Get Your Centre Accredited
Getting your training center or program accredited is an important step in assuring trainees and hiring groups that your courses are in line with the highest standards of firefighter and pre-service development. In a competitive market, a seal of competent training practices is a significant edge over the 'minimum standard'.
The accreditation process is a thorough assessment of all aspects of your training program and as such requires several stages of review before an approval is issued. The following documentation is provided to assist you in ensuring a smooth and expedient process from start to finish.
The Institution of Fire Engineers, Canada Branch follows an audit process from application through accreditation. This thorough procedure ensures that the applicant centre is equipped to provide the highest level of training expected from an accredited agency. The attached document is the Audit Worksheet outlining the items inspected during a site visit. It is imperative that these items are a standard part of the training program to enable accreditation.
PROCEDURE
1. Organization submits materials as follows to IFE:
a. An Application for Administrative Review form.
b. Remit application fee of $100 per level.
c. Submit Correlation Sheets in the IFE format.
d. Submit Performance Skill Evaluation Sheets.
e. Submit Test Bank for review (or arrange for a member of Accreditation Committee to review on site).
2. IFE logs receipt of materials and forwards to Accreditation Committee for review.
3. a. Test Banks will be mailed to IFE Accreditation Committee, or
b. A member of the Accreditation Committee may be brought to the applicant's facility/location (at applicant's expense) to have Test Banks reviewed on site.
4. Accreditation Committee reviews and completes a report. A copy of the report will be sent to the applicant. If the level is not recommended for accreditation, the requesting organization works with the Accreditation Committee to make changes.
5. Once completed, the Accreditation Committee submits a final letter of recommendation for accreditation to the IFE Canada Branch Board of Directors with their recommendations.
6. Upon final approval by the Board of Directors, the Accreditation Committee sends an official Accreditation Letter to the organization representative.
7. Accreditation Committee sends all materials back to applicant.
1. Organization submits materials as follows to IFE:
a. An Application for Administrative Review form.
b. Remit application fee of $100 per level.
c. Submit Correlation Sheets in the IFE format.
d. Submit Performance Skill Evaluation Sheets.
e. Submit Test Bank for review (or arrange for a member of Accreditation Committee to review on site).
2. IFE logs receipt of materials and forwards to Accreditation Committee for review.
3. a. Test Banks will be mailed to IFE Accreditation Committee, or
b. A member of the Accreditation Committee may be brought to the applicant's facility/location (at applicant's expense) to have Test Banks reviewed on site.
4. Accreditation Committee reviews and completes a report. A copy of the report will be sent to the applicant. If the level is not recommended for accreditation, the requesting organization works with the Accreditation Committee to make changes.
5. Once completed, the Accreditation Committee submits a final letter of recommendation for accreditation to the IFE Canada Branch Board of Directors with their recommendations.
6. Upon final approval by the Board of Directors, the Accreditation Committee sends an official Accreditation Letter to the organization representative.
7. Accreditation Committee sends all materials back to applicant.
Pre-Inspection
Organizations seeking accreditation should perform a self evaluation of their readiness for an accreditation inspection prior to the inspection team’s arrival. This process will minimize deficiencies and make for a smoother inspection.
It is recommended that personnel from management, administration, program development, instructional/evaluation and any other personnel should be involved in assessing the readiness of your organization for the inspection. Selected members should have a thorough understanding of the competency in which the organization seeks accreditation for. One individual should be selected to serve as team leader.
The program director, as submitted on the IFE application, should not serve on the Facility/location inspection preparation guide team.
IFE policies and procedures regarding accreditations should be used by the pre–inspection committee to determine readiness.
The pre-inspection should be scheduled far in advance of any inspection. This will allow ample time to correct any deficiencies found prior to the inspection. An organization should not hesitate to postpone a facility/location inspection should a pre-inspection reveal any issues that require modification. It is the responsibility of the organization requesting accreditation to initiate and implement the Facility/location inspection. The IFE Accreditation Committee is available to offer advice and guidance to the organization conducting the pre-inspection.
The pre-inspection team should review each of the Standards to which the organization is seeking accreditation, and have a clear understanding as to the level of accreditation, and the version of the Standard being used.
Under the IFE criteria it is imperative that the testing criteria, lesson plans, correlation sheets, learning outcomes and applicable training aids and instructor qualifications be reviewed. This is done to ensure that all areas pertaining to the program are developed, maintained and designed to the highest standard.
