Airport Fire Officer (AFO)

Prospective AFO candidates must meet the following requirements to be accepted into the program:

Successful completion of the ACE Airport Master Firefighter (ACE AMF) program

Not required to hold a formal rank of officer to participate

Completion of forty hours of Incident Command/Management Level Training

• Most departments have different requirements for officer level training. For this requirement to be met, candidates will need to provide documentation meeting this prerequisite and be approved by the ARFF Working Group Educational Affairs Committee. Examples of acceptable courses would be the PICO and STICO, Command and Control Classes from the National Fire Academy, NIMS 300 & 400, a Fire Officer I program, or a college level management course.

NFA/EMI Emergency Management Institute IS-120.c – An Introduction to Exercises Course

• On-line self-Study Course

NFA/EMI Emergency Management Institute IS 130.a – Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning Course*

• On-line Self Study Course

Department of Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) L-146 class will count as equivalency for IS-130.a class

How to Register for the AFO Program

Prior to officially enrolling into the AFO program, candidates are to submit a registration package containing the above documents.

The required information is to be accompanied by a signed cover letter (on an official letterhead) by the Airport Fire Chief or lead ARFF official verifying the information submitted was correct and showing support from the department.

The Airport Fire Chief or lead ARFF official is to include in the cover letter an overview of the documents submitted as well as support of the candidate to be enrolled into the program(s). In addition, the supporter signing the letter must include his or her rank at the firehouse and contact information (phone number and email).

Registration packages may be submitted electronically via email to the ARFF Working Group at info@arffwg.org or to AAAE at training@aaae.org.

Upon successful verification from the AAAE/ARFFWG Joint Training Program Committee, the Airport Fire Chief or lead ARFF official will receive correspondence from the committee, by phone or email, for the candidate to officially register for the program.

Please note: Candidates must independently register for both the ACE AMF and AFO programs.

Grandfather Clause Application
(Adobe PDF File)

Once the candidate officially registers for the program and pays all required dues for the AFO program, the candidate will be assigned an ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative and will be given electronic access to the AFO Supplemental Material.

The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will be the point of contact for the candidate throughout the AFO process. AFO is a two-step process. Step One is a written exam to show mastery of the advanced material. Step Two presents your own interpretation or evaluation or argument through developing a research question and thesis, doing the research, writing a paper, and correctly documenting your sources or showing mastery of this through prior attainment of an advanced degree.

AFO STEP ONE

The AFO candidate must successfully complete the 100 question multiple-choice examination with a 70% or better. All exams are now administered through a secure online platform, and a live proctor is no longer needed. A computer with a webcam, internal microphone and internet connection is required for all exams. You must review the exam instructions and guidelines prior to scheduling an exam. All sessions will be recorded. Failure to adhere to these guidelines can result in AAAE invalidating your exam.

AFO STEP TWO

Once the candidate has successfully completed Step One, the candidate must complete and send the AFO Step Two form to their assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative. The form will include the end date for the candidate to have AFO Step Two completed, which will be three years from the date the form is sent. The candidate will then have 30 days to complete this form and send to the assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative for review and approval.

The candidate must select and complete ONE of the following options for Tier 2:

• Management Research Paper - Write a management research paper of 20-30 pages on a topic that is broadly applicable to ARFF management to propose a set of guidelines for managing a problem or set forth an argument for implementing a project or using a methodology. The topic must be approved in advance by the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee.

OR

• Case Study, Proposal, or Project (staffing, fitness, additional apparatus, etc.) - Prepare a case study of 20-30 pages to recount/analyze the steps or measures taken by a specific ARFF department or ARFF system in implementing a project or managing a problem. The case study, proposal, or project must be approved in advance by the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee.

OR

• Submit an official transcript of record from an accredited university or college to the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee to verify that you have earned a Bachelor's degree or Graduate Degree. The major course of study must have been in fire service administration, emergency services administration, public safety administration, or related.

OR

• U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program - Completion of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program. Submit your NFA EFO program certificate.

The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will review the submitted Airport Fire Officer (AFO) Tier Two Form and provide feedback to the candidate within thirty days following submission. The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will advise if the selected topic for Options 1 or 2 is approved, rejected, or requires more clarification. If the topic is approved, the candidate may proceed with writing the Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project. However, if the topic is rejected or requires further clarification, all revisions or a new topic must be resubmitted within thirty days from date of notice.

