FINAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT SUBCOMMITTEE. for the. Senate and House Veterans Affairs & Emergency. Preparedness Committee.

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1 FINAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT SUPPORT SUBCOMMITTEE for the Senate and House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee SR 6 Commission August 15, 2018 Charles J. McGarvey, M.S., EFO, CFO, MIFireE Chair, SR 6 Commission, Government Support Subcommittee 1

2 SR 6 GOVERNMENT SUPPORT SUBCOMMITTEE FINAL REPORT PROBLEM STATEMENT The decline of Volunteer s in the Fire and EMS services is having a significant impact on the ability of municipalities to be able to reliably and safely provide fire and emergency medical services to protect the citizens of the Commonwealth. Fewer trained personnel are responding to emergencies and most elected officials do not understand the varying levels and capabilities of their Emergency Services Departments. In addition, there is no consistent statutory requirement for municipalities to document a standard of cover for Fire or EMS protection. Funding of the Fire/EMS service is in decline and all areas of funding for the Fire and EMS Service need to be reviewed so that sufficient monies are made available and are being appropriately distributed amongst all entities. 2

3 COMMENTARY Through the course of its research, the Government Support Subcommittee observes that many of the recommendations being proposed are not new, with many having been repeatedly proposed in various reports to the Legislature. Sadly, the peril of failure to act on these recommendations has been well established as outlined in the chart on the previous page. OF PARTICULAR NOTE Two items have been identified that warrant immediate attention and we encourage the Legislature to act on these items without delay. 1. Closure of Foreign Fire Insurance Tax Loopholes (Reform of Act 84, Fireman s Relief) Situation: Despite continuing development of property throughout the Commonwealth, Relief revenues continue to decline. As an example, despite robust growth of population and considerable new construction in the State College area, State College Fireman s Relief revenues have declined 15.8% since 2013 with a decline of 8.7% between 2016 and Inquires made by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner to the insurance department revealed between 6 million and 7 million fewer insurance policies being subject to the tax in just the past two years. This situation is creating significant financial hardship to both volunteer and career fire departments. Recommendation: Our understanding is that insurers self-report their required participation in the tax creating a loophole. Any entity providing any type of property insurance covering losses from fire should be participating in this tax. Commentary: There are few political ramifications since the tax is already established (not a new tax), and surveys of citizens have generally supported expanding this tax provided the funds collected are forwarded to the Relief Associations (Penn State 2010 Study) 1. This is truly low hanging fruit. 3

4 2. Inclusion of Career Fire Departments in the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP). Situation: Current language establishing the VLAP program precludes participation by career fire departments. Many career fire departments, particularly those serving cities of the third class, are struggling to maintain and replace capital equipment. Participation in this program provides these departments with tools to better serve their citizens through modernization of apparatus and facilities. Inclusion of career departments in the VLAP program is supported by the Pennsylvania Fire Emergency Services Institute (PFESI) and the Pennsylvania Career Fire Chiefs Association (PCFCA). Recommendation: Remove restrictions that exclude career fire departments from participating in the VLAP and rename it to FALAP (Fire Agency Loan Assistance Program). Commentary: This item enjoys broad support and does not require additional funding. ACTION STATEMENT The following items are identified as issues/action items under this category: 1) VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER DECLINE/GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY Situation: Despite worsening trends, the delivery of Fire and EMS services continues to be a local responsibility. This has created a significant decline in service and citizen protection across the Commonwealth to the point where the most basic emergency assistance in some areas is no longer assured. Much like education, social welfare, and police protection, fire protection and EMS must, to some degree, become a Commonwealth responsibility. a) Requirements for Local Fire Departments/Companies: The subcommittee is recommending that minimum requirements be adopted by the 4

5 Commonwealth that are to be followed by all fire service agencies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (See Attachment A) b) Minimum Standard(s) of Cover: The subcommittee is recommending one or more Standards of Cover. (See Attachment B) A Standard of Cover will provide the basis for state and local funding recommendations and will provide the means to measure the effectiveness of state and local actions. c) Definition of a Firefighter: The subcommittee recommends adopting the definitions used in Attachment A, Section Four, subsections A and G. Other definitions in section four should also be considered for adoption. Definitions are needed to correctly ascertain the numbers of personnel in the system capable of delivering the services needed by our citizens (See Attachment A, Section 4). d) Number of Firefighters: Using data from PennFIRS, data from career departments, and data from a direct survey of fire departments across the state, the subcommittee has determined the current number of active volunteer firefighters to be no more than 38,000 individuals. e) Survey of Fire Companies: The subcommittee completed a survey of Pennsylvania fire companies/departments to collect data on active volunteer numbers, and characteristics related to volunteer participation, apparatus, and basic demographics. A detailed report is attached. See Attachments C & D) The subcommittee recommends the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC) conduct a similar survey on an annual basis, in order to track current statistics in the Commonwealth. f) Municipal responsibilities: The subcommittee recommends that legislation passed in 2008, (Act 7, 8, 9,31 of 2008) requiring municipalities provide fire and EMS emergency services be amended to also have local municipalities adopt one or more Standard of Cover. This will strengthen the engagement of local governments in matters related to fire and EMS services. Municipalities should also enter into mutual aid agreements that will call the closest Fire or EMS company/department regardless of Township, County, City, or in some cases State boundaries. 5

6 g) Regionalization: This concept must be looked into further and programs made available to support this. The subcommittee recognizes the many benefits of regional cooperation for all levels of government. h) Background checks: Background checks should be conducted on all Firefighters and EMS personnel free of charge from the PA. State Police and/or allow the local municipal Police Department to provide these background checks, free of charge. Background checks should extend beyond Pennsylvania State borders. Public faith and trust is paramount to the success of Fire Departments and EMS providers. i. Background investigations should be expanded to include all administrative officers/positions of fire companies. It is further recommended that those with fiduciary responsibilities attached to them should also be bonded. ii. Sex Offenders should not be able to serve in these roles. iii. Anyone with a felony offense should not be able to serve in these roles unless time has been served, with no instance of bad behavior. In addition, those with a felony who wish to serve as firefighters, after completing their sentence should have to submit an application for review to the proposed State Fire Commission for approval, prior to joining and being accepted by a fire company/department in the Commonwealth. 2) Previous Reports Situation: Many of the recommendations of the 1976 Pennsylvania Burning Report, the 1985 PFESI Survey, the 2004 SR 60 report, the 2005 HR 148 report, and the 2015 Center for Rural PA reports were not acted upon. Legislative initiatives offered in lieu of the specific recommendations of these reports, while earnest and offered in good faith, have failed to achieve desired results. The basis for many of the unaddressed recommendations made in these previous reports remains valid today and the continuing decline warrants them being acted upon without delay. 6

7 3) Office of the State Fire Commissioner Situation: Although the OSFC has been helpful to the fire service, its impact and effectiveness remains limited at best. The OSFC is severely underfunded and seriously understaffed. A personnel assessment should be conducted of the Office to assure proper staffing levels for the duties assigned to the office. Once this assessment is completed, it is imperative that the staffing levels of the Office be brought up to an efficient and effective level, in order to accomplish the recommendations of this Commission. The subcommittee was specifically asked by the SR 6 Chairs to make recommendations relative to the State Fire Commissioner and the OSFC. a) It is strongly recommended that this Office be a stand-alone office that reports directly to the Governor and should not fall under PEMA. The subcommittee is favoring a cabinet level position to do the following: i. OSFC should be clearly designated as the lead agency for fire services in the Commonwealth. ii. Grant Administration. iii. State Fire Academy. iv. Data collection and analysis of the statewide fire experience and system conditions must be collected on an ongoing basis to assist in making decisions going forward. The subcommittee feels very strongly that a staff member should be dedicated to this function. v. Advocate for fire prevention measures and improvements in fire service quality and delivery. vi. Administrator of Fireman s Relief funds. [Excluding audit, which would remain a function of the Auditor General.] 1. Provide binding pre-audit advice. 2. Determine allowable uses of Relief funds. vii. Provide technical assistance directly, and through agents and affiliates, to fire departments on technical and managerial matters. viii. Be authorized to take actions to correct deficiencies related to a statewide minimum standard of cover. 7

