IFSAC Meetings 

Call for Applications - Public Member

The International Fire Service Accreditation Congress is seeking applications for nomination for the Certificate Assembly Board of Governors Public Member.

This position is an elected position to the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Certificate Assembly Board of Governors. The public member also serves on the IFSAC Council of Governors and is a voting member of the Certificate Assembly. The Certificate Assembly is one of two assemblies in the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress providing specialized accreditation in the fire service profession.

The mission of the Certificate Assembly is to measure the level of professionalism of public and private fire services internationally through the accreditation of those entities who administer standardized written and/or manipulative examinations or other approved means of alternative evaluation of the required knowledge and skills to meet nationally and internationally recognized professional qualification standards.

The Certificate Assembly provides accreditation to entities that certify the competency of and issue certificates to individuals who pass examinations based on the National Fire Protection Association fire service professional qualifications and other standards approved by the Assembly. Certification by an accredited entity confirms levels of job competency and a department's competency as a whole. Individuals can derive satisfaction from completing a certification program that has been evaluated and deemed worthy by an objective and independent body. Additionally, the reciprocity made possible through IFSAC accreditation of certifying entities may allow for transfer of certifications and increased mobility for fire service personnel. Accreditation of an entity leads to increased professionalism and thus better service to the organization's jurisdiction and communities. Networking among certifying entities within IFSAC consistently provides avenues for improvement and refinement of certification programs.

Requirements

The requirements for an individual to be considered as a public member are to:

• Not be a member of the profession for which candidates are being prepared;
• Not be associated with any entity seeking accreditation; program(s) being evaluated; and/or organization that is eligible for membership.
• Have a good understanding of accreditation.
• Have the desire to serve as a consumer advocate.
• Have the willingness to represent and protect the public interest.
• Be involved in the accreditation process for fairness and reasonable action.

Note: A person formerly with an IFSAC member entity is ineligible to serve as a public member for one year after leaving the fire service.

Furthermore, service as a public member requires a commitment of time; therefore, you should be available to travel to both spring and fall Meetings of IFSAC. The public member will not receive remuneration for their services. Once elected to the position, IFSAC Administration may reimburse the public member for reasonable travel expenses for their attendance at meetings of the Assembly, Council of Governors, and Board. This position is elected to a three (3) year term by the IFSAC Certificate Assembly.

Application for Nomination

To be considered for nomination, you may email, fax, or mail a copy of your most recent resume, along with a one to two-page statement of your philosophy on accreditation and how your knowledge, skills, and abilities would allow you to properly represent the public in the IFSAC accreditation process. Applications for nomination must be received no later than 4:00 PM Central Time on February 22, 2022.

Submit your Application for Nomination to:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fax: (405) 744-7377

Mail:  IFSAC
        Oklahoma State University
        1723 W Tyler Avenue
        Stillwater, OK 74078

Please note the applications for nomination will be sent to the IFSAC Certificate Assembly members for review, so all information provided by the applicant will become publicly available.

Process

Applications must be submitted 60 days before a spring meeting when an opening occurs. Applications submitted within the 60-day window must be presented in person both to the Certificate Assembly and the Certificate Assembly Board of Governors at their respective meetings.

Applications for nomination will be sent to the IFSAC Certificate Assembly members for review, so all information provided by the applicant will become publicly available.

The election process is as follows:

1. Applicants submit their documentation to IFSAC Administration
2. All applications for nomination that have been received are distributed to the IFSAC Certificate Assembly members 30 days prior to the IFSAC Spring Meeting.
3. The membership will review the applications for nominations.
4. Members of the IFSAC Certificate Assembly will make their nominations for the Public Board Member from the applications for nomination and/or persons present at the IFSAC Annual Meeting.
5. The standard election process following IFSAC bylaws, policies, and procedures as well as Robert’s Rules of Order will be followed for the elections since this is a board position.

Additional information about IFSAC

IFSAC is a not-for-profit, peer-driven, self-governing system of both fire service certifying entities and higher education fire-related degree programs. IFSAC's mission is to plan and administer a high-quality, uniformly delivered accreditation system with an international scope.

The member entities of IFSAC are represented in a congress that deals with the general business of IFSAC and is overseen by an elected Council of Governors. The membership is then separated into two assemblies which specialize in the issues unique to degree-granting institutions and certifying entities. Each assembly has a board of governors, elected from the membership, which acts upon all accreditation applications; ensures accreditation is performed on a valid, credible, nondiscriminatory, and timely basis; suggests guidelines and policies; and clarifies adopted policies. IFSAC’s administrative office handles the daily operations of the organization and is an outreach department within the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University.