Trumpy-
Sorry about the delay in response - I'm scheduled at our Station 2 for the month - with no internet. AAAGH! (On an overtime detail at 1's today, so I'm back online).
Here in the Chicago, IL, US area, most Driver/Operators (aka Engineers...chauffers on ladder trucks/aerials) have to be certified as a Fire Apparatus Engineer (FAE). We use the IFSTA (IFSTA.ORG (?)) manuals, with some areas adapted to "accepted" field hydraulic calculation numbers.
Officially, the "required minimums" are covered in the NFPA 1001 & 1002 Standards.
In the State of Illinois (and reality), the "Authority Having Jurisdiction" (i.e. Fire Chief) has to give you a blessing and approve you to operate the vehicles. Usually you have to pass some form of competency exam... there's no universally accepted standard.
Most FD's require you to have a license for the weight class of vehicle you'll be operating - in IL it's a "Class 'B' Non-CDL".
(Class B = unlimited GVWR single-body vehicle; CDL=Commercial Driver's License, a US Federal mandate from a few years ago for big rig commercial drivers who haul people or freight. It subjects you to more rigorous standards for non-work related traffic offenses and medical evaluation, and prevents drivers from having six licenses from six different states.)
The state allows FF's to operate under a "Non CDL" so that VFD's can have drivers with proper weight class licenses, without the additional expense of a full CDL monitoring program.
