All emergency response personnel are certified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Division of Personnel Standards and Education, as Basic Firefighter or Advanced Firefighter. All shift personnel are also certified by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as a Paramedic.

Training:

In addition, emergency response personnel complete advanced training to become certified:

• Airport Firefighter.
• Hazardous Materials First Responder.
• Technical Rescue Awareness Technician.
• Vehicle/Machinery Extrication Specialist.

Specializations:

Personnel go on to further specialize in one or more of the following emergency skills:

• BioChem Hazard Technician.
• Confined Space Rescue, and/or Below Grade/Trench Rescue Technician.
• Fire/Arson Investigator.
• Hazardous Materials Technician.
• Hazardous Materials Specialist.
• Technical Rescue Specialist - Vertical Rescue.
• Underwater Rescue/Recovery Specialist (Open Water, Swift Water, Ice Rescue, and Contaminated Water).

State Certification:

Command staff and company officers also receive advanced training as part of the State of Illinois Fire Officer certification program and/or National Fire Administration's National Fire Academy program.