OSFC The purpose of the Professional Certification Program is to identify and recognize emergency service personnel whose accomplishments in training and education exceeds nationally recognized standards. A Firefighter certified to one of the Fire Service Professional levels will have demonstrated competency in the knowledge and skills required to perform at a particular task level. The service that can be offered to the citizens and communities of the Commonwealth will be enhanced by the professional competency attained through this certification process. For a department to receive recognition, the minimum number of certified personnel must be equal to or greater than ten percent (10%) of the number of active members. A bronze, silver and gold border will be placed on the standard certificate and reflective decal to respectively designate 50%, 75%, 100% participation in the program. Source: Office of the State Fire Commissioner - http://www.osfc.state.pa.us/osfc. Over the past months members of the Trexlertown Fire Company have successfully completed additional certifications through the professional certification program. With 21 members now certified to the level of Firefighter I and 14 certified to the level of Firefighter II, the fire department has successfully attained our 2005 goal of a 50% state certification level, and additionally was recognized for this accomplishment with a certificate from the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. The department has also received decals to place on our apparatus to denote this achievement. To recognize the 50% certification level, a bronze border is placed around both the certificate and the decals. In an effort to further educate our members we have not stopped short with the recognition program. We are now at a level were every Fire/Rescue Officer of the Fire Team has been certified to the Officer #1 giving us 8 certified to that level. We also had 12 members go through the recognition program to become certified to the Instructor 1 level. Currently the Fire Chief and 1 firefighter are certified to the Fire Officer 2 level with more to become certified after the June 2006 time frame. Our Fire Marshal is also certified through the recognition program as a certified fire and explosive investigator. Becoming certified to nationally recognized standards is where our Fire Company needs to be. It is essential for us as a group to meet this higher level of standards. Training is what keeps Firefighters sharp, and it also makes us much safer while providing the highest level of service to our community.