8 ix. A new State Fire Commission should be created with the State Fire Commissioner serving as its chair. (See Attachment E) x. Conduct inspections of Fire Departments/Companies to be sure they are in compliance with the new Pennsylvania Fire Commissions standards. xi. A personnel assessment should be conducted of the OSFC to assure proper staffing levels for the duties assigned to the office. 4) Funding/Incentives a) All grants should be open to both career and volunteer fire departments. (See Items of Particular Note above) b) Rename the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP) to Fire Agency Loan Assistance Program (FALAP)to reflect the inclusion of career fire departments. c) Relief Funding Reform. The subcommittee supports strengthening the beneficial use of Relief funds and opportunities to increase funding of Relief, particularly for those fire companies/departments with small allocations. (See also Items of Particular Note above) d) All funding ($36 Million) that was previously removed from the VLAP and Relief Fund should be replaced. In addition, the approximate $17-20 million in VLAP bonds should be issued in order to better fund the program, especially with the expansion to include career fire departments. e) The VLAP program needs an overhaul, especially the application process which is in need of updating, and dollar amounts should be raised. f) The subcommittee recommends the adoption of a Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) supported at the State level. g) Allow both volunteer and career fire companies/departments to charge for real and reasonable costs associated with their emergency response. h) The Commonwealth should consider providing basic funding for delivery of Fire and EMS services on a cost-shared basis with local government. i) The Commonwealth should structure funding in such manner as to encourage regionalization of fire services. 8

9 5) Other Action Items a) The rewrite of Title 35 should not have any unfunded mandates. Municipalities subject to these mandates are already struggling to meet basic public safety needs. The subcommittee feels very strongly that there are direct relationships between state mandates and local governments ability to fund Fire and EMS services. b) Recruitment and Retention is a societal issue that needs to be looked at from that angle, as opposed to our current thinking. c) The subcommittee believes that the lack of participation in the survey conducted by this subcommittee shows a true need for a full reformation of the Pennsylvania fire service. d) Although it is true that the volunteer fire service saves taxpayers significant monies, the reference to costing $10 billion a year to replace the volunteer fire service with paid firefighters should be discontinued as this subcommittee could find no factual documentation to support this number. e) The subcommittee recognizes that there are some very good recommendations made in the PSATS Municipal Ideas recommendations paper, which is included in the reference section of our Problem Statement, it should be noted however the subcommittee as a whole does not unanimously endorse all of these recommendations. SUPPORTING REFERENCES This will contain end notes for specific elements of the subcommittee s final report. To date we have studied information from a variety of sources: - PENNFIRS Summary data demonstrating the unfavorable trend on fire loss in Pennsylvania. - HR 148 report (2005) - SR 60 report (2004) - PFESI surveys and reports (SWAB and others) - Center for Rural PA reports on PA Fire and EMS Services 9

10 - Pennsylvania Burning, March Fall Penn State (Harrisburg) Poll - Individual department data from subcommittee members - West Virginia Requirements for Local Fire Departments - West Virginia Code (i) and West Virginia Code of State Rules Title 87, Series 6 - West Virginia, Office of the State Fire Marshal, Comprehensive report to the West Virginia Legislature Joint Committee Government and Finance Review and Recommendations on Volunteer and Part-Volunteer Fire Service - Pennsylvania State Association of Supervisors Municipal Ideas for SR 6 Commission report - News Articles COMMITTEE MEMBERS Chair - Charles J. McGarvey, Lower Merion Township Fire Department cmcgarvey@lowermerion.org Steven Bair, Centre Region Council of Governments sbair@centreregionfire.com Shirl Barnhart, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors shirlbarnhart@gmail.com Patricia Berger - PA Legislative, Budget and Finance Committee pberger@palbfc.us Andrew Boni, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors boniperrytwp@atlanticbb.net James Carstater, Firemen's Association of the State of Pennsylvania jfc@eriestrayer.com Jay Delaney, Pennsylvania Career Fire Chiefs Association jdelaney@wilkes-barre.pa.us 10

11 James Eley, Fayette City Volunteer Fire Company jeley@atlanticbb.net Art, Martynuska, Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association Ext. 203 Kraig Nace, Duncannon/Perry County Emergency Medical Services dems29nace@yahoo.com Richard F. Wagner, Pennsylvania Assoc. of Hazardous Materials Technicians fireandhazmat@aol.com Harold Whyel, Fayette County Firemen s Association (West) treasurer@pmvfd.com 11

12 ATTACHMENT A WEST VIRGINIA REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 1 of 29 WEST VIRGINIA ST ATE FIRE COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR WEST VIRGINIA FIRE DEPARTMENTS Legal Authority: W.Va. Code (i) and W.Va. Code of State Rules Title 87, Series 6 Effective Date: October 22, 2014 Duration: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Approved: CARL SIZEMORE Chairman ANTHONY W. CARRICO State Fire Marshal Date Approved: October22,2014 Impact of the Amended Policy: The former "Requirements for Local Fire Departments" is declared null and void. The policy may be removed and replaced with this document. The last amendment to this policy was May 1, This policy incorporates the amendments to West Virginia Code of State Rules Title 87, Series 6 relating to certification and evaluation of local fire departments into parent text. Incorporates Title 87, Series 8 provisions regulating volunteer firefighters' training, equipment and operating standards. Creates consistency in minimum training requirements among paid, combination and volunteer fire departments. Implements a retention period for reports and records. All other direction in this policy remains essentially unchanged. New Document Superseded Document(s) Effective Date Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments Requirements for Local Fire Departments May 1, Pages 15 Pages

13 REQUIREMENTS FOR WEST VIRGINIA FIRE DEPARTMENTS INDEX STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 4 SECTION ONE - CLASSIFICATION OF WEST VIRGINIA FIRE DEPARTMENTS Paid Fire Departments Combination Fire Departments Volunteer Fire Departments Industrial Fire Brigade County Fire Prevention Unit SECTION TWO - FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION Organizational Documents Financial Records Membership Records SECTION THREE - ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES General Fire Department Information 7 SECTION FOUR - MEMBERSHIP Benefits Classification of Fire Personnel SECTION FIVE - CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING National Incident Management System (NIMS) 9 Volunteer, Combination and County Fire Prevention Unit Firefighter Certification and Training 9 Paid Firefighter Certification and Training 9 Structural 9 Aircraft/Crash/Rescue 10 Staff or Company Level Officers 11 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Repair Personnel 11 Hazardous Materials 11 Curriculum Approval 12 Equivalency Requirements 12 IFSAC and ProBoard Equivalency 12 Non IFSAC or ProBoard Equivalency 12 Fire Officer I and II Equivalency 13 13

14 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 3 of 29 SECTION SIX - OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS 6.01 In-House Documents National Fire Incident Reporting System Communications Fire Protection District Rating for Fire Insurance Purposes Public Fire Safety Education Program SECTION SEVEN - APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT Vehicle Maintenance Housing National Apparatus Standards 7,04. Testing Acquisition and Replacement of Apparatus Minimum Equipment and Performance SECTION EIGHT - MUTUAL AID SECTION NINE - MISCELLANEOUS SECTION TEN - COMPLIANCE APPENDICES APPENDIX A - RECORD RETENTION 18 APPENDIX B - PUMPER FIRE APPARATUS. 22 APPENDIX C - AERIAL FIRE APPARATUS. 24 APPENDIX D - MOBILE WATER SUPPLY FIRE APPARATUS 27 APPENDIX E - SPECIAL SERVICE FIRE APPARATUS

15 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE These requirements are intended to insure adequate provision of fire protection services to the citizens of West Virginia; to meet the needs and goals set out in W.Va. Code ; and to provide clear direction to Fire Departments in West Virginia. This document provides the minimum requirements fire departments shall meet for the purpose of organizing their respective operations, personnel, equipment, training and services. As used in this document the term "shall" indicates a mandatory requirement. As used in this document the terms "may" or "should" indicate a recommendation or that which is advised and referred to the fire department to address in accordance with the organization's governing documents. This policy reflects what shall be considered minimum requirements for basic fire protection services. Fire departments shall not only meet these minimal requirements, but should endeavor to surpass them. SECTION ONE - CLASSIFICATION OF WEST VIRGINIA FIRE DEPARTMENTS All Fire Departments will be classified. In the event a fire department appears to meet the definition of more than one (l) classification, the State Fire Commission may investigate and determine the appropriate classification for the Fire Department Paid Fire Departments A "Paid Fire Department" is an organization that provides fire protection services to a specific geographic area and is under the direction of an Authority Having Jurisdiction. "Authority Having Jurisdiction" may be a municipal, county, or local government. A Paid Fire Department is characterized by having Paid Firefighters. "Paid firefighters" are employees of the Fire Department or the Authority Having Jurisdiction which receive compensation on a regular full-time basis. The employees of this organization may be covered under a Civil Service System such as those provided for W.Va. Code or 7-1-3d Combination Fire Departments A "Combination Fire Department" is an organization that provides fire protection services to a specific geographical area under the direction of an authority having jurisdiction. "Authority Having Jurisdiction" may be a private corporation, company, public corporation, or municipal, county, state or federal level of government. 15

