What To Do Now
Option 1: Not Qualified – Static and Stable for long-term or chronic conditions
· If you were found Not Qualified – Static and Stable on your determination letter, your Agency should have sent you an opportunity letter asking you if you want to participate/not participate in the Risk Mitigation/Waiver Process. You have five working days to respond to this letter with your intention to participate or not.
o If you choose to not participate, the process ends here and you will not be qualified as arduous duty and cannot fight fire.
o If you choose to participate, your Agency will follow up with you for a Risk Mitigation/Waiver (See documents 1st Level Risk Mitigation)
Option 2: Not Qualified – Static and Stable for acute or short-term conditions
· If you were found Not Qualified – Static and Stable on your determination letter, your Agency should have sent you an opportunity letter asking you if you want to participate/not participate in the Risk Mitigation/Waiver Process. You have five working days to respond to this letter with your intention to participate or not.
o If you choose to not participate, the process ends here and you will not be qualified as arduous duty and cannot fight fire.
o If you choose to participate, your Agency will follow up with you for a Risk Mitigation/Waiver (See documents 1st Level Risk Mitigation) OR;
o At any time, you may submit additional medical information for Reviewing Medical Officer (RMO) for a new determination. A RMO is done through the contracted medical provider (CHSi). (See documents RMO_Consult Review)
o If you had a short-term or acute condition(s) that have resolved or are no longer an issue a RMO can be submitted for a possible determination of Qualified. Please see link to RMO process.
Example: You were found Not Qualified due to a knee surgery. There was not sufficient information submitted at the time of your exam for the CHSi reviewing Medical officer to determine that you met the standard.
By providing additional information through a RMO, you may receive a Qualified determination and no further action would be required.
o You can contact for additional information to assist with this process.
Option 3: Not Qualified – Not Static and Stable
· If you were found Not Qualified, not static and stable on your determination letter, your Agency should have sent you an opportunity letter asking you if you want to participate/not participate in the Risk Mitigation/Waiver Process. You have five working days to respond to this letter with your intention to participate/not participate.
o If you choose to not participate, the process ends here and you will not be qualified as arduous duty and cannot fight fire.
o If you choose to participate your Agency will follow up with you for a Risk Mitigation/Waiver (See documents 1st Level Risk Mitigation). HOWEVER, most agencies will require a determination of static and stable for your non-qualifying issue(s).
o You may submit additional medical information for Reviewing Medical Officer (RMO) for a new determination of static and stable. A RMO is done through the contracted medical provider (CHSi). Only the CHSi RMO can make an official static and stable determination. Please see link to RMO process.
§ The additional information you submit from your own provider MAY change your determination to Qualified. This is most likely for short term conditions that have resolved or are no longer an issue or;
§ The additional information may still have Not Qualified on your new determination letter, but, it may change your non-qualifying issue(s) from Not Static and Stable to Static and Stable. This is most likely for long-term or chronic condition(s) such as diabetes.
§ Contact for additional information on the RMO process and recommendations for what type of information to submit.