Are the technicians and mechanics who work on emergency vehicles qualified to do so? Most departments would like to think they are, but what does it really take and what could happen if they aren't?

NFPA 1911, Inspection, Maintenance, Testing and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus, makes two important distinctions regarding the qualifications of personnel who work on fire apparatus and other emergency vehicles. First, it states that “any person performing diagnostic checks, inspections or maintenance of the fire apparatus shall meet the qualifications of NFPA 1071, [Emergency Vehicle Technician Professional Qualifications] or the equivalent.” This covers the types of work normally performed by maintenance personnel such as troubleshooting faults in the electrical system, inspecting and adjusting the brakes, replacing tires and other tasks requiring greater skills.

Second, the standard states that the “… [authority having jurisdiction, usually the fire department or fleet services department] shall determine who is qualified to perform the daily/weekly inspection and the operational checks of fire apparatus.” This covers the types of work normally performed by apparatus operators such as checking the tire pressures, starting the engine, inspecting for leaks and other tasks requiring lesser skills.

In either case, the term fire apparatus includes all vehicles “… designed to be used under emergency conditions to transport personnel and equipment, and to support the suppression of fires and mitigation of other hazardous situations.” That covers pumpers, tankers, aerials, rescues, hazmat units, airport rescue and firefighting units, and a variety of other vehicles that normally respond to emergencies. However, it doesn't cover certain staff cars, utility trucks and other non-emergency vehicles unless the department wants to include them.

NFPA 1911 went into effect in December 2006 and applies to all in-service frontline and reserve apparatus regardless of their model year. It is one of the few standards that applies retroactively to older apparatus, and its requirements affect all departments in the United States.

To comply with NFPA 1911, departments must first identify all the work that needs to be performed on each apparatus. This work is defined in apparatus and chassis maintenance manuals, various component manuals, and other NFPA standards. State and federal vehicle safety requirements define the need for certain inspections and adjustments. Each department may add other inspections, maintenance and tests based on their own experience and operating conditions.

Next, departments must define how often each job needs to be performed and what skill level is required to perform it. For example, relatively simple operational checks and inspections need to be performed daily or weekly and require only a basic skill level. On the other end of the scale, more complex tasks need to be performed biannually or annually and require more advanced skill levels.

Finally, departments need to divide the work into several categories depending on the frequency, skill level, and special tools or equipment required for each job. Defining these categories will help them decide how to assign the work. Frequent, but simple jobs may be assigned to the apparatus operators or other firefighters, depending on the policies and labor agreements in each department. Less-frequent and more-complex jobs usually are assigned to the fire department or fleet services maintenance personnel. Very complex jobs, or those that require specialized equipment, may be sourced to outside shops or contract services.

No matter where the work is done, it is each department's responsibility to ensure that the people performing the work are qualified to do specific jobs. That includes the simplest inspections and the most complex testing. It applies to personnel inside the department as well as those working for outside companies. When a department contracts with an outside source for apparatus inspection, maintenance or testing, part of the contract should include a definition of the qualifications required to perform the work. If the outside source can't assign personnel with the required qualifications, the department should take the work elsewhere.

So what does it take to be qualified? The NFPA definition of a qualified person is a person “… who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill, and who, by knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.” That covers several different methods for establishing qualifications, and each is as valid as the others.

People who have degrees from recognized colleges, vocational institutes or other educational facilities have received training in a variety of subjects relating to a specific field of study and have successfully passed the required examinations or other demonstrations of their knowledge. Their degrees are tangible recognition of their qualifications. Likewise, people who hold certificates in specific areas of study usually have had to demonstrate their qualifications in those areas through written tests or practical exercises. Applicable certifications might include those issued by the Emergency Vehicle Technician Certification Commission, the Society for Automotive Excellence or national trade institutes, as well as those from state EVT associations and various apparatus and component manufacturers. Departments need to understand that certificates of qualification usually are based on tests or other measures of performance, while certificates of participation are usually based solely on attendance and are of limited value in demonstrating qualifications.