16 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 5 of 29 A Combination Fire Department is a department where one or more of the firefighters receive compensation for working as a firefighter or a full-time, "per call", or an hourly basis. In addition to paid firefighters, the department also employs volunteer members Volunteer Fire Departments A "Volunteer Fire Department" is an organization which provides fire protection services to a specific geographical area under the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The "Authority Having Jurisdiction" may be a private corporation, company, public corporation, or municipal, county, state or federal level of government. A Volunteer Fire Department is one in which all of the members donate their time without compensation Industrial Fire Brigade A "Fire Brigade" is a segment of an industry which provides fire protection services to a specific geographical area under the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The "Authority Having Jurisdiction" may be a private corporation, company, public corporation or the federal government. Fire Brigades are exempt from the requirements of this policy County Fire Prevention Unit A "County Fire Prevention Unit" shall mean an organization created under the provisions of W.Va. Code 7-1-3d, which shall provide personnel or other resources to a municipal, volunteer, or other local fire department, pursuant to a valid Memorandum of Understanding between the County Fire Prevention Unit and the organization receiving the assistance. In order for a Memorandum of Understanding under this section to be valid, it shall contain provisions addressing fire department evaluation and certification. Further, any Memorandum of Understanding must be properly reviewed and approved by the State Fire Commission. SECTION TWO - FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION The National Fire Protection Association's current National Fire Codes may be used as minimum requirements relating to the organization, management, and operation of a fire department, its apparatus, equipment, personnel and other related activities. 16

17 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVEDATE: October22,20% DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 6 of 29 When a problem occurs which has not been addressed in the National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Codes, such problems shall be referred to the West Virginia State Fire Commission for resolution. The State Fire Commission shall be considered the "Authority Having Jurisdiction" with regard to the following as set forth in W.Va. Code (i): Fire prevention and control; Uniform standards of performance, equipment and training; Certification; Training and education in fire service; and The creation, operation and responsibilities of fire departments throughout the state Organizational Documents Fire Departments shall develop and maintain the following documents within their files for review by the State Fire Commission or any authorized governmental entity: Constitution (articles of incorporation/municipal charter) By-laws (organizational structure, responsibilities and overall operations) Rules and Regulations (day-to-day operational guidelines) These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Financial Records Fire Departments shall maintain a financial accounting record of all receipts and disbursements. Such records shall be maintained for a period prescribed by regulations of the Internal Revenue Service, WV State Tax Department, County Government, Municipal Ordinance, or any other applicable law, rule or regulation. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Membership Records Fire departments shall maintain a comprehensive record of each member's participation in the activities of the department. Such records may consist of, but not be limited to: response to emergencies; participation in training and maintenance of training records; attendance at business or other meetings; 17

18 records of and participation in administrative functions; response and operation of any EMS-related operations of the department; other activities that enhance the operational capabilities of the fire department members' emergency medical information. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention. SECTION THREE - ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES General Fire Department Information Fire Departments shall provide an annual listing of number of their members/employees and their classification in accordance with Section One of these Requirements to the State Fire Commission by January 31 st of each year. Changes in any of the following shall be filed with the Office of the State Fire Commission within thirty (30) days of the change: Chief, Fire Department address, telephone number(s) (business and emergency), electronic mail or website information. Fire Departments shall respond as directed to requests and surveys requested by the State Fire Commission or State Fire Marshal. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Benefits SECTION FOUR - MEMBERSHIP Each department shall provide worker's compensation insurance coverage for all members and employees Classification of Fire Personnel For the purpose of administering this policy personnel shall be classified according to the following: A. "Active members" means an individual that performs the function of fire prevention and suppression, or vehicle and machinery extrications when responding to emergency situations. Depending on the level(s) of training the active member has completed, active members may also perform the tasks and duties of hazardous materials response and 18

19 mitigation, technical rescue, emergency medical services and any other duties that a specialized support member may provide if so trained. B. "Ancillary support member" means any person solely performing support, administrative, or day to day functions for the department. Under no circumstance shall an ancillary member perform any function which requires training for an active member or a specialized support member. C. "Approved Curriculum" means a curriculum for training approved by the West Virginia State Fire Commission. D. "Assistant Chief' otherwise known as "Deputy Chief' or as "Battalion Chief' means the second highest fire line officer(s) in charge of the fire department. May take on the responsibilities of the chief in his or her absence. A department may have more than one person filling this position. E. "Chief" means the highest-ranking fire line officer in charge of a fire department. F. "Department" or "Fire Department" means any firefighting response organization regulated by the West Virginia State Fire Commission. Department includes a fire company or fire brigade. Provided that: private or corporate fire company or brigades are exempt from this policy. G. "Firefighter" means any active member of a fire department. N. "Fire Line Officer" means Chief, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Battalion Chief, and other officers of the fire department usually referred to as line officers (usually referred to as Lieutenant and Captain), the third and fourth highest tiers in ranking in charge of the fire department and may take on the responsibilities of the chief or assistants in those person(s)' absence. I. "Honorary Membership" is a special recognition bestowed upon an individual for reasons determined by the membership of the department, This individual may not participate on a regular basis in the day-to-day operations of the department. J. "Junior Members" are those individuals who are not less than 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age. Juniors shall not participate in any activity of the department considered to be hazardous. Fire Department Officials shall review State and Federal law as well as the Attorney General's opinion of January 17, 1990 regarding Junior Firefighter participation in the fire department. W.Va. Code requires all junior firefighters to complete Firefighter I, or its equivalent, and have the written consent of parent(s) or guardian(s). 19

20 K. "Specialized Support Member" means any person responding solely for the purpose of performing emergency medical services, hazardous materials mitigation, or specialized rescue. L. "Support Members" are individuals who provide ancillary assistance to fire departments and may include search and rescue team members, dive team members, or any other type of special, non-firefighting-related support to the department in support of its scope of operations (such as administrative members who do not respond to fires). SECTION FIVE - CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING 5.01 National Incident Management System (NIMS) All firefighters, fire officers and chief officers covered under this policy shall meet or exceed the NIMS training as provided in the current version of "NIMS Guidelines for West Virginia" established by the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Volunteer, Combination and County Fire Prevention Unit Firefighter Certification and Training Volunteer Firefighters certification, training and equipment requirements shall be set forth in the legislative Rule contained in Title 87, Series 8 of the West Virginia Code of State Rules. Combination Departments and County Fire Prevention Units shall satisfy the same requirements therein Paid Firefighter Certification and Training All firefighters certified by the Fire Commission prior to the effective date of this policy shall remain certified to the level previously granted by the Fire Commission. All paid fire department personnel shall meet the following minimum NIMS, NFPA or State Fire Commission approved equivalent certification levels: Structural A. Firefighter: 100% Active Firefighting Personnel must attain 1001 or State Fire Commission approved Firefighter I; approved First Aid/CPR; and Hazardous Materials Awareness 100% Active Firefighting Personnel must attain 1001 or State Fire Commission approved Level II * Must be completed within three (3) years of date of hire. 20

21 B. Fire Officer: All Company Level Officers must attain 1021 or State Fire Commission approved Fire Officer Level I All Chief Level Officers must attain 1021 or State Fire Commission approved Fire Officer Level II * All previous firefighter and fire officer training will be recognized by the State Fire Commission to the level for which it is equivalent. The West Virginia Department of Education or the WVU Fire Service Extension officer will issue certificates of equivalency for purposes of compliance to these requirements only. * Instructor certification is required by NFPA for national certification at the Fire Officer I and II levels. Instructor certification is not required for Fire Commission approved Fire Officer I and II certification. C. Driver/Operator: Operators of paid fire department vehicles shall meet the meet the minimum requirements of the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course. Operators of fire department apparatus should meet the appropriate section of NFPA 1002, or WVSFC approved equivalent for the type of apparatus operated. The purpose of 1002 is to specify the minimum job performance requirements for service as a fire department emergency vehicle driver who is also a pump operator, aerial operator, tiller operator, wildland apparatus operator, aircraft rescue and firefighting apparatus operator and/or mobile water supply apparatus operator Aircraft / Crash / Rescue Paid Departments where aircraft/crash/rescue (Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting) is a primary function should meet the following minimum NFPA levels of personnel certification: A. Firefighter: All Active Firefighting Personnel must attain 1003 B. Fire Officers: All Company Level Officers must attain 1021 Fire Officer Levels I & C. All Chief Level Officers must attain 1021 Fire Officer Level III D. Chief of the department must attain 1021 Fire Officer Level IV 21

