# NFPA vs. ICC certification for Fire Inspector 1 & 2



## Truck3capt (Feb 26, 2016)

I'm looking for some opinions and  pro's and con's of NFPA vs. ICC certification.  Our dept. is sponsoring Fire Inspector 1 and 2 classes  next month.  The classes are Pro-Board and from what I can tell If I pass both classes and the final exam I can apply for ICC Certification and NFPA certification if I pay the application fee, complete the apps and attach the pro-board seal.  I wont have to challenge the tests at prometric.

The ICC app fee is $50 bucks each and the NFPA app fee is 250 for each class with some additional requirements.  I've been thinking about pursuing the certified FM route through ICC but I didn't know if it would be beneficial to be certified through the NFPA also in the Fire Inspector 1 and 2?

It all starts to add up.  Between the CEU requirements for Fire Investigator and Evidence Collection Technician,  the CEU's for my arch license, and now additional continuing ed and recert requirements fir ICC (and NFPA ?), I'm just wondering if the 500 bucks to get the NFPA certs for FI 1 and 2 also is really worth it?


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## cda (Feb 26, 2016)

Use to be ICC fire inspector I.

At that time I just took the class.

Is certification or classes now required before testing??

I heard the NFPA cert was harder. You actually had to set through classes and learn something.

I would say if you go for any cert get NFPA. Seems like more jobs value that cert more and some require it.

Who are you getting the fire Inspector 1 and 2 classes through ??


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## Truck3capt (Feb 26, 2016)

> Use to be ICC fire inspector I.At that time I just took the class.
> 
> Is certification or classes now required before testing??
> 
> ...


The classes are taught through the Illinois Fire Service Institute out of U of I- Champaign.  Each class is five days with a ProBoard exam at the end. The classes get us certified through the IL State Fire Marshals office for FI 1 and 2 if we complete the class and pass the exam.

ICC recognizes the exam so I don't have to challenge the ICC exam  to get their certification.  Fill out the app and pay the fee.  The NFPA also recognizes the class and exam but their application fee is 250 bucks per cert vs. 50 with ICC.  I think they require a few practicals also but they looked like it would be pretty easy to complete them as part of the work we do regularly.


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## Sifu (Feb 26, 2016)

I had to do much more in depth thinking and learning for my NFPA cert, things like case studies and written opinions.  I don't know if it was any harder than the ICC cert but certainly involved more critical thinking and reasoning than looking up answers in a book.  I personally feel like the NFPA cert carries a little more prestige.  Just an opinion based on my personal experience.


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## Truck3capt (Feb 26, 2016)

> I had to do much more in depth thinking and learning for my NFPA cert' date=' things like case studies and written opinions. I don't know if it was any harder than the ICC cert but certainly involved more critical thinking and reasoning than looking up answers in a book. I personally feel like the NFPA cert carries a little more prestige. Just an opinion based on my personal experience.[/quote']Well it sounds like I need to look into the NFPA certification more closely.


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## cda (Feb 26, 2016)

> The classes are taught through the Illinois Fire Service Institute out of U of I- Champaign. Each class is five days with a ProBoard exam at the end. The classes get us certified through the IL State Fire Marshals office for FI 1 and 2 if we complete the class and pass the exam.
> 
> ICC recognizes the exam so I don't have to challenge the ICC exam to get their certification. Fill out the app and pay the fee. The NFPA also recognizes the class and exam but their application fee is 250 bucks per cert vs. 50 with ICC. I think they require a few practicals also but they looked like it would be pretty easy to complete them as part of the work we do regularly.


Use to be ICC fire inspector I.

At that time I just took the class.

I meant to say I just took the "test" no classes involved


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## cda (Feb 26, 2016)

> The classes are taught through the Illinois Fire Service Institute out of U of I- Champaign. Each class is five days with a ProBoard exam at the end. The classes get us certified through the IL State Fire Marshals office for FI 1 and 2 if we complete the class and pass the exam.
> 
> ICC recognizes the exam so I don't have to challenge the ICC exam to get their certification. Fill out the app and pay the fee. The NFPA also recognizes the class and exam but their application fee is 250 bucks per cert vs. 50 with ICC. I think they require a few practicals also but they looked like it would be pretty easy to complete them as part of the work we do regularly.


Interesting!!!

I still think the NFPA cert looks better.

You might just get both certs, and when renewal time comes up decide if you want to keep both or one or none!!!


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## cda (Feb 26, 2016)

Guess it also depends on what you want to be doing five, ten, etc years down the road.

I took the ICC cert just to see how the test was, not a job requirement. It seems like with ICC, it is more passing the test, but once again I did not go past FI I. Just did not see a need for it in the future.


