TRAINING

3. TRAINING & TRAINING RECORDS  Training Records - records of classes, drills and in-house training. Include subject, time in class,  date of class/drill and instructor. Certificates for certifiable training.    

Act 833 certified fire departments & active firefighters are required to have a minimum of sixteen  (16) hours of certified training per year. This training must fall within the standards & guidelines set & maintained by the Arkansas Fire Training Academy (Act 808 of 2009).  

Firefighters shall complete the following courses during their first year of service: 
INTRODUCTION TO FIREFIGHTING - up to 16 hours in the Introduction to Firefighting course conducted by Arkansas Fire Academy (AFA). Other courses acceptable are; Basic FF Course conducted by (AFA), Firefighter I, II, or Ill, including the Minimum Standards Course conducted by  (AFA).   

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT - up to 16 hours in the Personal Protective Equipment course conducted by Arkansas Fire Academy (AFA).  Exception: When a person has a doctor's statement on file (at the fire department) exempting them from the practical part of the course involving the use of SCBA, this person may be used as  support personnel (i.e. operating pump, directing traffic, etc.)   

WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION - up to eight hours in the Wild land Fires course conducted by  Arkansas Forestry Commission (AFC). This can be coordinated through your county Fire  Services Coordinator. NOTE: 1. Firefighters that have not completed the Wildland Fire  Suppression course, the firefighter shall be under the direct supervision of an experienced firefighter or fire officer at a wildland fire.   

Exception: Firefighters who are members of municipal departments in cities with a population of more than 10,000 or fully paid firefighters are not required to complete this course.  
A firefighter who receives more certified hours than required in a year may carry over up to 16 additional certified hours to the next year only. ( AC.A. 20-22-806)  

NOTE: Must have a minimum of six (6) trained firefighters for departments to qualify for Act 833 funds.  

Full Time, Paid Firefighters Under§ 20-22-811 no person shall be hired as a full-time firefighter by any local government firefighting unit for a period exceeding one (1) year or for a cumulative time exceeding two thousand nine hundred twelve (2,912) compensated hours unless that person has satisfactorily completed a training program administered or approved by the AFTA which shall utilize NFPA 1001.[1]
A firefighter that is unable to meet this requirement may be granted one six-month extension by the AFTA director provided a request for extension be made prior to one year of full-time employment. No additional extension shall be granted except as approved by the Arkansas Fire Protection Services Board.
Full-time firefighters who work for more than one year or exceeding a cumulative time of 2,912 compensated hours and who have not received an extension shall be prohibited from performing the duties of fire suppression, rescue, pump operations, or other fire ground activities.
After January 1, 2022, no fire department employing full-time firefighters in violation of the uniform training requirements for entry-level, full-time firefighters shall be certified to receive Act 833 funds.