22 Staff or Company Level Officers Paid Fire Departments that have personnel designated as fire inspector, fire investigator should meet the following minimum certification standards: A. Fire Inspector All fire department personnel who perform fire inspection duties shall, within 36 months of assignment, meet the requirements of NFPA B. Fire Investigator All fire department personnel who perform fire investigative duties shall complete the Fire/Arson Investigation course from the National Fire Academy, or its equivalent within 36 months of assignment. These personnel should meet the requirements of NFPA C. Fire Instructor All fire department personnel who perform fire instructor duties should meet the requirements of NFPA Self Contained Breathing Apparatus SCBA Repair Personnel At least one (1) member in the paid fire department shall be certified as a repair person for SCBA or departments may show evidence of an agreement or contract with, or yearly documentation of yearly testing by a qualified repairman or firm/shop to provide such services. For the purposes of this Policy, all SCBA equipment used by any department, or any member thereof, shall be positive pressure Hazardous Materials Paid fire department members and officers shall be trained in NFPA Standard No. 472, Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents. All Fire Department personnel shall be certified at the Awareness level. Paid fire department personnel that operate at hazardous materials incidents must minimally meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements for response at the Operations and/or Technicians level. Additional training should be at the discretion of the fire chief based on possible involvement with hazardous materials incidents unless otherwise directed by federal or state statutes, rules and/or regulations. 22

23 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 12 of 29 These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Curriculum Approval In order for Volunteer and Combination firefighter training curriculum to be approved by the Fire Commission, the established protocol and procedures must be met as set forth in the "Volunteer Firefighters' Training, Equipment and Operating Standards" Legislative Rule provided W.Va. Code R et seq. In order for Paid firefighter training curriculum to be approved by the Fire Commission, the training agency must provide the curricula for the proposed course for review and approval. All proposed curricula shall be provided to the Fire Commission Training Committee for consideration to ensure compliance with the correlating NFPA standard. If the curriculum is rejected, a written explanation of the decision shall be provided to the respective training agency. If the Training Committee approves the curriculum, it shall be forwarded to the full Fire Commission to vote whether to accept or reject the curriculum. The training agency shall be notified of the decision of the Fire Commission along with an effective date by which the training may be offered if approved Equivalency Requirements IFSAC and ProBoard Equivalency Individuals holding certification accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (ProBoard) must comply with the following guidelines: An IFSAC or ProBoard applicant must complete the appropriate application and attach supporting documentation through either the certification division of West Virginia University Fire Service Extension, or to the West Virginia Department of Education. The applicant must be a member of a West Virginia State Fire Commission recognized fire department and must have the signature of the Fire Chief in order to request reciprocity Non IFSAC or ProBoard Equivalency Individuals not holding certification accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (ProBoard) must comply with the following guidelines: 23

24 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVEDATE: October22,2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 13 of 29 Applicant must complete the appropriate application and attach supporting documentation through the certification division of West Virginia University Fire Service Extension, or through the West Virginia Department of Education. The applicant must be a member of a West Virginia State Fire Commission recognized fire department and must have the signature of the Fire Chief in order to request reciprocity. Applicant must submit documentation of training and testing that complies with each component of the appropriate NFPA Standard for the desired level of certification. Documentation must be dated within the last 5 years. If documentation is insufficient, applicant must successfully pass a certification written exam with a minimum score of 70% for the desired level of certification and practical skills exam, where applicable. Applicant must meet the general requirements for certification as outlined by the West Virginia State Fire Commission. The West Virginia University Fire Service Extension Certification Division or the West Virginia Department of Education will review and verify all documentation. Once documentation has been reviewed and verified to meet the certification criteria, the candidate will be issued reciprocity. If documentation does not meet the certification requirements, the candidate will be denied reciprocity. The candidate would then be required to complete an approved training program and meet all certification requirements including but not limited to, passing written and practical skills certification exams Fire Officer I and II Equivalency Applicants seeking Fire Officer I/Fire Officer II equivalency shall submit: A portfolio outlining the certification being sought and associated files containing the Job Performance Requirements which meet the respective NFPA 1021 standard. A list of all current training and certifications courses which were taken to achieve the equivalent certification. If the equivalency application is refused or denied, the applicant may apply to the Commission, pursuant to the same process as set forth in W.Va. Code of State Rules Title 87, Series 6, Section 12 seeking a hearing on the merits of the application, and the Commission shall issue a final decision upon the application. 24

25 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 4 4 of In House Documents SECTION SIX - OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS Fire Departments shall operate iii accordance with their Constitution, Bylaws, Rules and/or Regulations. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention National Fire Incident Reporting System The State Code (W.Va. Code a; ) and the State Fire Code (W.Va. Code ; W.Va. Code R et seq.) require every fire department to report fire loss data to the State Fire Marshal's Office. Fire Departments shall report to the State Fire Marshal monthly all fire and non-fire incidents through the National Fire Incident Reporting System Communications Each fire department shall make provisions for the receipt of alarms and the notification of members of all emergency calls received. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Fire Protection District hi cooperation with bordering department(s), each fire department or county fire association shall prepare a map outlining their "first response" area and submit one (1) copy to the State Fire Commission upon request. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Rating for Fire Insurance Purposes Fire departments, within their first response areas, shall achieve at least the minimal classification for a municipality or a rural fire protection district as determined by the Insurance Service Office. 25

26 6.06. Public Fire Safety Education Program All fire departments in this State shall have a fire safety program to educate the public in prevention and reduction of fire risks. The program should assist the respective community in gaining the knowledge and skills they need to lead safer lives Vehicle Maintenance SECTION SEVEN - APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT Each department shall maintain documentation of routine inspections and maintenance for all apparatus and equipment, including emergency repairs. These records shall be maintained by the department and made available, if requested, to an appropriate governmental entity. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Housing Housing for apparatus and equipment shall be of adequate size, heated, and lighted adequately. Each housing facility shall meet the minimum requirements of the State Fire Code. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention National Apparatus Standards Apparatus shall meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards applicable at the time of manufacture, as appropriate. If an apparatus is not capable of transporting the required equipment, as set forth in this Policy, to an emergency scene, a written plan must be kept on file, and be capable of being produced upon demand to the Fire Commission, Fire Marshal, or overseeing governmental agency, setting forth a detailed procedure for transporting all necessary equipment to the emergency scene, which shall be strictly adhered to. The plan not being able to be produced, or the plan not being adhered to is a violation of this standard and may result in revocation of the department's certification. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention. 26

27 7.04. Testing All fire pumps and hose shall be tested annually for compliance with nationally recognized standards. Records shall be maintained of such tests in accordance with this policy. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Acquisition and Replacement of Apparatus Each department may prepare a long-range program for the purchase and replacement of apparatus and equipment. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention Minimum Equipment and Performance Minimum equipment and performance for Volunteer and Combination fire departments must adhere to the provisions set forth in the "Volunteer Firefighters' Training, Equipment and Operating Standards" Legislative Rule provided in W.Va. Code R et seq. Paid fire department minimum equipment and performance shall meet the listed equipment as defined by apparatus set forth in Appendix B - Pumper Fire Apparatus, Appendix C - Aerial Fire Apparatus, Appendix D - Mobile Water Supply Fire Apparatus, and Appendix E - Special Service Fire Apparatus. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention. SECTION EIGHT - MUTUAL AID Fire Departments shall develop mutual aid agreements with neighboring fire departments. Each fire department shall forward one (1) copy of such agreement and any subsequent changes to the State Fire Commission within thirty (30) days from when agreements are finalized. If a countywide agreement exists, one (l) plan shall be submitted by the County Organization. These records shall be retained by the fire department and/or their governing Authority Having Jurisdiction in accordance with Appendix A- Record Retention. 27

28 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 17 of 29 SECTION NINE - MISCELLANEOUS Each fire department should: - subscribe to and make available to its members at least one (1) nationally recognized professional/technical fire trade publication. - be an active member in their respective county fire service organization. - be an active member in at least one of the state fire service organizations. - be a member of one of the national fire service organizations. SECTION 10 - COMPLIANCE These requirements are enforced by the West Virginia State Fire Commission, through the West Virginia State Fire Marshal. Failure to maintain minimum levels of performance in training, equipment maintenance and performance standards in this rule shall make the department subject to removal of its certification, as set forth in W.Va. Code Rules et seq.; Provided That, except in situations of imminent danger to life or property, upon application, the Commission shall grant a department a 180 day period of correction, which may be extended upon good cause shown, during which the Commission shall assist a fire department in correcting deficiencies noted, facilitating training through West Virginia University or the West Virginia Department of Education, and in working with other involved parties, e.g. county commissions, municipal governments or county fire boards. 28

