Establishes a fire prevention and emergency task force to develop a plan for training requirements and standards for fire prevention and emergency response services in rural areas.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2215
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 17, 2017
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CROUCH, BARCLAY, HAWLEY, KOLB, McDONOUGH -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to create a fire protection and emergency response task force in
rural areas
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. 1. There is hereby established a statewide fire protection
2 and emergency response task force comprised of eight members who shall
3 develop a plan focusing on the standards and training requirements
4 necessary to effectuate fire protection and emergency response services
5 in rural areas throughout the state of New York. Appointments to the
6 task force shall be made as follows: two by the governor; two by the
7 speaker of the assembly; two by the temporary president of the senate;
8 one by the minority leader of the senate; and one by the minority leader
9 of the assembly. The appointments of the governor shall be a member,
10 officer or employee of the Fireman's Association of the State of New
11 York.
12 2. The task force shall examine current regulations and establish a
13 set of standards that are applicable only in rural areas as defined in
14 this subdivision. These standards shall be aimed at being less burden-
15 some for rural areas than the current regulations are and shall be
16 designed to encourage citizens to volunteer their services. The task
17 force shall issue a report within ten months after the effective date of
18 this section and shall make recommendations to the legislature regarding
19 any suggested changes in the law or to existing regulations. For
20 purposes of this section, "rural areas" means counties within the state
21 having a population of less than two hundred thousand, and the munici-
22 palities, individuals, institutions, communities, programs and such
23 other entities or resources as are found therein. In counties with a
24 population of two hundred thousand or greater, "rural areas" means towns
25 with population densities of one hundred fifty persons or less per
26 square mile, and the villages, individuals, institutions, communities,
27 programs and such other entities or resources as are found therein.
28 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04528-01-7