For a wide range of agencies, our Certificate in Public Safety (Emergency Vehicle Operator) certification ensures drivers are safe and ready.

Whether public safety professionals are driving patrol cars, ambulances or fire trucks under lights and sirens for urgent response, IPSQA’s Certificate in Public Safety (Emergency Vehicle Operator) provides ISO17024:2012 compliant certification giving confidence to holders, employers and the community that such high risk vehicle operations follow best practice. 

The Certificate in Public Safety (Emergency Vehicle Operator) [CertPubS®(EVO)] requires the successful completion of three parts:

  • Part A: Supervised multi-choice examination (multi-lingual)
  • Part B: Practical skills assessment – observation of emergency driving skills
  • Part C: Completion of logbook requiring minimum hours and activities, and confirmation of understanding local laws.

Part A and B tests candidates against a range of knowledge and skill requirements including:

  • Vehicle safety systems
  • Vehicle dynamics
  • Safe driving practices
  • Hazard management
  • Pre- and post-use vehicle checks
  • Road navigation
  • Vehicle communication systems
  • Warning device operation (lights & siren)
  • Defensive driving during emergency response
  • Vehicle position on-scene

Part A: A standardized online exam is used as part of the assessment (Part A) and available in over 50 languages and tested under the supervision of a proctor. Accredited Testing Centres (ATCs) may also develop their own examination and subject it for moderation and approval by IPSQA (a fee applies).

Part B: As an ISO17024:2023 compliant certification product, the skill assessment is undertaken by an independent assessor (by subject matter experts). The assessment is not associated with any proprietary training, allowing agencies to deliver pre-assessment training as they best determine, let it be in-house or outsourced to a provider – how candidates get ready for assessment is up to you.

Part C: The candidate must also complete a prescribed logbook within 6 months and submit to IPSQA for assessment by a different assessor (assigned by IPSQA), not domiciled in the same country as the candidate as part of our Foreign Interference Protection (FIP) protocol which is unique to IPSQA. The logbook includes evidence verified by a supervisor and referenced to dispatched incidents to ensure authenticity.

Though the certification is aimed at public safety practitioners such as those from law enforcement, ambulance, fire, civil defence, search and rescue etc, subject to meeting any local regulatory requirements, other professionals such as military and mining emergency response who operate emergency vehicles may find the certification useful.

For candidates seeking certification for specialist vehicles, IPSQA offers a range of other certification products including:

  • IPSQA Certificate in Public Safety (Emergency Motorcycle Operator)
  • IPSQA Certificate in Public Safety (Off-Road Operator)
  • IPSQA ProQual: NFPA 1002 (Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications

Candidates must demonstrate skills consistently with approved references such as the text Roadcraft – The Police Driver’s Handbook (Coyne & Mares, 2020).

Contact us or your local Accredited Testing Centre for further information.

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