29 APPENDIX A - RECORD RETENTION RECORD RETENTION PERIOD (In Years) Fire Management 10 Administrative (Includes policy and procedures, correspondence and memorandums related to levels of administration for employees of all disciplines.) Training Standards (Includes policy and procedures, correspondence and memorandums related to levels of training standards for employees of all disciplines.) Health and Safety Standards (Includes policy and procedures, correspondence and memorandums related to levels of health and safety standards for employees of all disciplines.) Departmental Organization Fire Prevention (Includes general related correspondence.) 7 Pre-Plans Cooperative Fire Prevention Program Presuppression Management Fire Suppression 7 Fire Reports (Including NFIRS input data, components of the documentation narrative reports, action plans, maps, fire situation analyses and other records that have long-term value.) : Cutoff or close at end of calendar year in which the report is submitted. OR : Individual fire reports may be maintained and transferred to NFIRS. Records documenting significant events, actions taken, lessons learned, and other information with long-term value for fire prevention and safety, such as: fire narrative and summary reports, final situation analyses, delegation of authority, incident action plans, Fire Behavior Analyst reports, field weather data not captured electronically, news articles and media releases, fire progression and final fire 29

30 perimeter maps, photos and infrareds necessary to document resource impact and lessons learned. Other records may include those relating to joint operations and/or mutual aid; copies of incident reports and analyses prepared by agencies other than the 'incident Management Team or host unit, or other agencies that support management decisions; records documenting significant interactions with communities affected by the incident; and selected reports or notes pertaining to high-level management, entrapment reports and security issues that have not been incorporated into the fire narrative. Records documenting the administrative and operational actions taken in the management of the incident, such as daily action plans, internal briefings, status summary reports, inspection checklists, unit logs, worksheets, inventories, resource orders, demobilization plans and checkout, cost estimates, agreements, fire behavior messages and forecasts, raw weather data captured elsewhere, safety reports and accident logs, firing plans, individual unit narratives, photos without long-term value, and similar records pertaining to logistics, resources, air operations, safety, and demobilization, which document decisions and activities with near-term importance, claims, payments, and litigation support. Fleet and Fuel Management (Including mileage logs, fuel purchase receipts, fuel purchase records, vehicle maintenance records, short and long-term fuel purchase agreements Investigation (Includes general correspondence and records pertaining to types of investigations, procedures, reporting, and directions.) 10 Investigation Procedures (Includes records pertaining to procedures involving suspect's rights, recording equipment, statement procedures, evidence and other related records.) Reports (Includes the Law Enforcement Reports, Cooperative Law Enforcement Activity, and Annual Report. Case Reports (Includes case files containing data which enables reviewing officials and attorneys to access the prosecutive merits of a case to present in court. Investigations related to Arson or explosion incidents, as well as fraud, abuse and misuse by personnel. Action and Procedures (Includes records and reports pertaining to violation prevention and enforcement, including related activities with Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies.) Equipment (Includes documents, correspondence, memorandums and other records related to all equipment. 7 30

31 Donations (Including bank records, statements, correspondence, purchase agreements, contracts, land surveys, grants, patents, deeds, deed of trust or mortgage, title insurance policy, abstract of title, certificate of title, deed of trusts, or other such related documents.) 10 Financial Condition (Including bank records, statements, correspondence, purchase agreements, contracts, land surveys, grants, patents, deeds, deed of trust or mortgage, title insurance policy, abstract of title, certificate of title, deed of trusts, or other such related documents.) 10 Purchases (Including contracts, agreements, statements, correspondence, survey, deeds, condemnation documents where applicable, appeals, other title evidence, and related documents.) Exchanges (Including correspondence, letters of negotiation, explanatory notes, exchange agreements, proposals, plans, or contracts, appraisals, appeals, objections and related decisions, land descriptions, field examinations, surveys, certificates of possessions, statements of intent, environmental assessments, statements of value and appraisal, statements of disposal, certificates of title or title insurance policy, certifications and proof of publications, and other related documents.) Partial Land Interests (Includes correspondence evaluations, appraisals, scenic or conservation easements, mineral deeds, documentation of compliance, environmental assessments or statements, mortgages, deeds of trust and vendors liens, leases, and related documents.) 10 Boundary Modifications (Consummated and unconsummated agreements containing the information which gives background rationale for establishing modifications which include the public's 10 31

32 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVEDATE: October22,2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 21 of 29 interest, resources involved, and the intent of agreement.) Land Transfers (Consummated and unconsummated case files which contain analyses of land transfer or Interchange proposals; related correspondence; environmental analyses; related correspondence; environmental analyses, reservoir projects; public domain and government property; copies of authorizing documents of transfers or interchanges.) 10 Construction and Use Agreements and Supplements (Case files pertaining to road right-of-way construction and use agreements with other landowners or land administering agencies for joint development and rise of roads and road systems. Includes supplements to the agreement, correspondence, and related documents.) 10 Sales and Grants (Includes correspondence, maps, environmental assessments, deeds, appraisals, grants, certified letters, affidavits, land classification studies and maps, bills of sale, tax assessment records, sale notices, notices of award, appeals, and related documents.) 10 Landownership Status (Correspondence concerning the status of lands.) 10 Electronic Data 3 Electronic copies of records that are created on electronic mail and word processing systems and used solely to generate a recordkeeping copy of the records covered by the other items in this schedule. This also includes electronic copies of records created on electronic mail and word processing systems that are maintained for updating, revision, or dissemination. Copies that have no further administrative value after the recordkeeping copy is made. This includes copies maintained by individuals in personal files, personal electronic mail directories, or other personal directories on hard disk or network drives, and copies on shared network drives that are used only to produce the recordkeeping copy. 32

33 APPENDIX B PUMPER FIRE APPARATUS Ladders. The following fire department ground ladders shall be carried on the apparatus: (1) One straight ladder equipped with roof hooks (2) One extension ladder (3) One folding ladder Stepladders and other types of multipurpose ladders meeting ANSI A14.2, Ladders - Portable Metal - Safety Requirements, or ANSI A14.5, Ladders - Portable Reinforced Plastic - Safety Requirements, with duty ratings of Type IA or IAA shall be permitted to be substituted for the folding ladder required in (3). Fire Hose and Nozzles. The following fire hose and nozzles shall be carried on the apparatus: (l) 800 ft. (240 m) of 2X in. (65 mm) or larger fire hose (2) 400 ft. (120 m) of 1!4 in. (38 mm), 1% in. (45 min), or 2 in. (52 mm) fire hose (3) One handline nozzle, 200 gpm (750 L/min) minimum (4) Two handline nozzles, 95 gpm (360 L/min) minimum (5) One playpipe with shutoff and l in. (25 turn), 1 in. (29 rum), and 1% in. (32 mm) tips The following additional equipment shall be carried on the apparatus: (1) One 6 lb. (2.7 kg) flathead axe mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (2) One 6 lb. (2.7 kg) pickhead axe mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (3) One 6 ft. (2 m) pike pole or plaster hook mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (4) One 8 ft. (2.4 m) or longer pike pole mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (5) Two portable hand lights mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (6) One approved dry chemical portable fire extinguisher with a minimum 80-B:C rating mounted iii a bracket fastened to the apparatus (7) One 2!/! gal (9.5 L) or larger water extinguisher mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (8) One self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) complying with NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, for each assigned seating position, but not fewer than four, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus or stored in containers supplied by the SCBA manufacturer (9) One spare SCBA cylinder for each SCBA carried, each mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus or stored in a specially designed storage space (10) One first aid kit (11) Four combination spanner wrenches mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (12) Two hydrant wrenches mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus 33

