The Saratoga Springs Fire Department received high accolades last week from the Utah Fire Service Certification System, being certified in 16 of 26 available areas, including 175 levels of certification.

"Congratulations, this is quite an accomplishment," said Jolene Nuttall, Utah First and Rescue Academy assistant director.

The purpose of the Fire Department Recognition Program is to recognize organizations that support, promote and encourage their emergency response personnel to be certified within the Utah Fire Service Certification System.

The Utah Fire Service Certification System standards are based on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) certification standards. Those standards include such areas as firefighter levels I and II, hazardous materials awareness and operations, apparatus driver operator, wildland fire, instructor, inspector and investigator.

Nuttall said recognition is given based on the number of firefighters that are certified compared to those who are not. The gold recognition indicates that 95 percent of the firefighters are certified at that level, silver for 75 to 94 percent, bronze for 50 percent to 74 percent and certificate recognition for 10 percent to 49 percent.

Denise Kelly, Saratoga Springs City Council member, summed up the administrative opinion of the firefighters' accomplishments when she said, "Thank you and congratulations. We all appreciate your service and dedication."

Its achievements were recognized as follows: Firefighter I, gold; Firefighter II, gold; Hazmat Awareness, gold; Hazmat Operations, gold; Fire Officer l, gold; Apparatus Driver Operator: pumper, silver; and Wildland Firefighter I, silver.

Other levels that the department already holds are Hazmat Tech, Apparatus Driver Operator -- aerial, instructor I, investigator I, inspector I & II, confined space, rope rescue, wildland I & II.

The Utah Fire Service Certification System is nationally recognized or accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) and the National Board on Fire Service Professional Standards (Pro Board).

Currently there are 39 states, 11 provinces and eight other countries that participate with the IFSAC and Pro Board system.

"In other words, if you are certified in the state of Utah and happen to want to move out, you can travel to these other states, provinces and countries and they will accept your training with straight reciprocity, because they know the training you receive here meets or exceeds national standards," Nuttall said.