The North Carolina Fire and Rescue Commission met April 12, 2005. The Commission approved the following changes in the Rescue Technician Program:

• All certified Emergency Rescue Technicians will be given Rescue Technician certification with IFSAC accreditation. A projected date for the mailing of the Rescue Technician certificates is August 31, 2005. This will be automatic, no application will be necessary.

• Any person wishing to obtain a Rescue Technician Specialty (chapters in addition to RT VMR) will need to complete RT VMR and RT Ropes before taking a Rescue Technician Specialty. For example: A student wishing to take a Surface Water Rescue Class must have RT VMR and Ropes certification before they will be allowed to participate in the Surface Water
Class. This will be the case for all specialties, Trench, Confined Space, Structural Collapse, etc.