34 (13) One double female 2 ½ in. (65 mm) adapter with National Hose (NH) threads, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (14) One double male 2 ½ in. (65 mm) adapter with NH threads, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (15) One rubber mallet, suitable for rise on suction hose connections, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (16) Two salvage covers each a minimum size of 12 ft. X 14 ft. (3.7 m x 4.3 m) (17) Two or more wheel chocks, mounted in readily accessible locations, that together will hold the apparatus, when loaded to its GVWR or GCWR, on a hard surface with a 20 percent grade with the transmission in neutral and the parking brake released (18) One traffic vest for each seating position, each vest to comply with ANSI/ISEA 207, Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests, and have a five-point breakaway feature that includes two at the shoulders, two at the sides, and one at the front (19) One automatic external defibrillator (AED) It is recommended that the following be carried on the apparatus: A: Five fluorescent orange traffic cones not less than 28 in. (711 rum) in height, each equipped with a 6 in. (152 mm) retroreflective white band no more than 4 in. (102 mm) from the top of the cone, and an additional 4 in. (102 rum) retroreflective white band 2 in. (51 rum) below the 6 in. (152 rum) band B: Five illuminated warning devices such as highway flares, unless the five fluorescent orange traffic cones have illuminating capabilities *** If the supply hose carried does not use sexless couplings, an additional double female adapter and double male adapter, sized to fit the supply hose carried, shall be carried mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus. *** If none of the pump intakes are valved, a hose appliance that is equipped with one or more gated intakes with female swivel connection(s) compatible with the supply hose used on one side and a swivel connection with primp intake threads on the other side shall be carried. Air intake connection larger than 3 in. (75 mm) shall include a pressure relief device. *** If the pumper is equipped with an aerial device with a permanently mounted ladder, four ladder belts meeting the requirements of NFPA 1983, Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services, shall be provided. *** If the apparatus does not have a 2 1/2 in. intake with NH threads, an adapter from 2 ½ in. NH female to a pump intake shall be carried, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus if not already mounted directly to the intake. *** If the supply hose carried has other than 2 ½ in. NH threads, adapters shall be carried to allow feeding the supply hose from a 2 ½ in. NH thread male discharge and to allow the hose to connect to a 2K in. NH female intake, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus if not already mounted directly to the discharge or intake. 34

35 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 24 of 29 APPENDIX C AERIAL FIRE APPARATUS Ground Ladders. As a minimum, the following types of ladders shall be provided: (1) One folding ladder (2) Two straight ladders (with folding roof hooks) (3) Two extension ladders Stepladders and other types of multipurpose ladders meeting ANSI A14.2, Ladders - Portable Metal - Safety Requirements, or ANSI A14.5, Ladders - Portable Reinforced Plastic - Safety Requirements, with duty ratings of Type IA or IAA shall be permitted to be substituted for the folding ladder Aerial fire apparatus shall be equipped with at least the following equipment: (1) Two 6 lb. (2.7 kg) flathead axes mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (2) Three 6 lb. (2.7 kg) pickhead axes mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (3) Four pike poles mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (4) Two 3 ft. to 4 ft. (l m to 1.2 m) plaster hooks with D handles mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (5) Two crowbars mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (6) Two claw tools mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (7) Two 12 lb. (5 kg) sledgehammers mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (8) Four portable hand lights mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (9) One approved dry chemical portable fire extinguisher with a minimum 80-B:C rating mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (10) One 2% gal (9.5 L) or larger water extinguisher mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (11) One SCBA complying with NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self- Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, for each assigned seating position, but not fewer than four, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus or stored in containers supplied by the SCBA manufacturer (12) One spare SCBA cylinder for each SCBA carried, each mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus or stored in a specially designed storage space(s) (13) One first aid kit (14) Six salvage covers, each a minimum size of 12 ft. x 18 ft. (3.6 m x 5.5 m) (15) Four combination spanner wrenches mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (16) Two scoop shovels mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (17) One pair of bolt cutters, 24 in. (0.6 m) minimum, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (18) Four ladder belts meeting the requirements of NFPA 1983, Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services (19) One 150 ft. (45 m) light-use life safety rope meeting the requirements of NFPA 1983 (20) One 150 ft. (45 m) general-use life safety rope meeting the requirements of NFPA

36 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 25 of 29 (21) Two 150 ft. (45 m) utility ropes having a breaking strength of at least 5000 lb (2300 kg) (22) One box of tools to include the following: (a) One hacksaw with three blades (b) One keyhole saw (c) One 12 in. (0.3 m) pipe wrench (d) One 24 in. (0.6 m) pipe wrench (e) One ballpeen hammer (f) One pair of tin snips (g) One pair of pliers (h) One pair of lineman's pliers (i) Assorted types and sizes of screwdrivers (j) Assorted adjustable wrenches (k) Assorted combination wrenches (23) Two or more wheel chocks, mounted in readily accessible locations, that together will hold the apparatus, when loaded to its GVWR or GCWR, on a hard surface with a 20 percent grade with the transmission in neutral and the parking brake released (24) One traffic vest for each seating position, each vest to comply with ANSI/ISEA 207, Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests, and have a five-point breakaway feature that includes two at the shoulders, two at the sides, and one at the front (25) One automatic external defibrillator (AED) If the aerial fire apparatus is equipped with a fire pump, the following shall apply. The following equipment shall be provided: (l) One double female 2!/2 in. (65 rum) adapter with National Hose (NH) threads, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (2) One double male 2'/2 in. (65 rum) adapter with NH threads, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (3) One rubber mallet, for use on suction hose connections, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (4) Two hydrant wrenches mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus *** The supply hose carried does not use sexless couplings, an additional double female adapter and double male adapter, sized to fit the supply hose carried, shall be carried mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus. *** If none of the pump intakes are valved, a hose appliance that is equipped with one or more gated intakes with female swivel connection(s) compatible with the supply hose used on one side and a swivel connection with pump intake threads on the other side shall be carried. Any intake connection larger than 3 in. (75 mm) shall include a pressure relief device that meets the requirements of *** If the apparatus does not have a 2!4 in. intake with NH threads, an adapter from 2% in. NH female to a pump intake shall be carried, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus if not already mounted directly to the intake. 36

37 *** If the supply hose carried has other than 2% in. NH threads, adapters shall be carried to allow feeding the supply hose from a 2% in. NH thread male discharge and to allow the hose to connect to a 2"/2 in. NH female intake, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus if not already mounted directly to the discharge or intake. It is recommended that the following be carried on the apparatus: Five fluorescent orange traffic cones not less than 28 in. (711 mm) in height, each equipped with a 6 in. (152 mm) retroreflective white band no more than 4 in. (102 mm) from the top of the cone, and an additional 4 in. (102 rum) retroreflective white band 2 in. (51 mm) below the 6 in. (152 mm) band Five illuminated warning devices such as highway flares, unless the five fluorescent orange traffic cones have illuminating capabilities 37

38 Requirements for West Virginia Fire Departments EFFECTIVE DATE: October 22, 2014 DURATION: This policy is effective until superseded or removed. Page 27 of 29 APPENDIX D MOBILE WATER SUPPLY FIRE APPARATUS Required Equipment. The following fire hose and nozzles shall be carried on the apparatus: The mobile water supply apparatus shall be equipped with at least 200 ft (60 m) of 2!/i in. (65 mm) or larger fire hose. If the mobile water supply apparatus is equipped with a fire pump, the following shall be provided: (l) 400 ft. (120 m) of l'/s in. (38 min), 1% in. (45 mm), or 2 in. (52 mm) fire hose (2) Two handline nozzles, 95 gpm (360 L/min) minimum One 6 lb. (2.7 kg) flathead or pickhead axe mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (One 6 ft. (2 m) or longer pike pole or plaster hook mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus Two portable hand lights mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus One approved dry chemical portable fire extinguisher with a minimum 80-B:C rating mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus One 2% gal (9.5 L) or larger water extinguisher mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus One SCBA complying with NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, for each assigned seating position, but not fewer than two, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus or stored in containers supplied by the SCBA manufacturer (One spare SCBA cylinder for each SCBA carried, each mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus or stored in a specially designed storage space(s) One first aid kit Two combination spanner wrenches mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus One hydrant wrench mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus One double female adapter, sized to fit 2 ½ in. (65 mm) or larger fire hose, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus One double male adapter, sized to fit 2V in. (65 mm) or larger fire hose, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus Two or more wheel chocks, mounted in readily accessible locations, that together will hold the apparatus, when loaded to its GVWR or GCWR, on a hard surface with a 20 percent grade with the transmission in neutral and the parking brake released One traffic vest for each seating position, each vest to comply with ANSI/ISEA 207, Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests, and have a five-point breakaway feature that includes two at the shoulders, two at the sides, and one at the front One automatic external defibrillator (AED) It is recommended that the following be carried on the apparatus: Five fluorescent orange traffic cones not less than 28 in. (711 min) in height, each equipped with a 6 in. (152 mm) retroreflective white band no more than 4 in. (102 38

