A critical change is coming December 1^st – the Fire Safety Director and Fire Safety/EAP Director Certificates of Fitness (CoF) are phasing out, and a new Fire and Life Safety Director CoF is taking their place.

The Fire and Life Safety (FLS) Director Certificate was first introduced in the new Fire Code, released in 2014. Anyone applying for the FLS Director must also be trained in active shooter/medical emergencies.

Starting this December, any new applicants will need to meet requirements for the Fire & Life Safety Director Certificate of Fitness. Ongoing renewals will transition to the new certification over time.

Here’s what you need to know for renewals, straight from the city’s new law:

• Fire Safety/EAP Directors, who have been trained in non-fire emergencies, must complete an active shooter and medical emergency training course from an accredited training school (based on a curriculum recently developed by the Fire Department and the New York City Police Department) by the earlier of September 4, 2017 or the date of expiration of the Fire Safety/EAP Director certificate of fitness, in order to obtain their new FLS Director certificate of fitness.
  • No Fire Department written or on-site (practical) examination will be required for active Fire Safety/EAP Directors who timely complete the active shooter and medical emergency training course

• Fire Safety Directors, who do not hold the EAP certificate of fitness and have not been trained in non-fire emergencies, must complete an active shooter and medical emergency training course by the earlier of September 4, 2017 or the date of expiration of the Fire Safety Director certificate of fitness.
  • Fire Safety Directors must thereafter complete a full course in non-fire emergencies by the earlier of September 3, 2018 or the date of expiration of the Fire Safety Director certificate of fitness.
  • Fire Safety Directors may, if they wish, take the full course (which includes training in active shooter and medical emergencies) by the earlier of September 4, 2017 or the date of expiration of the Fire Safety Director certificate of fitness, instead of the two courses.
  • Upon completion of the full course, Fire Safety Directors must apply for the new FLS Director certificate of fitness and complete the necessary written examination by the earlier of March 1, 2020 or the date of expiration of the Fire Safety Director certificate of fitness

Individuals who fail to comply will have their CoF suspended, and may be required to apply as a new applicant. All eligible properties required to have a Fire Safety/EAP Director must have a Certified FLS Director instead by March 2020.

As a reminder, failure to have a CoF holder at a required location may result in FDNY-ECB violations and resulting fines. More importantly, it’s critical to have these CoF holders in place to ensure the safety of all building occupants.

For more details, read the full text of the promulgated law here. SiteCompli will keep you posted on recorded building-specific Certificates of Fitness and upcoming expiration dates – make sure your team has a renewal plan in place to stay compliant!