Fire Training
About the Academy
Academy Field Operations Staff (click for contacts)
Academy Field Operations Staff (click for contacts)
The Indiana Fire and Public Safety Academy is an education and training subdivision of the Division of Fire and Building Safety.
The Academy has two subsections: (1) Public Safety and (2) Fire Training and Certifications. The Fire Training and Certifications staff establishes inspection training requirements for members of volunteer fire companies and certifies individuals who meet those requirements.
They also collaborate with public safety boards and commissions in the state to establish criteria for certification and credentialing of public safety personnel.
Upcoming Training Courses and Events 
Training Flyers
The Academy provides training and certifications to help fire and public safety personnel carry out their duties safely and effectively. Full course information and registration for state-sponsored courses is available on the Acadis Portal, but flyers for some of the Academy's training events and courses are available now for easy sharing via the Educational Opportunities page.
Flyers for non-state-sponsored educational opportunities, such as open classes organized and hosted by local fire departments, may be shared on the Educational Opportunities page as well. Visit the page to learn how to submit them.
News/Updates
- Monthly Bugle 9/28/23
- Share the Good
- Curriculum Update 3/15/23
National Training Weekend Opportunity at the National Fire Academy
The National Fire Academy is hosting a National Training Weekend Program on Nov. 4-5, 2023. National Training Weekends offer students a series of courses over one weekend in one location, Emmitsburg, Maryland. In addition, lodging is provided at no cost to personnel from career or volunteer departments and state/local governments. Students must pay for meals and transportation. There is no travel reimbursement for travel coming to and from this training. Courses to be offered include: W0146 Supervising Emergency Medical Services and W0647 Leadership in Supervision: Perspectives in Thinking.
Visit the National Training Weekend Program website for registration information.
Hub-and-Spoke Kicks Off
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb, IDHS and fire leaders held a kickoff press conference Aug. 25 in Plymouth announcing the first four new sites of the Hub-and-Spoke Training Model.
Updates to Fire Investigator and Driver/Operator Certification Courses
The Academy is updating its offerings of the courses for Fire Investigator and Driver/Operator certifications. For full details, see the Instructor's Corner in the Course Registration and Information section below.
Fire Certifications and Training
- PSID Numbers
Public Safety Identification (PSID) Numbers and Certification Verification
- PSID Application (Do not use this application if you already have a PSID)
- PSID and Certification Lookup Instructions
- PSID Lookup
- Reactivate Your Acadis Account
- Verify an Individual's IDHS EMS and Fire Certification
- Course Registration and Information
For questions or requests during regular business hours, please email firecertifications@dhs.in.gov or call 1-800-666-7784. If needing immediate help with fire certifications after hours, please call the district's field program manager.
Course Registration
- Browse and Register for Courses
- Course Testing Login
- Emergency Response Support (ERS) Access
- IFSAC Certification Application
- IFSAC Frequently Asked Questions
- Instructor, Evaluator and Proctor Handbook
- Prerequisite List
Note to Ivy Tech students: Ivy Tech students need to contact their training entity to request a test ID 15 days prior to going to Ivy Tech to take an exam. Contact Ivy Tech directly to find out when testing labs will be open.
Instructor's Corner
All course training materials are now located in the Acadis Portal. Instructor materials are available in both instructors' Acadis Portal and IFSTA ResourceOne. See the Instructor Material and ResourceOne Access Guide for details.
Instructor Material and ResourceOne Access Guide
For questions, please email firetraining@dhs.in.gov.
Fire Investigator Certification
The Academy is pleased to announce an update to Fire Investigator I, starting Aug. 14, 2023. Through adoption by the Board of Firefighting Personnel Standards and Education, this program has been updated to the 2022 edition of NFPA 1033, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator. It is intended for delivery to fire investigators, police officers, company-level officers and firefighters who are involved in the investigation process. The program primarily consists of instruction and practical exercises in the areas of cause and origin determination, report writing, scene processing, evidence handling and participation in practice courtroom testimonials. Topics on burn pattern recognition, point of origin, scene documentation, interviewing techniques and scene safety are addressed at length.
The forms for the course, including the job performance requirements (JPRs), have been updated to match the new standard. The Academy is also moving away from the Jones and Bartlett textbook and moving to the IFSTA Fire Investigator, 3rd Edition. A new test has also been created based on the IFSTA Fire Investigator and was created in house by Indiana subject matter experts. The previous program was based on the 2009 edition of NFPA 1033, and much has changed since then. Credibility determinations of expert witnesses, scene methodologies, legal rulings and fire investigative science have changed greatly in the last 14 years, and so this update project was long overdue. One of the changes to note is that NFPA 1033 (4.1.7) now requires continuing education in the following areas: fire science, fire investigation, fire scene safety and building systems. These changes will add credibility to the Indiana program and will improve the overall quality of the Fire Investigator I certification.
Driver/Operator Certification
As a part of continuing efforts to modernize the curriculum and certification courses in Indiana, Driver/Operator is set to change on Sept. 1, 2023. This course is designed to train driver/operators with the knowledge and skills to meet the minimum job performance requirements as outlined in NFPA 1002. This course prepares individuals to assume responsibility as a fire apparatus operator. It also prepares them to understand the science of fluids at rest and in motion, and the physical relationships between water and the mechanisms for moving it to achieve desired fire flows.
While the certification will still be based on NFPA 1002, Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications - 2017 Edition, the following changes are being made to the course: moving from the Jones and Bartlett textbook to the IFSTA Pumping and Aerial Apparatus Driver/Operator Handbook, 3rd Edition, updated skill sheets and a new test validated to the IFSTA book. The updated forms are designed to provide a uniform and consistent look across all certification programs for ease of navigation. The Academy is expecting that this will make the planning and delivery of Driver/Operator classes much simpler.
New Online Training Platform
The Academy is partnering with the Health and Safety Institute to offer more than 200 continuing education and recertification courses for firefighters and EMS personnel. Individuals can buy specific courses, or departments can buy an unlimited membership to have the entire catalog on-demand. Register for an account now at https://infpsa.hsi.com/.
Distributive Education Limits Removed
Distributive Education limits have been removed for the recertification cycle ending March 30, 2021 (EMT, AEMT, Paramedic) and September 30, 2021 (EMR). EMTs, AEMTs and paramedics who are due to recertify on March 30, 2021, will have no limits on Distributive Education. This allows all continuing education to be accomplished online through any state-accepted or CAPCE-accredited program or education site. This means 100 percent of continuing education hours can be completed through online training programs such as 24-7 EMS. Complete information about this change can be found at https://www.nremt.org/rwd/public/document/covid-19#distributive-education-update.
- National Fire Academy
National Fire Academy
All applications for the National Fire Academy and the National Emergency Training Center should be completed online at the U.S. Fire Administration website.
FEMA Student Identification Number
- Required for all National Fire Academy course applications. Social Security numbers will not be accepted.
- Visit FEMA SID to apply for your SID number.
- Reports, Newsletters and Bulletins
Get Alarmed Smoke Alarm Program
The IDHS Get Alarmed program works closely with service providers and fire departments to distribute smoke alarms to Indiana residents at no cost, thanks to a federal Fire Prevention and Safety Grant. For more information, visit the Get Alarmed page.
Grants
The Academy administers two state-funded grant programs to support public safety efforts, the Fire Training Infrastructure Grant and the Local Training Support Grant. Learn more about these grants