AMS Bylaws
|
|
Sixteen years ago, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) realized the need for Emergency Vehicle Technicians (EVT’s) to have measurable skills as well as the knowledge capable of maintaining the complex emergency vehicle apparatus. To address this need, the Maintenance Section was created to recognize and certify well-trained, skilled individuals to maintain the technically advanced apparatus that are now manufactured.
The Maintenance Section is lead by a well-balanced Board of Directors that includes representatives from the eight divisions of the IAFC. There are manufacturers, emergency vehicle technicians, shop supervisors, experts in emergency equipment and educators on the Board. This diverse group of individuals created and introduced the Emergency Vehicle Technician Certification Commission which is now a recognized certifying agency for the EVT.
In keeping with the desire to provide credible certification standards, the IAFC requested that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) develop two new standards. The first was a maintenance standard, and the second was an EVT professional qualifications standard. Both were approved and resulted in NFPA 1915 Standard for Fire Apparatus Preventive Maintenance Program, 2000 Edition and NFPA 1071 The Standard for Emergency Vehicle Technician Professional Qualifications, 2000 Edition. These new standards provide the EVT with the minimum requirements for maintenance and repair of emergency vehicles and were written for the technician who is engaged in the inspection, diagnosis, maintenance and repair, and testing of emergency response vehicles.
Although the Maintenance Section provided a means of certifying the EVT’s skills, it is imperative that each EVT continue to keep abreast of all new advancements in the industry. Emergency vehicles become more and more sophisticated each year and so, to assist the EVT to stay well-informed, the IAFC Maintenance Section also conducts seminars at the IAFC Annual Convention where new technology, shop management and safety issues are introduced.
Since 1988, the IAFC has supported the Maintenance Section as an agency which encourages continued education in all aspects of the emergency apparatus maintenance and repair field.
|
|