After the pre-inspection, the team shall compile all notes and provide to the team leader. These comments should focus on suggestions and areas that may allow for improvement.
All findings should be communicated and presented in written format to the director of the school by the team leader.
Once the pre-inspection and any recommendations from its findings have been addressed, the centre should arrange for the Accreditation Committee to have an inspection team complete their site assessment.
Organizations seeking accreditation should perform a self evaluation of their readiness for an accreditation inspection prior to the inspection team’s arrival. This process will minimize deficiencies and make for a smoother inspection.
It is recommended that personnel from management, administration, program development, instructional/evaluation and any other personnel should be involved in assessing the readiness of your organization for the inspection. Selected members should have a thorough understanding of the competency in which the organization seeks accreditation for. One individual should be selected to serve as team leader.
The program director, as submitted on the IFE application, should not serve on the Facility/location inspection preparation guide team.
IFE policies and procedures regarding accreditations should be used by the pre–inspection committee to determine readiness.
The pre-inspection should be scheduled far in advance of any inspection. This will allow ample time to correct any deficiencies found prior to the inspection. An organization should not hesitate to postpone a facility/location inspection should a pre-inspection reveal any issues that require modification. It is the responsibility of the organization requesting accreditation to initiate and implement the Facility/location inspection. The IFE Accreditation Committee is available to offer advice and guidance to the organization conducting the pre-inspection.
The pre-inspection team should review each of the Standards to which the organization is seeking accreditation, and have a clear understanding as to the level of accreditation, and the version of the Standard being used.
Under the IFE criteria it is imperative that the testing criteria, lesson plans, correlation sheets, learning outcomes and applicable training aids and instructor qualifications be reviewed. This is done to ensure that all areas pertaining to the program are developed, maintained and designed to the highest standard.
After the pre-inspection, the team shall compile all notes and provide to the team leader. These comments should focus on suggestions and areas that may allow for improvement.
All findings should be communicated and presented in written format to the director of the school by the team leader.
Once the pre-inspection and any recommendations from its findings have been addressed, the centre should arrange for the Accreditation Committee to have an inspection team complete their site assessment.
Two-Year Compliance Requirements
The purpose of this document is to ensure Accredited Organizations continue compliance with the requirement to update their programs to the most current Standard for a period not to exceed two calendar years.
Accredited Organizations may continue to certify to previous editions of the recognized Standard for a period of two (2) years from the official date of adoption of the newest version. If the site visit occurs during the time that an organization is using a previously recognized Standard, a recommendation for accreditation shall be contingent upon compliance with the two-year rule.
PROCEDURE
1. IFE Accreditation Committee will provide an updated table listing the all acceptable Standards and their appropriate dates on the IFE website.
2. Organizations are responsible for tracking their programs and updating them to meet the 2-year requirement and must send a letter to the Accreditation Committee stating that they have upgraded the affected program(s) to the required edition(s) of the Standard(s) as changes are made.
3. An organization not in compliance with the 2-year requirement will cease to issue IFE seals for any levels that do not meet the 2-year requirement until such time as the program is updated and the Accreditation Committee receives a formal letter to this fact.
4. The updates will be reviewed during the next site facility/location inspection for compliance.
Terms of Approval for Accreditation
The following sets out the general terms for the approval, by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), of relevant fire engineering courses and qualifications delivered at Training Centres/Establishments that are not equivalent to IFE Examinations. It also sets out the general terms for awarding Approved Centre status to Training Centres/Establishments.
1. The Institution offers course approval or Approved Centre status on receipt of the appropriate fees and associated costs.
2. The approved qualification or Centre must be continuously monitored and reviewed by the Institution on an annual basis. A nominal annual registration fee will be charged for this process. This fee is set to cover administration costs and falls due on December 15, each year, for the proceeding year. A bill will be sent out at the beginning of each year.
3. An accredited organization will be considered in default if fee payment is not received within 180 days of the invoice date. A “Default Notice” will be mailed to the organization thirty (30) days prior to the default date of the account.
4. Failure to pay the annual registration fee promptly may result in the Institution withdrawing its approval.
5. If the approval is withdrawn due to failure to pay the annual registration fees promptly, then a full approval fee will become due if the qualification or Centre is to be re-approved. Thereafter, registration fees will become due as outlined in Paragraph 3.
