IAAI-ECT study plan
IAAI-ECT · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
NFPA 1033 job performance requirements
Map every NFPA 1033 job performance requirement in the investigation task list to its own one-line note card
Define the terms 'origin', 'cause', 'cause classification', and 'responsibility' in your own words without consulting notes
List the systematic steps of a fire scene investigation in the order NFPA 1033 expects them performed
Identify which 1033 requirements demand written documentation versus verbal reporting
Your checkpoint
A complete one-page JPR coverage matrix for NFPA 1033 with every requirement numbered, summarized, and self-rated 1-5 on confidence
NFPA 1033 job performance requirements
Explain how fire dynamics (heat release rate, ventilation, flashover) affects origin determination and write three worked scenarios
Describe evidence identification, documentation, collection, and chain-of-custody procedures in sequence
Distinguish accidental, incendiary, undetermined, and natural cause classifications and justify each with observable indicators
Practice articulating scene safety and legal-entry considerations in a short written response
Your checkpoint
Three 200-word written scene analyses that each state an origin hypothesis, the evidence supporting it, and the classification you would assign with rationale
NFPA 1033 job performance requirements & NFPA 1021 job performance requirements
Complete 40 scenario-based 1033 practice questions and log the reasoning error behind every miss
Compare NFPA 1033 investigator competencies with NFPA 1021 fire officer supervisory duties and note where the roles divide
Draft the supervisory actions a fire officer takes at a fire scene before an investigator arrives
Review the 1021 job performance requirements for Level I and II and mark which ones you can already demonstrate
Your checkpoint
An error log of 40 practice items with a corrected explanation for each and a short summary of your three weakest 1033 sub-areas
NFPA 1021 job performance requirements
Break down NFPA 1021 Level I and II JPRs into the four categories (human resources, community/public relations, administration, emergency service delivery) and summarize each
Explain how to prepare a unit-level budget request and justify it with operational data
Describe the process for conducting a personnel evaluation and delivering corrective feedback
Outline how a fire officer develops and delivers a pre-incident plan for a target hazard
Your checkpoint
A 1021 study outline covering all four JPR categories, each with at least two concrete on-the-job examples of how the requirement is performed
NFPA 1021 job performance requirements
Write the steps for conducting an initial fire cause determination and securing the scene for the investigator, in correct sequence
Explain how a fire officer manages multi-company operations at a working incident, including assignment of tactical benchmarks
Describe the officer's role in post-incident analysis and improvement recommendations
Complete 40 1021 practice questions and record the reasoning behind each incorrect choice
Your checkpoint
A written 1021 error log with 40 items plus a one-page officer-scene-response checklist you could use as a job aid
NFPA 1037 job performance requirements
Map all NFPA 1037 fire marshal JPRs to their administrative, investigative, inspection, and public-education components
Explain the fire marshal's authority for inspections, permits, and code enforcement and how it differs from suppression command
Describe how to plan and conduct a fire safety inspection of a commercial occupancy, including documentation and follow-up
Outline how a fire marshal develops a community risk reduction or public education program
Your checkpoint
A 1037 JPR map with each requirement summarized and paired with a real or hypothetical job scenario showing how it is performed
NFPA 1037 job performance requirements & NFPA 1021 job performance requirements
Explain how the fire marshal coordinates with the fire officer and investigator on origin-and-cause findings and enforcement actions
Describe the process for handling a complaint or violation through to abatement, including appeals and legal referrals
Complete 40 mixed 1037 and 1021 practice questions and log every miss with its corrected reasoning
Review your week 1 and week 4 notes and rewrite the three weakest items in your own words
Your checkpoint
A mixed-domain error log of 40 items plus a one-page comparison of fire officer, investigator, and fire marshal responsibilities at a single incident
NFPA 1021 job performance requirements & NFPA 1033 job performance requirements & NFPA 1037 job performance requirements
Take two full-length timed practice exams and score each by domain
Re-teach each of your three weakest JPRs aloud in under two minutes without notes
Reconcile every remaining error in your logs to a specific JPR and confirm the correct answer logic
Build a final one-page quick-reference sheet of key terms, sequences, and role boundaries
Your checkpoint
A scored practice-exam report showing domain-level percentages, a resolved error log, and a final one-page quick-reference sheet
Milestones
Week 2: You can state an origin hypothesis, supporting evidence, and cause classification for any described fire scene without notes
Week 4: You score at least 75 percent on a 40-question NFPA 1033 set and can explain every missed item
Week 5: You can list all four NFPA 1021 JPR categories and give two on-the-job examples for each
Week 6: You have mapped every NFPA 1037 JPR and score at least 75 percent on a 30-question set
Week 7: You can clearly distinguish fire officer, investigator, and fire marshal duties at the same incident in under five minutes
Week 8: Both timed practice exams are complete, scored by domain, and every logged error is resolved to a specific JPR