(a) A fire department may not appoint a person to the fire department, except on a temporary or probationary basis, unless:
(1) the person:
(A) has satisfactorily completed a preparatory program of training in fire protection at a school approved by the commission; and
(B) meets the qualifications established by the commission under Subsection (b); and
(2) the commission has approved the person’s fingerprint-based criminal history record information under § 419.0325.
(b) The commission by rule may establish qualifications relating to minimum age, education, physical and mental condition, citizenship, basic certification tests, continuing education or training programs, and other matters that relate to the competence and reliability of persons to assume and discharge the responsibilities of fire protection personnel. The commission shall prescribe the means of presenting evidence of fulfillment of these qualifications. This chapter does not preclude an employing agency from establishing qualifications and standards for hiring fire protection personnel that exceed the minimum qualifications set by the commission.

(c) Fire protection personnel who receive temporary or probationary appointment and who fail to satisfactorily complete a basic course in fire protection, as prescribed by the commission, before one year after the date of the original appointment forfeit, and shall be removed from, the position. A temporary or probationary appointment may not be extended beyond one year by renewal of appointment or otherwise, except that on petition of a fire department one year or more after the date of the forfeiture and removal, the commission may reinstate the person’s temporary or probationary employment. Fire protection personnel must complete a commission-approved training course in fire suppression before being assigned full-time to fire suppression duties. The commission may, on application by a fire department, extend from one year to a period not to exceed two years the time allowed for fire protection personnel receiving a temporary or probationary appointment to successfully complete a basic course in fire protection.
(d) The commission may certify persons who are qualified under this subchapter to be fire protection personnel. The commission shall adopt rules relating to presentation of evidence of satisfactory completion of a program or course of instruction in another jurisdiction equivalent in content and quality to that required by the commission for approved fire protection education and training programs in this state and shall issue to a person meeting the rules and the requirements of § 419.0325 a certificate evidencing satisfaction of Subsections (a) and (b). The commission may waive any certification requirement, except those under § 419.0325, for an applicant with a valid license from another state having certification requirements substantially equivalent to those of this state.
(e) Fire protection personnel serving under permanent appointment before September 1, 1972, are not required to meet a requirement of Subsection (a) or (b) as a condition of tenure or continued employment or for eligibility for a promotional examination for which they are otherwise eligible. The fire protection personnel are eligible to attend training courses subject to commission rules.
(f) A local government may appoint a person to the position of head of the fire department, though the person is not certified by the commission as fire protection personnel, if the person either has at least 10 years’ experience as a volunteer fire fighter or may be eligible to become certified under the provisions of Subsection (d) relating to other states or jurisdictions. The appointment is on a temporary basis pending certification of the person as fire protection personnel by the commission under this subsection. The temporary appointment may not be extended beyond one year by renewal of appointment or otherwise. In addition to rules adopted under Subsection (d) relating to other states or jurisdictions, the commission shall adopt rules for purposes of this subsection relating to presentation of evidence that a person has been a volunteer fire fighter for the required period. The rules may not include more stringent requirements on the nature of the volunteer fire departments with which a person may accumulate the required period of volunteer service than the requirements contained in the definition of an organized volunteer fire department under Chapter 615. The commission shall certify as fire protection personnel a person who is serving as a temporarily appointed department head under this subsection and who:
(1) presents satisfactory evidence that the person has been a volunteer fire fighter for at least 10 years and passes the commission’s basic certification examination administered under this subchapter on the first or second attempt;
(2) presents satisfactory evidence that the person is eligible to be certified as fire protection personnel under Subsection (d) and passes the commission’s basic certification examination administered under this subchapter on the first or second attempt; or
(3) satisfies the requirements of Subsections (a) and (b).
(g) This chapter does not prevent a fire department from assigning volunteer fire fighters, or other auxiliary fire fighters who are not fire protection personnel, to fire suppression, fire education, or fire station duties.
(h) This chapter does not prevent an employee of a local government from being a volunteer fire fighter.