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## Truck3capt (Feb 26, 2016)

> Guess it also depends on what you want to be doing five, ten, etc years down the road.I took the ICC cert just to see how the test was, not a job requirement. It seems like with ICC, it is more passing the test, but once again I did not go past FI I. Just did not see a need for it in the future.


I did a little more checking.  NFPA offers two types of transfer certification; a non-proboard recognized certification that requires no test.  They also offer a proboard certification that requires the exam and practicum and costs $350 instead of $250.  I don't know what that means as far as how a future employer would look at the certifications.  "Ohhhhh.....you have the non-proboard recognized NFPA certification....sorry we're not interested"  

FWIW most of the people in our building dept. have ICC certifications or are req'd to pass within a year of employment.


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## Sifu (Feb 26, 2016)

I needed the NFPA cert for a previous job, got the ICC just because I could.  If you are looking at a fire inspector job I would probably concentrate on the NFPA certs.  National FIRE PROTECTION association, it is what they are specialists at.  Also, I have seen jobs that required one or the other, but I have also seen jobs that would only accept NFPA certification.  BTW, if you are a Captain as your handle indicates you have a tremendous head start over me so you should breeze through either of them.


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## cda (Feb 27, 2016)

> I did a little more checking.  NFPA offers two types of transfer certification; a non-proboard recognized certification that requires no test.  They also offer a proboard certification that requires the exam and practicum and costs $350 instead of $250.  I don't know what that means as far as how a future employer would look at the certifications.  "Ohhhhh.....you have the non-proboard recognized NFPA certification....sorry we're not interested"
> 
> FWIW most of the people in our building dept. have ICC certifications or are req'd to pass within a year of employment.


http://nfpatoday.blog.nfpa.org/2015/12/video-three-nfpa-certifications-now-provide-pro-board-accreditation.html


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## Truck3capt (Feb 27, 2016)

> I needed the NFPA cert for a previous job' date=' got the ICC just because I could. If you are looking at a fire inspector job I would probably concentrate on the NFPA certs. National FIRE PROTECTION association, it is what they are specialists at. Also, I have seen jobs that required one or the other, but I have also seen jobs that would only accept NFPA certification. BTW, if you are a Captain as your handle indicates you have a tremendous head start over me so you should breeze through either of them.[/quote']I appreciate your confidence.     I should probably pursue the NFPA pro-board certifications.  The department will pay for the ICC transfer fees so I'll have those too.  The NFPA costs are on me and that's OK. It's more of a time issue right now.  We've lost our deputy FM and a very squared away inspector recently to the operations division due to "management" issues in our division. The Deputy's plan review duties, among other things landed in my lap because of my architectural background.
> 
> I'm grabbing additional training  where I can and fortunately I had the opportunity to attend a plan review class and work with the Dep FM on a few before his departure, but I'm in a little over my head right now.  My inspection work has become reactive and my fire investigations still have to be a priority when they are incendiary  moving towards prosecution.
> 
> Our bureau is in a bad spot right now.  My ability to advance any further has more to do with city and department politics than anything else.  That's why I ask about the certifications.  I'm not ready to retire but If things continue this way I might go as soon as I'm eligible and look for something somewhere else.


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## cda (Feb 27, 2016)

So do you have any other inspectors or investigators working with you?


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## Truck3capt (Feb 27, 2016)

> So do you have any other inspectors or investigators working with you?


Yes. We have five inspectors including me that split our time between investigations and inspection/building safety work. There were eight when I came on the job 17 years ago.  We have a Senior Arson investigator that is a member of the FD but is sworn through the PD and works out of the detectives bureau. He doesn't do any inspections or building safety work.

Up until a couple weeks ago we had a Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal. He's (DFM) been taken by the operations division and as of right now not replaced.  The current FM came from operations a couple years ago and has always had the deputy handle all of the plan review work and interact with the design professional and developers that submit work to the city.  In the past the FH and DFM always came from within the division.  Didn't happen this time.  We're part of the bargaining unit and we grieved the plan review work as a change in duties more on principal, but I doubt it will go anywhere.  There's only a handful of us and over 200 members in the operations and training division.

I imagine they will tell me to do the plan reviews and forget the inspection work which will force the other inspectors to pick up my workload and the occupancies they had me assigned to before this change.


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## cda (Feb 27, 2016)

Love politics

Love the importance that is not put on fire prevention


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## Truck3capt (Feb 27, 2016)

> Love politicsLove the importance that is not put on fire prevention


Yes....the bastard step-children of the fire service.


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