Training guide · Red Card
How to get a Red Card
The Red Card is how a wildland fire crew knows you are qualified to be on the line. Getting your first one, as a Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2), takes five courses, an in-person field day and the pack test, then an employer who certifies you. Here is the order that works.
By The Journeyman · Checked against NWCG standards, October 2026
The short answer
Take ICS-100, IS-700, L-180, S-190 and S-130 (S-130 ends with an in-person field day and fire shelter practice), then pass the pack test: 3 miles, 45 pounds, 45 minutes. The agency, department or company you work for checks your records and issues the Red Card. Renew it every season with the RT-130 refresher and a new pack test.
Red Card requirements for FFT2
| Requirement | What it is | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|
| ICS-100 | Introduction to the Incident Command System | Online, free (FEMA IS-100) |
| IS-700 | National Incident Management System, an introduction | Online, free (FEMA) |
| L-180 | Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service | Usually online |
| S-190 | Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior | Online or classroom |
| S-130 | Firefighter Training | Classroom or online, plus an in-person field day |
| Pack test | Work Capacity Test, arduous: 3 miles, 45 lb, 45 minutes | In person |
| RT-130 | Annual Fireline Safety Refresher | Every season after your first |
Formats vary by provider. The S-130 field day, the fire shelter practice and the pack test are always in person.
Step by step
- Line up who will issue your cardIf you are already hired, or volunteering with a department, ask your training officer which classes they run and which you should take first. If you are not, take the courses on your own and apply as you go; see how to become a wildland firefighter.
- Do ICS-100 and IS-700 onlineBoth are free on FEMA's Emergency Management Institute site, open to anyone, and take a few hours each. Save the certificates.
- Take L-180 and S-190Usually online, sometimes in a classroom with S-130. Many S-130/S-190 classes expect these done before the first day.
- Take S-130 and its field dayThe core firefighter course. It ends with a day outdoors where an instructor evaluates you building line, using hand tools and hose, and deploying a practice fire shelter. You have to show up and pass it in person.
- Pass the pack test3 miles on level ground with a 45-pound pack in 45 minutes or less, walking. Most agencies have you fill out a health screening questionnaire first. Start training for it weeks ahead; here is how.
- Get certified and carry the cardYour agency or employer reviews your certificates and test, enters you as FFT2 and issues the Red Card. Keep copies of every certificate; you will need them again.
- Renew every seasonEach season after your first: RT-130 and a new pack test. Then start on FFT1: experience on the line, the FFT1 task book and S-131.
What to bring to the field day
Your instructor will send a list, and it varies by provider. Most expect leather lace-up boots that are broken in, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt of natural fiber, work gloves, water and lunch. The agency or provider usually supplies the hard hat, fire shelter and tools. Ask before you buy anything expensive.
Questions
What is a Red Card?
The common name for the Incident Qualification Card. It lists the wildland fire positions you are qualified for, such as FFT2, and is issued by your agency or employer from its qualification records. Federal agencies keep those records in the IQCS system.
Does a Red Card expire?
Your qualifications stay current only while you keep up the yearly requirements: the RT-130 refresher (every season after your first) and a passed Work Capacity Test at your position's level. Agencies issue a new card for each season.
Can I get a Red Card on my own?
You can take every course on your own, and many people do before applying. The card itself is certified and issued by an organization: a federal or state agency, a fire department or a contractor. Your course certificates go with you if you change employers.
Is a Red Card the same in every state?
The NWCG standard is used by the federal agencies and most states, so an FFT2 qualification means the same thing on a fire in Oregon as in Georgia. Some states also run their own system that maps to NWCG, such as California's CICCS for local government firefighters.
I am a structural firefighter. Do I still need these courses?
Yes, the wildland courses and the pack test are still required for a Red Card. Some states publish crosswalks that credit parts of structural training, so ask your training officer before you repeat a course.
Sources
Requirements change when NWCG updates PMS 310-1. Your agency or employer has the final say on what you need, so confirm with them before you sign up for a course.