National certification in Kansas is not intended to supersede any federal, state, or local laws, ordinances, or department policies. Certification in Kansas is voluntary. Certification is not necessarily a means of determining who shall participate in the practice or profession of firefighting and its related activities. Lack of certification does not necessarily mean that an individual is unqualified to participate in firefighting and related activities. It is only an indication that the individual has not applied for or fulfilled the requirements of certification.
Certification does demonstrate dedication and effort to the public and to the fire service.
Certification also rewards and acknowledges firefighters for their training efforts. Further, certification documents that a firefighter has demonstrated a level of proficiency established by national consensus. KU FST is ready to help all firefighters and allied professionals reach their training and certification goals. Certification criteria and procedure documents are available to explain the certification process for each area in which certification is offered. Certification guides are available at a nominal cost to help firefighters through the certification process.