Exempts volunteer fire districts from requiring safety ropes and system components for use by firefighters and from the training in the use of such ropes

Title of bill

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to exempting volunteer fire districts from requiring safety ropes and system components for use by firefighters and from the training in the use of such ropes

Purpose

To not mandate that volunteer fire companies from having to provide safety ropes and system components for their firefighters.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 of this bill amends Subdivision 4 of section 27-a of the labor law to exempt volunteer fire districts from provision c of this subdivision (fire ropes and system components).

Section 2 is the effective date.

Justification

This legislation seeks to relieve a financial burden on volunteer fire districts. Most fire districts in New York are small and have budgets that operate on a shoe string. This legislation seeks to remove a mandate on volunteer fire districts by not forcing them to comply with a law that requires every firefighter have their own system rope and component. It is the strict interpretation of this law that is creating extreme financial hardships for fire districts. Many of this state's volunteer fire districts do not cover building where having a rope and harness is necessary, the current strict language allows for no exemptions based on fire district size, or the type and size of structures the fire district covers. While the sponsor believes protecting our firefighters is paramount, the current inflexibility under state law needs to be addressed to ensure that fire districts have the budget to operate by removing a mandate.

Fiscal implications

None to the State.

Effective date

Immediately.