Review of Fire and Rescue Services qualifications

FIELD                 COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES

 

Review of Fire and Rescue Services qualifications

 

National Certificate in Fire and Rescue Services (Urban Fire and Rescue Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 0538]

National Diploma in Fire and Rescue Services (Urban Fire and Rescue Operations) (Level 5) [Ref: 1134]

 

The Fire and Rescue Services Industry Training Organisation (FRSITO) has completed the review of the qualifications listed above.

 

Date new versions published                                                          February 2008

 

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2012.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

The National Certificate in Fire and Rescue Services (Urban Fire and Rescue Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 0538] has been reviewed to update standards.  The National Diploma in Fire and Rescue Services (Urban Fire and Rescue Operations) (Level 5) [Ref: 1134], has been reviewed in line with operational training requirements.

 

Consultation for the review was undertaken with the New Zealand Fire Service and endorsed by the FRSITO Training Advisory Group.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

Standards in the National Certificate have been updated to reflect changes due to review.  New standard 23406, which provides for specialist first aid response to trauma and medical emergencies responded to by fire fighters, has been added to the National Certificate.  The provision for allowing credit for standards 3282 and 3306 as an exemption for standard 20392 has been removed because the expiring standards are no longer considered appropriate.

 

The number of level 5 credits in the National Diploma was reduced to meet minimum requirements for a diploma.  The minimum credit requirement for Set D at level 5 has decreased from 20 to 12 credits to reflect this change.  The Management subfield (and the domains which sit in it) in Set D of the Elective section of the National Diploma are expiring, but contain standards which are registered.  The new domains Human Resource Management, and People Development and Coordination (Business and Operations Development) have been added to Set D in the National Diploma to future-proof the qualification.

 

National Certificate in Fire and Rescue Services (Urban Fire and Rescue Operations) (Level 3) [Ref: 0538]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·                standard 17279 decreased from 4 to 2 credits

·                standard 23406 was added to the Compulsory section

·                standards 6400 and 6401 were removed

·                provision for allowing credit for standards 3282 and 3306 as an exemption for 20392 was removed, along with the Fire and Rescue Services - Airport, and Urban Search and Rescue - Operations domains, which are not included in the qualification requirements.

 

This qualification contains a standard that replaces earlier standards.  For the purposes of this qualification, people who have gained credit for the expiring standards are exempt from the requirement to gain credit for the replacement standard - see table below.

 

Credit for

Exempt from

3268, 10620

20386

 

For the purposes of this qualification, credit awarded in the following domains will be accepted as meeting the qualifications requirements.

 

Credits for standards in

Count towards qualification requirements where the following is specified

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting - Structural and Industrial

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Structural and Industrial

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting - Vegetation

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Vegetation

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting Skills

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Generic Fire Fighting

 

National Diploma in Fire and Rescue Services (Urban Fire and Rescue Operations) (Level 5) [Ref: 1134]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·         minimum credit requirement for Set D at level 5 decreased from 20 to 12 credits

·         Human Resource Management, and People Development and Coordination domains were added to Set D of the Elective section.

 

For the purposes of this qualification, credit previously awarded in the following domains will be accepted as meeting the qualification requirements.

 

Credits for standards in

Count towards qualification requirements where the following is specified

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting - Airport

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Airport

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting - Structural and Industrial

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Structural and Industrial

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting - Vegetation

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Vegetation

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting Skills

Community and Social Services > Fire and Rescue Services > Fire and Rescue Services - Generic Fire Fighting

Community and Social Services > Fire Fighting > Fire Fighting - Emergency Service Skills

Community and Social Services > Specialist Rescue > Urban Search and Rescue - Operations

 

Transition

 

People currently working towards any of the replaced versions of these qualifications may either complete the requirements for that version or transfer their results to the new version.

 

The last date for assessment of the replaced versions of both qualifications is 31 December 2009.

 

It is not intended that anyone be disadvantaged by this review.  FRSITO will address requests for transition after December 2009 on a case by case basis.  People who wish to seek advice or feel disadvantaged by the transition arrangements are advised to contact FRSITO at the address below.

 

Fire and Rescue Services Industry Training Organisation

PO Box 11 988

WELLINGTON

 

Telephone    04 801 9469

Fax                 04 801 9476

Email             info@frsito.org.nz

Key to Qualification Review Categories

 

Category A

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to SSB name, contact details or purpose statement

No change is made to title, rules or components of the qualification

No transition arrangements are required

Category B

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to title, rules or components

The new version of the qualification recognises a similar skill set to that recognised by the previous version

The SSB is confident that people awarded the new or previous version are comparable in terms of competence

Transition arrangements are required if candidates must gain additional/different credits for the new version

Category C

A new (replacement) qualification is published with new NQF ID

Significant changes are made to the qualification in terms of components, structure, type or level

The SSB views people with the replacement qualification as being significantly different in terms of competence from those with the replaced qualification

Transition arrangements are required

Transition may be limited to phase-out dates

Category D

Qualification will expire.

There is no replacement qualification

Qualification is no longer required by industry

The qualification is designated as expiring and a last date for meeting the qualification requirements is set