39 mm) from the top of the cone, and an additional 4 in. (102 mm) retroreflective white band 2 in. (51 mm) below the 6 in. (152 mm) band Five illuminated warning devices such as highway flares, unless the five fluorescent orange traffic cones have illuminating capabilities *** If the mobile water supply apparatus is equipped with a fire pump and none of the pump intakes are valved, a hose appliance that is equipped with one or more gated intakes with female swivel connection(s) compatible with the supply hose used on one side and a swivel connection with pump intake threads on the other side shall be carried. Any intake connection larger than 3 in. (75 mm) shall include a pressure relief device. *** If the mobile water supply apparatus is equipped with a fire pump, a rubber mallet for use on suction hose connections shall be carried in a bracket fastened to the apparatus. *** If the apparatus does not have a 2 ½ in. intake with NH threads, an adapter from 2 ½ in. NH female to a pump intake shall be carried, mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus if not already mounted directly to the intake. *** If the supply hose carried has other than 2/ ½ in. NH threads, adapters shall be carried to allow feeding the supply hose from a 2 ½ in. NH thread male discharge and to allow the hose to connect to a 2 ½ in. NH female intake, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus if not already mounted directly to the discharge or intake. 39

40 APPENDIX E - SPECIAL SERVICE FIRE APPARATUS The following equipment shall be carried on the apparatus: (l) Two portable hand lights mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus (2) One approved dry chemical portable fire extinguisher with a minimum 80-B:C rating mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (3) One 2 ½ gal (9.5 L) or larger water extinguisher mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus (4) One SCBA complying with NFPA 1981, Standard on Open-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for Emergency Services, for each assigned seating position, but not fewer than two, mounted in brackets fastened to the apparatus or stored in containers supplied by the SCBA manufacturer (5) One spare SCBA cylinder for each SCBA carried, each mounted in a bracket fastened to the apparatus or stored in a specially designed storage space(s) (6) One first aid kit (7) Two or more wheel chocks, mounted in readily accessible locations, that together will hold the apparatus, when loaded to its GVWR or GCWR, on a hard surface with a 20 percent grade with the transmission in neutral and the parking brake released (8) One traffic vest for each seating position, each vest to comply with ANSI/ISEA 207, Standard for High-Visibility Public Safety Vests, and have a five-point breakaway feature that includes two at the shoulders, two at the sides, and one at the front (9) One automatic external defibrillator (AED) 40

41 ATTACHMENT B STANDARD OF COVER MATRIX It is important for us to consider the vast differences in the communities of the Commonwealth. Therefore, we must be cautious in creating standards too stringent for small communities with limited personnel, but also hold to acceptable levels of service for the residents of such communities. SERVICE LEVEL* Offensive Service Level 1 Offensive Service Level 2 Offensive Service Level 3 Defensive Service Level 4 DESCRIPTION a. Personnel required-15 b. Equipment - 2 NFPA criteria engine (pumper), and one truck company (aerial or support truck) c. Interior and Exterior Firefighting capabilities of both residential and commercial buildings. Vehicle rescue capabilities with power or no power equipment and provide Operations level Hazardous Materials Response. NFPA PPE/SCBA for each person. d. Expectations - Ability to extinguish a fire and save life and property. The ability to perform and extricate a person from a motor vehicle efficiently. The ability to identify and provide operations level hazardous materials response. Arrive on scene within 9 minutes of dispatch, 90 % of the time. a. Personnelrequired-10 b. Equipment - 2 NFPA criteria engine (pumper) c. Interior Firefighting capabilities of room or contents and small buildings under 10,000 square feet. Vehicle rescue capabilities with power or no power equipment and provide Operations level Hazardous Materials Response. NFPA PPE/SCBA. d. Expectations - Ability to extinguish a fire and save life and property. The ability to perform and extricate a person from a motor vehicle efficiently. The ability to identify and provide operations level hazardous materials response. Arrive on scene within 10 minutes of dispatch, 80% of the time. a. Personnel required 6 b. Equipment-l NFPA criteria engine (pumper) c. Interior Firefighting capabilities only of room or contents and small buildings under 5,000 square feet. Also, vehicle extrication capabilities with little or no power equipment. NFPA PPE/SCBA. d. Expectations - Ability to extinguish a fire and save life and property. The ability to extricate a person from a motor vehicle efficiently. Respond within 9 minutes, plus travel time. a. Personnel required 4 b. Equipment-1 NFPA criteria engine (pumper) c. Exterior Defensive Firefighting capabilities only d. Expectations - Protect surrounding exposures, loss of involved property - NO TIME LIMITS 41

42 An ultimate (most basic) goal is to have a turnout time (time from dispatch to time first vehicle leaves the door) is 9 minutes of the time, plus travel time to the incident. (Level 3 and 4) Communities may have more than one Standard of Cover service level NOTE: SPECIAL RISKS/TARGET HAZARDS REQUIRE ADDED SERVICES AS DETERMINED LOCALLY 42

43 ATTACHMENT C FIRE COMPANY/DEPARTMENT SURVEY 1. Please enter your FDID. 2. Which BEST describes you? Chief Deputy, Assistant, or Battalion Chief Line Officer President Other Administrative Officer Member Other 3. Which BEST describes the majority of your first due coverage area? Rural Suburban Urban 4. How many incidents does your company respond to in a typical year? (Please exclude EMS incidents if you provide BLS or ALS services.) 5. How many fire stations does your company operate from? 6. Who owns your fire station(s)? Fire Department/Company Owned Municipality Owned Joint Ownership Other 43

44 7. Using the definitions provided, how many vehicles are being used b y your department? Engine: Any engine, wagon, or pumper suited for structure fire suppression. Mini- and Midipumpers used directly in structure fire suppression (attack or water supply) should be included in this category. Squirts which do not have a platform or climbing ladder should be included in this category. Engine/Tankers, Engine/Rescues, and Rescue Engines should be included in this category. Truck: Any vehicle, with or without a pump, that has a climbable aerial device or platform (bucket) and is used to support structure fire suppression (ladder, platform, tower ladder, ladder tower, and any type of quint). Tanker/Tender: Any unit for which the primary purpose is the delivery (hauling) of water regardless of pump or hose compliment. (Engine/Tankers suited as primary fire attack apparatus should be included in the "Engine" category.) Rescue: Any vehicle whose primary purpose is the transport of rescue tools and equipment. (Engine/Rescues and Rescue Engines suited as primary fire attack apparatus should be included in the "Engine" category.) Special Use: Please limit this category to Traffic Units, Brush Trucks, Command Posts (including communications vehicles), Air Wagons (cascade/ mask unit vehicles), Canteens, and Rehab Units. Other: All other vehicles such as general Utility Units, trailers of any kind or purpose, ATV/UTV's, staff cars, parade-only vehicles, and any other unit that is not identified/included in the preceding categories. 8. How many firefighters (regardless of rank) are presently on your company roster? 9. How many of the firefighters on your company roster also belong to another fire company? Number of firefighters who belong to one additional company: Number of firefighters who belong to two additional fire companies: Number of firefighters who belong to three or more additional fire companies: 44

45 NEW QU EST ION 10. Using the last full year of department data or the last twelve months: Of the firefighters presently on your company roster, how many of them respond to at least 10% of all incidents per year? Of the firefighters presently on your company roster, how many of them respond to at least 20% of all incidents per year? 11. How many of the firefighters on your company roster are certified to Firefighter I (FFI)? 12. How many of the firefighters on your company roster are certified to Firefighter II (FFII)? 13. What is the population of your first due response area? (Best Estimate) 14. How many square miles in your first due response area? (Best Estimate) 45

46 ATTACHMENT D FIRE COMPANY/DEPARTMENT SURVEY RESULTS SR6 Commission Government Support Subcommittee Survey Results July 2018 Background In late April 2018 the Government Support Subcommittee was requested to gather information regarding the following: 1. Number of stations in each Municipality. 2. Number of trucks in each station. 3. Number of Firefighters on the roster. 4. Number of Active Firefighters, using the following percentages. a. 10% of runs per year? b. 20% of runs per year? 5. How many Firefighters have FF I? 6. How many Firefighters have FF II? To respond to this inquiry, the subcommittee developed a survey, which was sent to fire departments (companies) across the commonwealth. The survey went to 1,713 fire departments as this was the number of departments for which the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC) had electronic contact information on file. This survey group included career and volunteer entities, but excluded the cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. From this effort, 31 surveys were undeliverable and 385 responses were received. A total of 382 responses were useable. The survey period was open from June 1 through June 30. Results Summary Responses to the survey were proportionally reasonable with estimates with 221 survey respondents identifying their area as Rural (58%), 137 as Suburban (36%), and 24 identifying as Urban (6%). Thus, the survey provides a reasonable approximation of conditions across the whole of the commonwealth. For any specific survey question the correlation between these responses and fire departments across the whole of the commonwealth is less robust since there is significant variety among departments owing to the wide variety of local conditions. As expected, the experiences of this survey reflect those of many questionnaire type surveys: limited participation and numerous respondent errors or omissions. This simple 14-question survey required approximately 20 hours of data review and formatting. The 46