Some Helpful Tips for Selecting a Topic

Choosing your topic should be an expression of your professional and personal interest. It is important to remember that many topics are too narrow to be developed into a management paper. Your subject should not be a description of an activity, incident or process at your airport that has little relative value for other airport fire fighters.

Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project Guidance

Candidates are encouraged to contact their assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative at any time during the AFO process. To keep the candidate on track with the development and flow of the project, an outline of the paper should be developed and submitted to the assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative for critique.

Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project Resources and Guidelines

The Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project should be drafted using the MLA (Modern Language Association) style. MLA is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (8th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.

Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project Submission of Final Draft

Candidates must submit the final draft of the Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project Submission of Final Draft to the assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative. This may be done electronically through email to the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative. All papers are to be submitted in an editable format (i.e. Microsoft Word). The assigned representative will then submit to the ARFF Educational Affairs Committee for review and grading.

Evaluation of the Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project 

The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee will review of the Management Research Paper, Case Study, Proposal, or Project to determines that it fulfills the objectives of the selected topic.  Should the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee decide that the paper is inadequate and needs more development, it will be returned to the candidate electronically for additional work. Comments will be provided to give the candidate direction on where to make some improvements.

The board will score the paper pass/fail based upon the following criteria:

• Fulfillment: Fulfills the assignment specifications.
• Clarity: Uses headings and subheadings as appropriate to clearly lay out the author’s presentation.
• Relevance: Related to aircraft rescue firefighting. Topic is current and can be utilized by others.
• Depth: Explores the topic in reasonable detail and analysis. Concepts are substantiated and research sources documented.
• Quality: Adheres to proper format and grammar.

It may take up to sixty days for the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee to review and return individual critiques to candidates. If candidates are required to resubmit revised papers, they have thirty days to do so and may submit to designated ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative electronically. Papers will be included in the ARFF Libraries.

Summary article and presentation

While not required, the AFO candidate is highly encouraged to present on the management research paper or case study at an ARFFWG sponsored event or related conference (event/conference registration fees will not be charged). Additionally, a Summary Article (1,000-word Article) should potentially be published in ARFF News or AAAE Airport Magazine to share information that may be relevant and assist other ARFF originations.

The article may include pictures or diagrams that are appropriate to the summary and assist in showing necessary detail of the candidate’s research and conclusion. Note: Any pictures or diagrams used must specifically state they are personally owned (i.e. you own the picture or diagram) or show you have permission to use the pictures or diagrams.

The AFO ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP) requires a different set of skills from that of the ACE AMF multiple-choice examination. This program requires candidates to demonstrate that he/she can write in a clear, organized, and grammatically correct style about a topic of interest relevant to professional aircraft rescue and fighters and be able to present the contents of the project at an ARFF conference and also be able to defend the research conducted on the topic. Independent research on the topic is required and the paper should be presented in a formal, high quality, research paper format.  The ARP should flow in a logical and understandable manner with the conclusion clearly supported by the evidence presented in the body of the project.

The ARFF Educational Affairs Committee will evaluate the paper on its relevance to ARFF, format, form and content.  The project will be graded on a pass/fail basis.  Successful papers will become a permanent part of the ARFFWG and AAAE ARFF libraries and will be made available to other airports as reference materials.

Upon successful completion of the ARP, candidates will be required to present all ARP findings at an ARFFWG Conference of the candidates choosing as well as write a Professional Article to earn the A.F.O. designation.

ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP) Process

ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative

Once the candidate officially registers for the program and pays all required dues for the AFO program, the candidate will be assigned an ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative. This individual will be the point of contact for the candidate throughout the AFO process.

Candidates are encouraged to contact their assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative at anytime during the AFO process. To keep the candidate on track with the development and flow of the project, an outline of the paper should be developed and submitted to the assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative for critique.

ARFF Applied Research Proposal Form

The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will provide the candidate with an ARFF Applied Research Proposal form for the ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP). The form will include the end date for the candidate to have the AFO paper completed, which will be three years from the date the form is sent. The candidate will then have 30 days to complete this form and send to the assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative for review and approval.

The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will review the submitted ARFF Applied Research Proposal Form and provide feedback to the candidate within 30 days following submission. The ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will advise if the selected topic is approved, rejected, or requires more clarification. If the topic is approved, the candidate may proceed with writing the paper. However, if the topic is rejected or requires further clarification, all revisions or a new topic must be resubmitted within 30 days from date of notice.