Recognition of professional standing can take the form of state registrations or licenses, or it may simply be the result of working in a particular area for many years. Departments need to evaluate the validity and applicability of prior work experiences when determining whether they are sufficient to establish qualifications in given areas. Skills, or the ability to do specific jobs without necessarily having any training or experience, also are demonstrations of qualifications but need to be evaluated to ensure they are valid demonstrations of qualifications.

Whatever method departments use to establish the qualifications of personnel working on emergency vehicles, it is important to keep accurate records. Where possible, the records should include copies of all degrees, certificates, licenses, work experience and other written documents regarding each person's qualifications. Department training classes also should be recorded, along with the dates, the names of the instructors and the results of any tests.

Matching qualifications

Having qualified personnel isn't enough. Departments also need to match those personnel to specific jobs to ensure the work is being performed by people who are qualified to work in that area.

For the most basic jobs, such as the daily or weekly inspections and operational checks, the required qualifications usually can be established through short training classes within the department. The firefighters or other people assigned to perform the inspections need to know what to check, how to check it, what conditions are unacceptable and what to do if unacceptable conditions are found. If inspection sheets or other documentation are involved, they need to know how to record the information. A practical exercise involving an actual inspection coupled with a written test might serve as a demonstration of each person's skills. The results of the training should be recorded in each person's file.

For more complex jobs, departments need to follow the requirements of NFPA 1911. Some jobs require only limited skill or training and may be assigned to personnel with general vehicle knowledge. Examples might include changing engine oil, adjusting belt tensions, replacing filters and retorquing frame fasteners. Training, experience or general certifications usually are sufficient to qualify people for this type of work.

More detailed jobs involving engines, transmissions, braking systems, steering, suspensions, tires and other vehicle components require more specific skills. A combination of training, experience and ASE, EVTCC or other certifications in specific areas usually are required to qualify people for this work.

Pump maintenance and annual pump tests are unique to fire apparatus and should be done by personnel who have specific knowledge of pump components and operation. Pumps require periodic inspection, adjustment and replacement of components to perform properly. Pump test results require proper preparation of the apparatus and a knowledge of the physical layout of the test site, weather conditions, sequence of operations and troubleshooting techniques to produce the best results. EVTCC F-3 certification or instruction from specific apparatus or pump manufacturers usually are required to qualify people to do this work.

Electrical systems are unique on emergency vehicles and should be maintained by personnel who are familiar with the components, operation and diagnostic techniques required. Pump governors, remote-controlled monitors, electric valve actuators and multiplex electrical systems require special knowledge and special tools to properly diagnose and resolve problems. EVTCC F-4 or FA-4 certification or instruction from specific apparatus or component manufacturers are usually required to qualify people to work in this area.

Aerial maintenance and tests are among the most complex work on fire apparatus and should be performed by personnel with specific qualifications. The complexity of the electrical and hydraulic systems alone demand special skills, and the inspection and testing techniques require a high degree of training. EVTCC F-5 certification or instruction from specific apparatus or aerial manufacturers is mandatory to qualify people in this area. Specialized testing equipment also is required. This is one reason many departments have outside shops or services do this work.

Other areas that require specialized qualifications include hydraulic systems and foam systems, as well as the components and systems associated with ambulances, aircraft rescue and firefighting units, and other specialized emergency vehicles.

There are lots of good reasons for departments to make sure their apparatus are being worked on by qualified personnel. The most important ones are liability, performance and recognition of skills.

Liability — or more importantly, the desire to decrease potential liability — is one of the strongest reasons why many departments go out of their way to ensure that apparatus inspection, maintenance and testing tasks are performed by qualified personnel. Today's emergency vehicles have components and systems that require special knowledge, procedures and skills. The average truck mechanic would probably have a difficult time overhauling a fire pump or diagnosing a problem in an aerial control system. Without special qualifications, the person performing the maintenance may not know how to do the job, or may do the job incorrectly, and that's where the liability lies.

If an emergency vehicle is involved in an accident that results in property damage, injury or death, investigators will ask what maintenance was performed, who performed it, and what qualifications that person had. If it can be shown that the person who performed a specific task wasn't qualified to do the work, and the work contributed to the accident, then the department could be held liable. In some cases, the person performing the work and the person assigning the task also could be held liable because they should have known better.

