year
of experience for purposes of this qualification; or
(7) document a combined total of five years of experience
using:
(A) full-time experience while holding commission certification
as a fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator; and
(B) documentation of accreditation from the International
Fire Service Accreditation Congress that is deemed equivalent to the
commission's approved basic fire investigator or fire inspector curriculum
while appointed to a full-time fire prevention position in a jurisdiction
other than Texas. Documentation of experience will be in the form
of a sworn non-self-serving affidavit; or
(8) document a combined total of five years of experience
using:
(A) documentation of accreditation from the International
Fire Service Accreditation Congress that is deemed equivalent to the
commission's approved basic fire investigator or fire inspector curriculum
while appointed to a full-time fire prevention position in a jurisdiction
other than Texas, with documentation of experience being in the form
of a non-self-serving affidavit; and
(B) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of experience as an employee of a local governmental entity
in a full-time fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator
position in a jurisdiction other than Texas as referenced in paragraph
(3) of this subsection, with two years of affidavit time counted as
one year of experience for purposes of this qualification; or
(C) provide documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of experience as an active volunteer fire inspector, fire
investigator, or arson investigator in one or more volunteer fire
departments, with two years of affidavit time counted as one year
of experience for purposes of this qualification; or
(9) document a combined total of ten years of experience
using:
(A) documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of experience as an employee of a local governmental entity
in a full-time fire inspector, fire investigator, or arson investigator
position in a jurisdiction other than Texas as referenced in paragraph
(3) of this subsection; and
(B) documentation in the form of a sworn non-self-serving
affidavit of experience as an active volunteer fire inspector, fire
investigator, or arson investigator in one or more volunteer fire
departments.
(c) Holding the Head of a Prevention Only Fire Department
certification does not qualify an individual for any other certification.
An individual who seeks certification in another discipline must meet
the requirements for that discipline.
(d) Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed
to supersede Chapter 143, Local Government Code, regarding appointment
as the head of a prevention only fire department.
(e) Individuals certified as the Head of a Prevention
Only Fire Department must meet the continuing education requirement
as provided for in Chapter 441 of this title (relating to Continuing
Education).
|
Source Note: The provisions of this §449.201 adopted to be effective February 26, 2015, 40 TexReg 831; amended to be effective November 18, 2018, 43 TexReg 7557; amended to be effective May 20, 2019, 44 TexReg 2464 |