Some Helpful Tips for Selecting a Topic

Choosing your topic should be an expression of your professional and personal interest. It is important to remember that many topics are too narrow to be developed into a management paper. Your subject should not be a description of an activity, incident or process at your airport that has little relative value for other airport fire fighters.  Candidates should discuss the selection of an appropriate topic with their assigned ARFF Educational Affairs Representative.

Refer to the two sample forms below.

ARFF Applied Research Proposal (ARP) Form
(Adobe PDF File)

ARP Evaluation Form
(Adobe PDF File)

ARP Resources and Guidelines

Candidates must conduct independent research when developing the ARP.  A good amount of information may be obtained from the  ACE AMF Study Materials as well as other external resources.  Candidates are encouraged to conduct interviews with superiors, peers and colleagues as well as meet with other ARFF facilities when gathering information for the ARP.

Candidates are required to use the most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Manual.  This resource is not provided by AAAE or the ARFFWG but may refer to the APA Website for more information on how to obtain this resource.

ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP) Submission of Final Draft

Candidates must submit all drafts (including the final draft) of the ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP) to the assigned ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative. This may be done electronically through email to the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative. All papers are to be submitted in an editable format (i.e. Microsoft Word).  Once the ARP is at the point for final submission, the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Representative will submit the final draft to the ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee for review and grading.

Please refer to the ARFF Professional Designation Learning Guide for more information on the Evaluation of the ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP)

Sample ARFF Applied Research Project (ARP)

ARFF Training Alliance Library

All submitted and graded ARP’s will be become part of the ARFF Training Alliance Library ARP Presentation After the ARP has been graded, the candidates assigned ARFF Educational Affairs Representative will issue a Notice to Proceed to the ARP Presentation.  The ARP Presentation portion of the ARFF Designation process is designed to give the candidate an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of the research conducted throughout the ARFF Research Project (ARP) and to speak clearly and effectively while organizing thoughts in response to questions asked by the panel. At least three ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee members and an assembled group of peers administer the oral exam. An ARFFWG Educational Affairs Committee member will serve as the lead examiner and will have control over the timing of the presentation.

More information on the ARP Presentation and helpful hints to prepare is presented in the ARFF Professional Designation Learning Guide ARFF Professional Designation Learning Guide

Professional Article Requirement

The final requirement of the AFO process is the submission of a 1,000 word professional article to be published in the ARFFWG or AAAE publications. The article should be a summary of the A.F.O. Applied Research Project (ARP) and subsequent conclusion that was reached during the project. The article may include pictures or diagrams that are appropriate to the summary and assist in showing necessary detail of the candidate’s research and conclusion. The article must be submitted prior to or at the time of the oral presentation and AFO credentials will not be issued until it has been submitted. Note: Any pictures or diagrams used must specifically state they are personally owned (i.e. you own the picture or diagram) or show you have permission to use the pictures or diagrams.

Contacts

If you have been accepted to the AFO Program, you will receive an email with a link to the online study materials. If you have not received the email, please contact the Training Department.

You can also purchase hard copies of the materials here.

All AFO candidates will need the following materials to study for the multiple-choice examination:

AFO SUPPLEMENT**

AFO Supplement consists of: 

• The Airport Finance excerpt from the Certified Member (C.M.) modules
• FAA Advisory Circular 150/5200-31: Airport Emergency Plan**
• FAA Advisory Circular150/5210-6: Aircraft Fire Extinguishing Agents**
• FAA Advisory Circular150/5220-10: Guide Specification for Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Vehicles**
• FAA Advisory Circular150/5230-4: Aircraft Fuel Storage, Handling, and Dispensing on Airports**
•  FAA CertAlert for Part 139 04-18: Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) Training Facility Pool Size (Fixed and Mobile) **
•  FAA CertAlert for Part 139 04-12: Dry Chemical Systems Inspection and Maintenance**

NFPA STANDARDS*

• NFPA 402: Guide for ARFF Operations, 2013 Edition * (can be viewed for free at NFPA.org)
• NFPA 403: Standard for ARFF Services at Airports, 2014 Edition * (can be viewed for free at NFPA.org)
• NFPA 407: Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing, 2012 Edition * (can be viewed for free at NFPA.org)

* Candidates to obtain this resource on-own

** Document included in AFO Supplement

** AFO Supplement provided to all enrolled candidates electronically at no extra charge

All candidates, upon enrollment, will be given electronic access to the following materials:

• AAAE/ARFFWG ARFF Designation Learning Guide
• AFO Supplement