2026 Essentials Series / Certification | Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pennsylvania

2026 Essentials Series / Certification

The 2026 entry-level curriculum is organized into three training levels. Each level aligns with NFPA 1010, which replaced the previous NFPA 1001 Job Performance Requirements (JPRs), and each level has a corresponding Pro Board/IFSAC certification pathway.

Training Levels at a Glance:

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 Textbook

  • Title: Fundamentals of Firefighter Skills, Fifth Edition
  • Publishers/Organizations: International Association of Fire Chiefs and National Fire Protection Association
  • ISBN: 978-1-2842-9800-0

 

  • 1. EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS)

    • PSFA course length: 48 hours (23.5 classroom / 24.5 lab)

      WCCC–PSTC course length: 72 hours (37.5 classroom / 36.5 lab)

      • WCCC–PSTC’s expanded program includes an orientation night covering FEMA and PA Acadis registration, course expectations, and baseline vital signs.

      • Certification corequisites are incorporated into the program: Hazardous Materials Awareness, Traffic Incident Management (TIM), First Aid, and BLS CPR.

      • Eight hours of certification-exam preparation are included.

      • The program replaces and combines Introduction to the Fire Service (ELIS) and Fireground Support (ELFG).

      • ICS-100 and IS-700 must be completed online before the end of ELFS. Both are prerequisites for ELFF1 and/or Support Firefighter Certification.

      • Minimum age: 14. Students who are minors must provide the required permission from a legal guardian and chief officer.

  • 2. EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1)

    • PSFA course length: 88 hours (29 classroom / 59 lab)

      WCCC–PSTC course length: 140 hours (53 classroom / 87 lab)

      • Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO24) is included as a required certification corequisite.

      • Additional instruction includes a fire-dynamics laboratory and preparation for the Firefighter I certification examination.

      • After construction of the new burn building is completed, the program will include an additional eight hours of flashover training.

      • Prerequisite: Fireground Support (ELFG) with the BEL22_26-BRIDGE course, or EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS).

      • The program replaces and combines Exterior Firefighter (ELEF) and Interior Firefighter (ELIF).

      • Minimum age: 17.

  • 3. EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2)

    • PSFA course length: 40 hours (17.5 classroom / 22.5 lab)

      WCCC–PSTC course length: 44 hours (21.5 classroom / 22.5 lab)

      • The WCCC–PSTC program includes four hours dedicated to preparing and completing the required certification application.

      • Prerequisite: Interior Firefighter (ELIF), EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1), or Firefighter I Pro Board certification.

      • Minimum age: 18.

Attendance, Skills, and Completion Requirements

  • Students under age 18 at the start of class must obtain permission from a legal guardian and chief officer.
  • Students must attend at least 80% of the course, and all required skills must be completed.
  • Hazardous Materials Awareness (HMA24) and Hazardous Materials Operations (HMO24) require 100% attendance.
  • Skill make-up sessions may be available to WCCC–PSTC students at an additional cost.

Live-Fire Completion Is Required for ELFF1

  • The EL-26 Firefighter I Training program no longer offers a “Without Live Fire” certificate of completion.
  • A student who cannot complete the required live-fire portion—including for illness or a medical issue identified during EMS monitoring—will not receive a course-completion certificate and must retake the ELFF1 program.
  • A 16-hour PSFA-approved Structural Burn Session (SBS) is no longer accepted as a substitute for NFPA 1010 Firefighter I certification.

NFPA 1010 Certification Pathways

Training and Certification Are Not the Same

  • Completion of ELFS, ELFF1, or ELFF2 provides a certificate of training.
  • It does not, by itself, make the student nationally certified. Pro Board/IFSAC certification is earned only after the candidate meets all eligibility requirements and successfully completes the applicable certification examination.

Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification

  • Minimum age: 14.
  • Current PSFA-approved Hazardous Materials Awareness, refresher, or higher-level training.
  • PSFA-approved Traffic Incident Management course.
  • One approved training pathway:
  • EL-26 Support Firefighter Training Program;
  • PSFA-approved EL-26 Support Firefighter Bridge Program, or
    • EL-26 Firefighter I Entry-Level Training Program (2026);
    • EL22 Interior Firefighter (2022) with live fire;
    • EL14 Interior Firefighter (2014–2022) with live fire; or
    • Bucks Basic Fire Academy.

Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification

  • Minimum age: 17 at the start of the class.
  • Current PSFA-approved Hazardous Materials Operations or refresher training.
  • Support Firefighter Certification.
  • One approved Firefighter I training pathway:
  • EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1), or
    • EL22 Interior Firefighter (2022);
    • EL14 Interior Firefighter (2014–2022); 
    • Bucks Basic Fire Academy with a PSFA-approved Structural Burn Session.
  • PSFA-approved First Aid training or a Pennsylvania Department of Health emergency-services certification.
  • PSFA-approved BLS CPR training.

Firefighter II NFPA 1010 Certification

  • Minimum age: 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 training.
  • PSFA-approved Vehicle Rescue training.

Important Certification Changes

  • Support certification is required first. Candidates must earn Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 Certification before testing for Firefighter I NFPA 1010 Certification.
  • Structural Burn Sessions have limited acceptance. A PSFA-approved Structural Burn Session is no longer accepted as a stand-alone substitute. It is accepted only when submitted with the Bucks Basic Fire Academy pathway.
  • Older Essentials training may not meet current testing eligibility. Candidates whose Essentials training predates EL14 or EL22 must complete the 2026 EL26 curriculum to meet the current certification-testing requirements.
  • Firefighter II can no longer be challenged without approved training. Candidates must complete EL-26 Firefighter II Training (ELFF2) or have completed Advanced Firefighter (EL22) before testing for Firefighter II certification.

Bridge Course for Transition from EL22 Series to EL26 Series

When No Bridge Course Is Required:

  • A firefighter who completed EL14 or EL22 Interior Firefighter (ELIF) with live fire may proceed to Support Firefighter certification testing and then Firefighter I certification testing, provided all other requirements are met.

WCCC–PSTC Bridge Guidance for EL22 Firefighters

  • Introduction to the Fire Service (EL22 only): WCCC–PSTC will not recognize the bridge option. Students must complete the new EL-26 Fireground Support (ELFS) program.
  • Fireground Support (EL22 only): Students must complete the 12-hour BEL22_26-BRIDGE course to be eligible for Support Firefighter NFPA 1010 certification testing and/or enrollment in EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1). WCCC–PSTC plans to offer this bridge beginning in summer 2026 and each semester for at least one year.
  • Exterior Firefighter (EL22 only): No bridge course is available. Students must complete EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1). The first portion of the course will serve as a refresher. Students pursuing certification must also complete the 12-hour BEL22_26-BRIDGE course.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is training the same as certification?
    • No. Training provides the education and skills needed to become eligible for certification testing. A course-completion certificate is not the same as Pro Board/IFSAC certification.
  • Must I earn certification at one level before enrolling in the next level of training?
    • No. Certification is not required to advance to the next training level, although the applicable course prerequisites still apply.
  • Why are some WCCC–PSTC programs longer than the standard PSFA programs?
    • WCCC–PSTC includes required corequisites and additional exam-preparation time so students are better prepared to meet certification eligibility requirements and successfully complete the associated examination.
  • Why is WCCC–PSTC’s ELFF1 program longer than the PSFA program?
    • Hazardous Materials Operations is required for the Firefighter I examination and is important for department operations. WCCC–PSTC includes HMO24 within the regular ELFF1 schedule to improve completion and compliance.
  • What happens if I already hold a current PSFA-approved Hazardous Materials Operations certificate?
    • At the lead instructor’s discretion, a student may be excused from the HMO24 portion of ELFF1. Proof of current training must be provided before the instructor approves the absence.
  • I completed EL14 or EL22 Interior Firefighter without live fire. Can I test for Support Firefighter and Firefighter I certification?
    • You may test for Support Firefighter certification, provided all other requirements are met. You may not test for Firefighter I certification until you successfully complete EL-26 Firefighter I Training (ELFF1). A PSFA-approved Structural Burn Session is no longer accepted as a substitute for the required Interior Firefighter training pathway.
  • I completed Essentials of Firefighting or Interior Firefighter before 2014. Can I test under the new certification pathways?
    • No. You must complete the 2026 PSFA Entry-Level Fire Training Curriculum (EL26). A 16-hour Structural Burn Session does not satisfy the current requirement.