State Fire Marshal Matt Perez and Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) Director Royal Mortenson announced today an intergovernmental agreement that streamlines the process for Illinois firefighters who complete IFSI courses to receive state certification. Under the terms of the agreement, the IFSI will be granted state certification equivalency for its end-of-course examinations. This will eliminate the requirement imposed upon Illinois firefighters who attended IFSI courses to take both a final end-of-course examination and an OSFM examination in order to receive state certification. State Fire Marshal Perez stated “The Illinois legislature has mandated that the firefighters of Illinois receive training from the Fire Service Institute and certifications from the Office of the State Fire Marshal in order for them to operate smarter, safer and more effectively. The closer alignment of these two state agencies will offer unparalleled quality in fire service education. I look forward to continuing work with Director Mortenson to maximize the capabilities of both our agencies.”