47 Government Support Subcommittee continues to advocate for additional resources within OSFC to improve data collection systems and subsequent analyses. The overarching goal of this survey was to determine the suitability and effectiveness of a questionnaire style survey for the purpose of establishing baseline data, from which to judge the impact of actions undertaken by the Legislature relative to any particular SR6 recommendation. The experience of this survey suggests that a free-standing questionnaire style survey is not likely to provide data sufficient to judge the impact or effectiveness of future efforts. The response rate to this survey was only 22%. A desirable sample, better suited to purpose, should be slightly more than double that of this survey, assuming similar proportionality (Rural/Suburban/Urban). A number of survey results warrant particular attention and they are listed here in no particular order: 1. Active Personnel: Analysis of PENNFIRS data in May showed that the number of firefighters active in the commonwealth was no more than 37,715 individuals. This number includes career personnel, exclusive of the cities of Allentown, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. Therefore, the number of volunteer firefighters is less than this number. It is also important to note that not all volunteers who respond to fire incidents are actually capable firefighters. The PENNFIRS data also includes Fire Police Officers and undoubtedly includes some number of Life Members who no longer serve actively on the scene, but respond to the station and are thus credited for their response. This survey corroborates the findings of the PENNFIRS analysis and further suggests the numbers of active volunteers are lower than previously thought. The average number of active volunteers on a Rural department s roster is 29 (Median = 25). In 2012 this was reported to be almost 40 (Center for Rural Pennsylvania). The average roster for Suburban departments is 38 (Median = 34), and for Urban respondents the average roster is 57 (Median = 42). 2. Roster Duplications: Respondents were asked to report the number of members on their rosters that are active with other fire departments. For Rural departments 17% of the active members respond with one or more other fire departments. For Suburban respondents that number dropped to 15.3%, with almost 1% active with three or more additional departments. For Urban respondents the number dropped to 8.8%. (It should be noted that career departments are often not aware of members volunteering outside normal shift hours.) These numbers support the reality that the membership rosters of departments across the commonwealth include many of the same individuals. 47

48 3. Availability of Personnel: Respondents were asked to identify the number of members who respond to at least 10% of all incidents and those responding to 20% of all incidents. For Rural departments and average of 63% of those on the roster are responding to at least 10% of all incidents, 49% are responding to at least 20% of all incidents. For Suburban departments reported participation rates are 57% and 41%; reported rates for Urban departments are 70% and 57%. This data is relevant to any future proposals that may require a definition of active firefighter. 4. Training: Data from this survey shows the average number of firefighters certified to FFI in Rural departments is 26%. For Suburban and Urban departments certification rates are 42% and 60% respectively. 5. Apparatus and Station Density: As requested, the survey asked for information as to the type and numbers of apparatus, and the number of stations from which the department operates. This data is of very limited value because departments often provide service to all, or portions of, multiple municipalities. It should also be noted that no consensus standard exists relative to apparatus types and numbers, and further that a particular apparatus type does not necessarily describe actual apparatus function or use. One half of the Rural departments are covering less than 33 square miles per station, while the remaining half is covering more than 33 square miles per station. One half of the Suburban departments are covering 6 square miles or less, the remaining half is covering more than 6 square miles. One half of the Urban departments are covering 3 square miles or less, the remaining half is covering 3 square miles or more. Approximately 9% of Suburban departments report covering an area of one square mile or less. Approximately 46% of Rural fire departments are covering an area in excess of 40 square miles. 6. Other Item of Note: Approximately 4% of Rural departments are operating with fewer than 11 active members. Approximately 2.5% of Suburban departments are operating with fewer than 11 active members. 48

49 Future Efforts The experience of this survey reinforces subcommittee concerns relative to quality data collection and analysis. Dedicated staff is necessary to have statistically robust data from which to make decisions regarding the priorities for future action or evaluating the impact of future action. Ideally, intelligent software capable of flagging incorrect/unmatched responses would be employed and responses to surveys would be audited for accuracy or follow-up. It is clear from the responses to this survey that many respondents need some assistance in providing data. (Examples of respondent issues include: unknown FDID numbers, unknown demographics of first due areas, alpha entries in lieu of requested numeric entries, obvious reporting inaccuracies [e.g. more people certified than on the department roster], failure to read questions and/or instructions.) Respectfully Submitted: Steven W. Bair July 16, 2018 On Behalf of the Government Support Subcommittee. 49

50 ATTACHMENT E PROPOSED STATE FIRE COMMISSION GOVERNOR FIRE COMMISSIONER SUPPORT SYSTEMS TRAINING COUNSEL FUNDING SYSTEMS TECHNICAL EXPERTS TECHNOLOGY CODES RETENTION RECRUITMENT DELIVERY DEVELOP STANDARDS/ REQUIREMENTS GRANTS ipad UCC Review and Advisory Council LOSAP TUITION REIMBURSEMENT ON-LINE ON-LINE SOFTWARE STANDARD OF COVER 2% LOAN COMPUTER STANDARDIZED APPLICATION CLASSROOM TEXT BOOKS CONSOLIDATION / MERGERS VLAP PENNFIRS USE EXPERTS Make up of Fire Commission Chair- Fire Commissioner 6 - Regional Reps NE SE NC SC NW SW 3 - At-Large Reps East Central West 3 - Industry Reps East Central West 1 - Attorney General Rep 1 - EMS ATTACHMENT Office Rep F 1 - PEMA Rep 50

51 SUPPORTING NEWS ARTICLES ARTICLE 1 About 20 Harford firefighters lose rank by failing to meet deadline for certifications About 20 ranking officers at some Harford County volunteer fire stations lost those ranks after failing to submit new required certifications July 1. (Aegis file/bsmg) Gal Tziperman LotanFor The Baltimore Sun About 20 ranking officers at Harford County volunteer fire stations lost those ranks after failing to submit new required certifications July 1. Roughly 200 officers completed their certifications on time, said Rich Gardiner, a spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire & EMS Association. He declined to release the names of those who did not qualify. The certifications requirement was first announced five years ago, touted as an effort to make training at the departments more uniform. The firefighters who did not submit their certifications can still respond to calls, but cannot hold ranks such as chief, captain or lieutenant until they qualify under the new standards, Gardiner said. The association can fine departments who let uncertified officers keep their titles and face a fine of $1,000 per officer per month, taken from the department s budget. They association has not levied any fines so far, Gardiner said Wednesday. Volunteer firefighters and volunteer fire companies wants to be treated the same as career, said Scott Hurst, chief of the Susquehanna Hose Company in Havre de Grace. Well, if you want to be treated the same, you have to be well trained. To get certified, firefighters had to complete classes in leadership, incident response and other topics. More experienced firefighters could instead write about how they learned the skills in 51

52 their years of service instead of in a classroom and submit those letters to a county board which would decide whether that experience should count toward credit. All but one class required for the certification were available for free. One customer service class, taken online, cost $50, Hurst said. Not every person certified currently has a leadership position. Some got the certification hoping for future officer roles a circumstance Hurst likened to a Major League Baseball s farm team. Some fire companies only have a handful of people approved, he said. What about the future of that fire company? Where are your officers coming from in the next two, three, five years? The certification standards came out of a 2010 study of fire departments in the county. Before that, individual departments decided who was qualified for a promotion. It was up to individual fire companies to kind of police themselves. Some companies have higher standards, some of them had far lower standards, Hurst said. Firefighters from different departments often work together during emergencies, so association officials decided to put more stringent and uniform standards in place. 52

53 SUPPORTING NEWS ARTICLES ARTICLE 2 Northfork VFD reopens after voluntarily shutting down in March Charleston Gazett Mail Newspaper By Caity Coyne Staff writer Jul 25, 2018 (0) The Northfork Volunteer Fire Department sits along U.S. 52 in McDowell County. Google Courtesy image After voluntarily shutting down in March due to outdated equipment discovered during an investigation by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal s Office, the Northfork Volunteer Fire Department reopened Wednesday morning, according to a news release from the fire marshal. Over the past four months, the department invested in new airpacks the breathing apparatuses used by firefighters in structural fires and sent all its trucks away for upgrades and maintenance, said John Adams, who began serving as chief of the Northfork VFD a little over a month ago. 53