6. An organization that is in default and wishes to be reinstated as an IFE member must resubmit an application for membership, however, the following apply:
7. The Institution must be informed if there is to be any material change or additions to the approved qualifications or if there are any significant changes in Approved Centres which may affect its standing. On notification of such, the Institution will appoint a member of the Institution’s Approval Committee to determine whether the changes have any effect on the confirmed approval process regarding the qualification or Centre.
8. The Institution expects the approved organization to maintain regular contact with the Institution and will supply proof of the maintenance of Standards upon request. The Institution will conduct an audit and review every five years, the costs of this to be borne by the approved organization.
9. The Institution reserves the right to ask the accredited organization for proof of maintenance of Standards of equivalency at any time.
10. Each organization that runs IFE Canada approved courses or holds IFE Canada Approved Centre status is entitled to use the Institution’s name and the relevant Logo. This may be used on any material that has relevance to the IFE approved course or, in the case of an Approved Centre, all fire engineering and relevant courses that are run under the banner of the IFE Approved Centre. The use of this logo may continue whilst all current fees have been paid. Further details regarding the use of the IFE name and logo may be gained from the IFE Canada National Secretary.
11. The Institution will issue a general certificate of approval to an organization holding Approved Centre status provided all current fees have been paid. All organizations running IFE Canada Approved courses will receive certificates for the successful candidates provided all fees have been paid and on receipt of a nominal roll of said successful candidates.
12. For those courses run by an IFE Canada Approved Centre which have equivalency with IFE Examinations, then the guidelines, ‘General Procedures for Accreditation and Review (Equivalency)' should be read in conjunction with the above procedures.
The following sets out the general terms for the approval, by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), of relevant fire engineering courses and qualifications delivered at Training Centres/Establishments that are not equivalent to IFE Examinations. It also sets out the general terms for awarding Approved Centre status to Training Centres/Establishments.
1. The Institution offers course approval or Approved Centre status on receipt of the appropriate fees and associated costs.
2. The approved qualification or Centre must be continuously monitored and reviewed by the Institution on an annual basis. A nominal annual registration fee will be charged for this process. This fee is set to cover administration costs and falls due on December 15, each year, for the proceeding year. A bill will be sent out at the beginning of each year.
3. An accredited organization will be considered in default if fee payment is not received within 180 days of the invoice date. A “Default Notice” will be mailed to the organization thirty (30) days prior to the default date of the account.
4. Failure to pay the annual registration fee promptly may result in the Institution withdrawing its approval.
5. If the approval is withdrawn due to failure to pay the annual registration fees promptly, then a full approval fee will become due if the qualification or Centre is to be re-approved. Thereafter, registration fees will become due as outlined in Paragraph 3.
6. An organization that is in default and wishes to be reinstated as an IFE member must resubmit an application for membership, however, the following apply:
- Full accreditation will be reinstated, and permission to issue IFE seals and certificates, once the current membership fee and all delinquent fees are paid.
- A reaccreditation site visit is required at the end of the current five (5) year accreditation period.
- An organization that is in default, and beyond the five (5) year accreditation period, must proceed through the membership and accreditation processes the same as any new organization.
7. The Institution must be informed if there is to be any material change or additions to the approved qualifications or if there are any significant changes in Approved Centres which may affect its standing. On notification of such, the Institution will appoint a member of the Institution’s Approval Committee to determine whether the changes have any effect on the confirmed approval process regarding the qualification or Centre.
8. The Institution expects the approved organization to maintain regular contact with the Institution and will supply proof of the maintenance of Standards upon request. The Institution will conduct an audit and review every five years, the costs of this to be borne by the approved organization.
9. The Institution reserves the right to ask the accredited organization for proof of maintenance of Standards of equivalency at any time.
10. Each organization that runs IFE Canada approved courses or holds IFE Canada Approved Centre status is entitled to use the Institution’s name and the relevant Logo. This may be used on any material that has relevance to the IFE approved course or, in the case of an Approved Centre, all fire engineering and relevant courses that are run under the banner of the IFE Approved Centre. The use of this logo may continue whilst all current fees have been paid. Further details regarding the use of the IFE name and logo may be gained from the IFE Canada National Secretary.
11. The Institution will issue a general certificate of approval to an organization holding Approved Centre status provided all current fees have been paid. All organizations running IFE Canada Approved courses will receive certificates for the successful candidates provided all fees have been paid and on receipt of a nominal roll of said successful candidates.
12. For those courses run by an IFE Canada Approved Centre which have equivalency with IFE Examinations, then the guidelines, ‘General Procedures for Accreditation and Review (Equivalency)' should be read in conjunction with the above procedures.