Fire and rescue organisations are a sector, which now has little or no European themes in vocational training.Meanwhile they have similar roles and face similar tasks and demands throughout Europe. This makes the possibility of achieving common ground in competencies relevant for the European fire and rescue organisations worthwhile and necessary. The primary aim of the European Fire and Rescue Competence-based Project is to achieve common standards regarding the core competencies necessary to fulfil the various role of functions in the European fire and rescue service sector across Europe.The basis for these stadards will be generic, which allows national, regional and local adaptation. Based on shared experiences the project will put together a concrete survey of possible best practices, regarding the different ways to achieve that fire and rescue workers become competent and remain so.These best practices regard the follow: 1) Selection methods to determine whether people have the necessary physical and psychological characteristics to start a career in this domain, 2) Schooling and training methods used to ensure initial competence, 3) Test of competence, including practical and theoretical types of examination, 4) Methods for ensuring that staff remains competent, including formal test moments, training on the job and practising. Side effect of the project is to stregthen the European network regarding the fire and rescue services (FEU,EFSCA). The project will stregthen the network and enlarge the number of people within the fire and rescue services that take account of the progress in this area reached through the European network.