From a more positive aspect, using qualified personnel helps ensure the maximum performance of emergency vehicles. Qualified personnel can do their jobs more efficiently and accurately to minimize downtime and reduce the possibility of expensive repairs. They are also better able to spot serious safety problems and take apparatus out of service before the problems cause accidents. By performing the proper maintenance, qualified personnel also help extend the useful life of emergency vehicles and increase the resale value when the vehicles are sold.

Finally, encouraging service personnel to be fully qualified for their jobs gives departments a means of recognition and can be used to establish a basis for job descriptions, performance evaluations, pay scales and promotions. It also underscores the need for departments to include ongoing service training in their budgets to make sure personnel develop and maintain the appropriate qualifications to do their jobs.

Where to Prepare

Many of the methods personnel can use to establish their qualifications involve formal training or the successful completion of specific examinations. Mechanics and technicians can now choose from several excellent sources to give them this training and help them prepare for these exams.

One widely recognized form of qualification is the certification testing offered by the Emergency Vehicle Technician Certification Commission. These tests cover specific subjects for fire apparatus, ambulances, and airport rescue and firefighting vehicles.

To help students prepare for these exams, many organizations offer review classes that range from one to three days in length and are usually followed by a special EVTCC test session. The combination of classroom instruction and peer support, immediately followed by taking the test while the material is still fresh, has allowed a high percentage of students to pass on their first attempt.

Here are a few of the organizations offering EVTCC review classes:

Washington State Fire Apparatus Maintenance Conference. The conference is scheduled for Sept. 9-14 in Yakima, Wash., and is sponsored by the Washington State Fire Mechanics Association. For information and a schedule of classes, go to www.wsfma.org.

Ohio Association of EVTs Annual Training Conference. This event is scheduled for Sept. 24-28 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, and will include several classes for technicians who wish to prepare for the EVTCC tests. For information, go to www.oaevt.org.

National EVT Fall Training Symposium. This annual event is sponsored by the Florida Association of Emergency Vehicle Technicians and is specifically designed to help students prepare for the EVTCC tests. The symposium will be held in Daytona Beach on Oct. 22-26. For information, go to www.faevt.org.

Southwest EVT Conference. The EVT associations in Oklahoma and Texas jointly sponsor this well-attended training event. The next conference is scheduled for March 9-14, 2008, in Fort Worth, Texas, and will offer a variety of classes to help students prepare for EVTCC tests. For information, go to www.taevt.org.

E-ONE EVT Exam Training. In addition to offering classes covering its own products, E-ONE also offers training for technicians wishing to prepare for the EVTCC tests. Several classes are scheduled for the remainder of 2007. For information, contact a local E-ONE dealer or go to www.e-one.com/index.asp?n=43&p=8&s=43.

Hale Pump Maintenance and Operations Seminar. Hale holds this seminar several times a year at its facility in Conshohocken, Pa. The first day includes optional instruction on CAFS, and the last day includes an optional EVTCC test. For information, go to www.haleproducts.com/Main/Content,30,10.aspx.

Other organizations that offer EVTCC preparation classes include the EVT associations in Arizona, California, Colorado and Illinois. These groups will hold training events at various times starting in spring 2008.

Several apparatus manufacturers also offer maintenance classes on their products. This training covers a variety of topics and is especially valuable for technicians working on specific brands of apparatus or equipment.

Here are a few of the manufacturers offering classes:

E-ONE has classes scheduled for aerials, electrical systems, Hale pumps and other topics through the end of 2007. For information, contact a local E-ONE dealer or go to www.e-one.com/index.asp?n=43&p=8&s=43.

Pierce will offer classes on aerials, electrical systems, foam systems and other topics during the remainder of 2007. For information, contact the nearest Pierce dealer or go to www.piercemfg.com/company/training.cfm.

Other manufacturers that offer maintenance classes include Darley, Spartan and Waterous.

To learn more about the EVTCC certification and re-certification tests in general, including the learning objectives and study materials for each test, go to www.evtcc.org.

To learn more about the ASE tests in general, including the specific tests that apply to light, medium and heavy trucks and truck components, go to www.asecert.com.