Blue Card Announces 16 Years Without Price Increase for Core Programs

By Blue Card Staff
B Shifter Buckslip, Oct. 28, 2025

The Blue Card Hazard-Zone Incident Command Training & Certification Program was released in 2008. Since its inception, it has become the gold standard for managing IDLH hazard zones, offering greater educational value than any other training program or discipline fire departments use to keep their members prepared and well-practiced for the demands of structural firefighting.

Blue Card Pricing Remains the Same

Since launching the program in 2008, the cost for all Blue Card offerings has remained unchanged despite numerous enhancements and additions. While many training programs remain stagnant, Blue Card continually evolves to offer our clients the very best incident command training—without exorbitant annual price increases typical of most fire service training programs. In 2026, we anticipate no price increases for the Blue Card Hazard-Zone Incident Command Training & Certification Program, the Blue Card Train-the-Trainer program or our catalog of Blue Card workshops. That’s 16 years of no price increases for our core products.

One change we are making is that Blue Card will no longer include iPads as part of the TtT package. However, customers who complete the TtT program through the end of 2025 will continue to receive an iPad as part of the instructor’s package. This timeline may change depending on ongoing trade agreements/disagreements and supply conditions. Customers purchasing a CTC-in-a-Box will continue to receive iPads.

Special Introductory Pricing for ARFF Program Ends in 2025

After several years of thoughtful development and refinement, Blue Card’s Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting Incident Command Program launched this year. Developed in collaboration with industry experts and experienced ARFF professionals, the module addresses the unique challenges of aircraft emergencies with real-world scenarios, immersive training techniques and comprehensive strategies that align with Blue Card’s established methodology and the Eight Functions of Command.

The first pair of ARFF trainers launched in 2025 at a special introductory price of $2,000 for current Blue Card customers. In January 2026, the price reverts to $3,000.

Starting in 2026, we will also charge for Blue Card ARFF TtT renewals. Currently, we charge each department for up to four renewals for Blue Card TtTs. Because ARFF is a completely different program—distinct from the original Blue Card program for structural firefighting—we will add unique CE for ARFF and periodically improve and update the online ARFF program. We also anticipate producing additional ARFF simulations. Since the ARFF program is new, we will include up to two ARFF licenses as part of a department’s annual license renewal. Just like regular Blue Card, ARFF instructor licenses cost $1,000, and we will charge for up to two. This places the maximum number of annual license renewals at six (four for regular Blue Card and two for ARFF).

We’re Expanding Access to the Blue Card AAR System

In 2024, Blue Card introduced the After-Action Review System, enabling certified Blue Card instructors to measure real-world performance against the program’s incident command standards. Instructors use this tool internally to evaluate both individual and collective performance during real-life events. The AAR system has been a notable success, and we are grateful that so many Blue Card instructors are leveraging the system to improve individual and collective performance.

All active Blue Card instructors have free access to the AAR platform as part of their instructor license. Recently, several fire departments have requested access for other personnel who are not certified Blue Card instructors. Starting in January 2026, we will offer paid subscriptions for non-instructors if the following conditions are met:

Organization has at least one active Blue Card instructor
Subscriber is Blue Card certified and maintains certification
Subscriber pays for full access to Blue Card CE modules
Host agency submits a request for access

Pricing for non-instructor subscriptions:

One additional person $500/Year
Two additional people $750/Year
Three additional people $1000/Year
Four additional people $1,200/Year
Five or more additional people $1,200 plus $100 for each person beyond four

Each annual subscription will renews with the agency’s renewal.

Blue Card Is Not an Expense, It’s an Investment

Blue Card remains an incomparable value. Training and certifying an EMT costs four to five times as much, and training and certifying a paramedic costs more than 50 times as much. CE for EMS, hazmat and tech rescue technicians far exceeds the $125 Blue Card CE subscription fee. Blue Card’s value becomes even more obvious when we consider that Blue Card teaches the essential strategic and tactical skills required to manage all the emergency services a fire department delivers. Investing in safety and efficiency yields the greatest returns.

Questions? Please contact Josh Blum at josh@bshifter.com for more information.