Arson Investigator

Your FIDO account will only display eligibility for certification once you have met ALL requirements for a specific discipline/level.

If you have ever tested with the commission or held certification, please do not create a new FIDO account if you are unable to log in. Contact the commission at 512-936-3838 for assistance.

To become certified in Intermediate Arson Investigator you must:

• Hold Basic Arson Investigator certification
• Have four (4) years of experience in fire protection
• Document completion of required professional development
• Apply and pay for certification. The quickest option is to pay with a credit card.

Hold basic arson investigator certification.

Have four years of experience: Your FIDO account must display a minimum four (4) years of experience in your Service Time clock. Service time is defined as time employed while holding certification.

If you have time that is not documented in your account, you may submit TCFP form 16: Affidavit. This form and ALL required supporting documentation should be uploaded to FIDO on the Submissions page, Service Time Affidavits button.

Professional Development: You must document training completed from the commission approved A-list and B-list of courses or college credits in fire science to be eligible for upgrade.

• Option 1: Six college credits of fire science or fire technology (includes Fire Service, Emergency Medicine, Emergency Management, or Public Administration)

o Submit a copy of an official transcript(s) documenting these credits through the Submissions page, Professional Development button in FIDO.

• Option 2: Two A-List courses or eight B-List courses; or one A-List course and four B-List courses

o Submit training through the Submissions page, Professional Development button in FIDO. You must submit one course at a time as you must identify the course exactly as it matches your completion certificate and is listed on the A or B list.

• Option 3: Three college credits meeting the requirements of Option 1, AND either one A-List course or four B-List courses.

• Option 4: Hold a current Intermediate Peace Officer certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) with four additional law enforcement courses applicable for fire investigations.

Note: Training used for this certification level must be in addition to any training used previously. You cannot repeat a course or use a course of similar content towards this level, ex. you cannot use components of basic SFF (FFI, FFII, AWS, OPS) to upgrade SFF certification.

Step 1: Log into FIDO.

Step 2: Click on the Applications on the left menu.

Step 3: Click on the green Apply button (if it is not green, you are not eligible).

Step 3: Follow the instructions to create an invoice.

Step 4: Click on Invoices on the left menu

Step 5: Click the green Pay link on the far right of the screen.

Step 6: Follow the instructions on Texas.gov to enter credit card information for payment to have certificate issued immediately.

Step 1: Log into FIDO

Step 2: Click Records on the left menu

Step 3: Click Certifications within the green bar

Step 4: Click Print next to the name of the certificate. This will open a PDF that can be downloaded and saved or printed. The commission does not mail hard copies of certificates.

Your FIDO account will only display eligibility for certification once you have met ALL requirements for a specific discipline/level.

If you have ever tested with the commission or held certification, please do not create a new FIDO account if you are unable to log in. Contact the commission at 512-936-3838 for assistance.

To become certified in Advanced Arson Investigator you must:

• Hold Intermediate Arson Investigator certification
• Have a minimum eight (8) years of experience in fire protection
• Document completion of required professional development
• Apply and pay for certification. The quickest option is to pay with a credit card.

Hold intermediate arson investigator certification.

Have eight years of experience: Your FIDO account must display a minimum eight (8) years of experience in your Service Time clock. Service time is defined as time employed while holding certification.

If you have time that is not documented in your account, you may submit TCFP form 16: Affidavit. This form and ALL required supporting documentation should be uploaded to FIDO on the Submissions page, Service Time Affidavits button.

Professional Development: You must document training completed from the commission approved A-list and B-list of courses or college credits in fire science to be eligible for upgrade.

• Option 1: Six college credits of fire science or fire technology (includes Fire Service, Emergency Medicine, Emergency Management, or Public Administration)

o Submit a copy of an official transcript(s) documenting these credits through the Submissions page, Professional Development button in FIDO.

• Option 2: Two A-List courses or eight B-List courses; or one A-List course and four B-List courses

o Submit training through the Submissions page, Professional Development button in FIDO. You must submit one course at a time as you must identify the course exactly as it matches your completion certificate and is listed on the A or B list.

• Option 3: Three college credits meeting the requirements of Option 1, AND either one A-List course or four B-List courses.

• Option 4: Advanced Arson for Profit or Complex Arson Investigative Techniques (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives resident or field course, 80 hours)

• Option 5: Hold a current Advanced Peace Officer certification from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) with four additional law enforcement courses applicable for fire investigations.

Note: Training used for this certification level must be in addition to any training used previously. You cannot repeat a course or use a course of similar content towards this level, ex. you cannot use components of basic SFF (FFI, FFII, AWS, OPS) to upgrade SFF certification.

Step 1: Log into FIDO.

Step 2: Click on the Applications on the left menu.

Step 3: Click on the green Apply button (if it is not green, you are not eligible).

Step 3: Follow the instructions to create an invoice.

Step 4: Click on Invoices on the left menu

Step 5: Click the green Pay link on the far right of the screen.

Step 6: Follow the instructions on Texas.gov to enter credit card information for payment to have certificate issued immediately.

Step 1: Log into FIDO

Step 2: Click Records on the left menu

Step 3: Click Certifications within the green bar

Step 4: Click Print next to the name of the certificate. This will open a PDF that can be downloaded and saved or printed. The commission does not mail hard copies of certificates.

Your FIDO account will only display eligibility for certification once you have met ALL requirements for a specific discipline/level.

If you have ever tested with the commission or held certification, please do not create a new FIDO account if you are unable to log in. Contact the commission at 512-936-3838 for assistance.

To become certified in Master Arson Investigator you must:

• Hold Advanced Arson Investigator certification
• Have a minimum twelve (12) years of experience in fire protection
• Document completion of required professional development
• Apply and pay for certification. The quickest option is to pay with a credit card.

Hold advanced arson investigator certification.

Have twelve years of experience: Your FIDO account must display a minimum twelve (12) years of experience in your Service Time clock. Service time is defined as time employed while holding certification.

If you have time that is not documented in your account, you may submit TCFP form 16: Affidavit. This form and ALL required supporting documentation should be uploaded to FIDO on the Submissions page, Service Time Affidavits button.

Professional Development: You must document completion of an associate degree or at least 60 college credits, which includes 18 college credits in fire science subjects (includes Fire Service, Emergency Medicine, Emergency Management, or Public Administration) to be eligible for certification.

Criminal justice courses related to fire and/or arson investigation on an official transcript may also be used to qualify for Master Arson Investigator certification.

• Submit a copy of an official transcript(s) documenting these credits through the Submissions page, Professional Development button in FIDO.

Note: If a college has given you credit for completing your basic academy training, you can apply them towards the 18 hours of fire science requirement ONLY at the master level.

Step 1: Log into FIDO.

Step 2: Click on the Applications on the left menu.

Step 3: Click on the green Apply button (if it is not green, you are not eligible).

Step 3: Follow the instructions to create an invoice.

Step 4: Click on Invoices on the left menu

Step 5: Click the green Pay link on the far right of the screen.

Step 6: Follow the instructions on Texas.gov to enter credit card information for payment to have certificate issued immediately.

Step 1: Log into FIDO

Step 2: Click Records on the left menu

Step 3: Click Certifications within the green bar

Step 4: Click Print next to the name of the certificate. This will open a PDF that can be downloaded and saved or printed. The commission does not mail hard copies of certificates.