NYS has officially expanded the NYS stipend program to include additional courses. This eligibility is backdated to the original rollout of the program (August 31, 2023)—meaning that if you took FAST in September of 2023, you are now eligible for payment on that course. The qualifying course must have been completed on or after August 31, 2023.
I fully expect that this will overwhelm the limited staff in the stipend office, so encourage your membership to get their paperwork in sooner rather than later. Also, make sure that you have all of the department paperwork squared away, as this will hold them up. If you don’t know the last time your dept submitted the demographics form, just submit another one!
Here are all the pieces (for full information, visit the NYS Website here):
DEPARTMENT/CHIEF REQUIREMENTS:
- Fire Departments must have submitted their annual fire reports to OFPC or submit to the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) in the previous calendar year
- Fire Chiefs/Chief Officer must submit an Annual FD Demographics Form including Fire Chief or Chief Officer contact information and number of active firefighters (Submit completed forms to OFPC-Stipend@dhses.ny.gov).
- If you run a “local fire training stipend” through your department, you have other requirements as well. This does not apply to most.
STUDENT REQUIREMENTS:
- Applications must be submitted using the OFPC Stipend Endorsement form. (Submit 1 form for all courses requested for stipend – check all of the eligible courses at the bottom that you have taken since 8/31/23 but have not yet submitted for payment on).
- Applications must include, but are not limited to, the following components:
- signed statement from the Fire Chief/Chief Officer of the Fire Department indicating that:
- i. the Volunteer Firefighter is an active firefighter and Member in Good Standing (as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction);
- ii. the Volunteer Firefighter was authorized by the Fire Department to take the course; and
- iii. the Volunteer Firefighter successfully completed the course
- a Substitute W-9 form, if not already submitted (by the student) during course registration.
- Application paperwork must be submitted through email to OFPC-Stipend@dhses.ny.gov.
ELIGIBLE COURSES:
First time completions of the following courses or course equivalency as determined by OFPC will be eligible for a State Fire Training stipend for course completions on or after August 31, 2023:
- 2021 BASIC EXTERIOR FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS W/HMFRO (01-05-0101)
- 2021 SCBA/INTERIOR FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS-FF1 (01-05-0102)
- 2021 BEFO W/HMFRO (BLENDED LEARNING) (01-05-0103)
- 2021 BEFO-SCBA/IFO-FF1 (BLENDED LEARNING) (01-05-0104)
- FIRE OFFICER I (NFPA 1021-2020 ED.) w/FSTFAC (01-11-0176)
- FIRE OFFICER I – SUPERVISING FIRE OFFICER MODULE SERIES (01-11-0154)
- BASIC WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION (01-05-0007)
- FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL: SELF-RESCUE (01-05-0092)
- FIREFIGHTER ASSIST AND SEARCH TEAM (FAST) (01-05-0018)
- RAPID INTERVENTION CREW (RIC) (01-05-0133)
- FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES INSTRUCTOR 1 (01-11-0162)
- FIRE OFFICER II (NFPA 1021-2020 EDITION) (01-11-0014)
- FIREFIGHTER II (01-05-0020)
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 (W/O STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE) (01-05-0124)
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 MODULAR SERIES W/STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE (01-05-0131)
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 (W/ STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE) (01-05-0143)
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 MODULAR SERIES W/O STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE (01-05-0144)
THE STIPEND AMOUNT THAT WILL BE PAID TO THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER BY OFPC IS:
$250.00 –
- BASIC WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION (01-05-0007)
- FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL: SELF-RESCUE (01-05-0092)
$350.00 –
- FIREFIGHTER ASSIST AND SEARCH TEAM (FAST) (01-05-0018) or
- RAPID INTERVENTION CREW (RIC) (01-05-0133)
$500.00 –
- FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES INSTRUCTOR 1 (01-11-0162)
- FIRE OFFICER II (NFPA 1021-2020 EDITION) (01-11-0014)
- FIREFIGHTER II (01-05-0020)
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 (W/O STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE) (01-05-0124) or
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 MODULAR SERIES W/STRUCTURAL FIRE (01-05-0131) or
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 (W/ STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE) (01-05-0143) or
- 2024 – FIREFIGHTER 2 MODULAR SERIES W/O STRUCTURAL LIVE FIRE (01-05-0144)
$750.00 –
- 2021 BASIC EXTERIOR FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS W/HMFRO (01-05-0101) or
- 2021 BEFO W/HMFRO (BLENDED LEARNING) (01-05-0103)
$1250.00 –
- 2021 SCBA/INTERIOR FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS-FF1 (01-05-0102)
$1000.00 –
- FIRE OFFICER I (NFPA 1021-2020 ED.) w/FSTFAC (01-11-0176) or
- FIRE OFFICER I – SUPERVISING FIRE OFFICER MODULE SERIES (01-11-0154)
$2000.00 –
- 2021 BEFO-SCBA/IFO-FF1 (BLENDED LEARNING) (01-05-0104)