2026 Essentials Series / Certification

There are now three (3) Levels of Training:

1. EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS)

2. EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1)

3. EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2)

Each series now aligns with the new NFPA 1010 series, that has replaced the previous NFPA 1001 Job Performance Requirements (JPRs).

Each level has its own associated Pro Board/IFSAC certification.

New 2026 Pennsylvania State Fire Academy (PSFA) Entry Level Fire Training Curriculum (EL26):

Required Book:

Fundamentals of Firefighter Skills, Fifth Edition
International Association of Fire Chiefs; National Fire Protection Association
ISBN:9781284298000

EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS)
- PSFA Total Hours: 48 (23.5 Classroom/ 24.5 Lab)
- WCCC-PSTC Program Total Hours: 76 (39.5 Classroom/ 36.5 Lab)
  - Includes:
    - Intro night (FEMA & PA Acadis registration, expectations, and vitals)
    - Required corequisites for certification:
    - Hazardous Materials Awareness,
    - Traffic Incident Management (TIM),
    - First Aid & BLS CPR,
    - 8-hours of exam prep.
- Minimum Age: 14 (Students under the age of 16 at the start of class are required to have permission from a legal guardian and chief officer.)
- This program replaces and combines Introduction to the Fire Service (ELIS) and Fireground Support (ELFG).
- Additional Online Training of ICS-100 and IS-700
  - Must be completed prior to end of ELFS and are a prerequisite for ELFF1 and/or Support Person Certification

EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1)
- PSFA Total Hours: 88 (29 Classroom / 59 Lab)
- WCCC-PSTC Program Total Hours: 136 (53 Classroom/ 83 Lab)
  - Includes required corequisites for certification:
    - Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO24),
    - Additional training in:
    - fire dynamics lab, and
    - prep class for the Firefighter I Exam
    - Post construction of the new burn building, an additional 8-hour in Flashover training will be included.
- Minimum Age: 17
- Prerequisites: Fireground Support (ELFG) with BEL22_26-BRIDGE or EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS)
- This program replaces and combines Exterior Firefighter (ELEF) and Interior Firefighter (ELIF).

EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2)
- Total Hours: 40 (17.5 Classroom / 22.5 Lab)
- WCCC-PSTC Program Total Hours: 44 (21.5 Classroom/ 22.5 Lab)
  - Includes 4-hours of proper application preparation of required application
- Minimum Age: 18
- Prerequisites: ELIF, or Firefighter I Training (ELFF1), or Firefighter I Pro Board

Updated requirements for the New 2026 Pennsylvania State Fire Academy (PSFA) Entry Level Fire Training Curriculum (EL26):

Students under the age of 18 at the start of class are required to have permission from a legal guardian and chief officer.)
Students must complete 80% of attendance, and no skills can be missed.
- Skills make made be made available at additional cost for WCCC-PSTC students.
- Except for Hazardous Materials training, both HMA24 & HMO24 which is 100%.
There is no longer a “Without Live Fire” certificate of completion for the new EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1) program.
- Therefore, if you do not complete the necessary “live fire” portion of the class due to being ill, or medical condition, such as, but not limited to high blood pressure during the required burn day(s) EMS monitoring – you will NOT receive a certificate of completion, and will need to retake the EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1) program.
- Please note for 1010 Firefighter I Certification, a 16-hour PSFA approved Structure Burn Session (SBS) is no longer accepted.

New NFPA 1010 Certification Pathway

As indicated above, each new NFPA 1010 program has an associated Pro Board / IFSAC certification available.

Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification
Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification
Firefighter II NFPA 1010 Certification

Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification

Requirements:
- Minimum age of 14
- Current PSFA approved Hazardous Materials Awareness/Refresher or higher training
- Approved PSFA Traffic Incident Management Class
- EL-26 Support Firefighter Training Program, or
  - PSFA Approved EL-26 Support Firefighter Bridge Program, or
  - EL26 FFI Course Entry Level Training Program (2026) Firefighter I training Course, or
  - EL22 ELIF Entry Level Training Program (2022) Interior Firefighter WITH LIVE FIRE, or
  - EL14 ELIF Entry Level Training Program (2014-2022) Interior Firefighter WITH LIVE FIRE, or
  - Bucks Basic Fire Academy

Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification

Requirements:
- Minimum age of 17 of start of the class
- Current PSFA Approved Hazardous Materials Operations or Refresher
- Support Firefighter Certification
- EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1), or
  - EL22 ELIF Entry Level Training Program (2022) Interior Firefighter, or
  - EL14 ELIF Entry Level Training Program (2014-2022) Interior Firefighter, or
  - Bucks Basic Fire Academy AND PSFA Approved Structural Burn Session
- PSFA Approved First Aid program or PA Department of Health (DOH) Emergency Services certification
- PSFA Approved BLS CPR program

Firefighter II NFPA 1010 Certification

Minimum age of 18
Approved PSFA Incident Command System course(s)
Firefighter I Certification
EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2), or
- Advanced Firefighter (EL22)
Current PSFA Approved Hazardous Materials Operations or Refresher
PSFA Approved Vehicle Rescue Training

Please note some important requirements/changes for the new 1010 certification series:

1. To test for Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification you MUST first take the Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification.

2. PSFA Approved Structural Burn Sessions (SBS) are no longer excepted, unless submitting it with a Bucks Basic Fire Academy.

Therefore, if you have an older Essentials series prior to EL14 or EL22 – you are not eligible to test, and would need to take the entire series over to meet the requirement; this is only for certification testing.

3. To test for Firefighter II NFPA 1010 Certification you MUST now take the EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2) or have completed the Advanced Firefighter (EL22); unlike before, where one could just challenge it.

No Bridge Courses Required

First, if you have completed Interior Firefighter (EL14 or EL22-ELIF) with “Live Fire” – you are good to test for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification and then Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification.

Bridge Courses for EL22 Existing Firefighters

For WCCC-PSTC, the following bridge courses will be offered:
- Introduction to the Fire Service (EL22 version only) – WCCC-PSTC will not be recognizing the option to complete the bridge course, and you will just need to take the new EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS) program.
- Fireground Support (EL22 version only) – you will need to take a 12-hour bridge course (BEL22_26-BRIDGE) to be eligible to test for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification and/or take the new EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1).
  - WCCC-PSTC will only be offering this starting in the summer of 2026, and each semester for at least one (1) year.
- Exterior Firefighter (EL22 version only) – there is no bridge course available.
  - You will need to take the EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1).
  - The first few hours will be a refresher.
  - You will also need to take the 12-hour bridge course (BEL22_26-BRIDGE) if going for certification.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is training the same as certification?
- No training is the basic course needed to be able to test to a national level.
- Certification is testing of an individual at a national level.
- Nobody should confuse EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1) and/or EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2) as being Firefighter I or II certified.
  - It is strictly a certificate of training, until you actually test to a national level.
Do I need to complete the certification for each level to take the next level of training?
- No, you do not need to take the certification to take the next level of training.
Why is WCCC-PSTC Programs longer than the PSFA programs, where applicable?
- We want all of our firefighters that we train to be successful, and be properly prepared to take the associated certification exam’s post completion of the class.
- Therefore, we provide all the associated corequisites that are required, plus preparation time for the exam.
Why is WCCC-PSTC EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1) longer than the PSFA program?
- Historically we have experienced issues with students not properly completing the required hazardous materials operations training that is required for the Firefighter I exam and for fire departments in general.
- Therefore, to ensure proper compliance, we have included it in the regular program.
What if I have a current approved PSFA Hazardous Materials Operations certificate of training, while taking EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1)?
- At the discretion of the lead instructor, you can be excused from the HMO program.
- Reminder – you will need to show proof to the instructor before being approved to not attend those days.
What if I have Interior Firefighter (EL14 or EL22-ELIF) WITHOUT “Live Fire”, can I test for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification and Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification?
- Yes and No!
  - Yes – you can test for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification.
  - No - you would need to take EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELEF1) and pass, to test for Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification.
    - As a PSFA approved Structural Burn Session (SBS) is no longer an acceptable substitute for Interior Firefighting training to test for Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification.
I have Essentials of Firefighting or Interior Firefighter prior to 2014 – can I take the new associated certification programs?
- No, you will need to take the New 2026 Pennsylvania State Fire Academy (PSFA) Entry Level Fire Training Curriculum (EL26).
- But I have a 16-hour structural Burn Session.
  - Sorry, no longer accepted.