Provides that the definition of search and rescue team includes voluntary and municipal wilderness/ inland search and rescue teams

Title of bill

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to defining search and rescue teams to include voluntary and municipal search and rescue teams

Purpose

To define a Volunteer Search and Rescue Worker as an individual trained and certified by the Department of Environmental Conservation and to expand the existing definition of Specialized Rescue Team to include teams who members are Volunteer Search and Rescue Workers.

Summary of provisions

Amends the general municipal law by adding a new section 209-ff that would define "search and rescue team" and "volunteer search and rescue worker".

Amends subdivision 4 of section 209-bb of the general municipal law to Include "volunteer search and rescue workers" as emergency services workers who may be members of specialized teams.

Justification

Many of the laws that were written and enacted over the past decade did not take into account the need for Emergency Services organizations that are not directly part of Fire or Ambulance Services. As a result, today we have more than 26 professional Search and Rescue teams in the state, serving their communities alongside fire, ambulance, law enforcement, and other emergency services groups but without the recognition, support, and legal protections afforded by the laws of the state. These teams provide expertise and experience in Search and Rescue disciplines, augmenting local and State resources, and freeing up often scarce local resources for other tasks.

Over the past few years both Federal and State agencies have recognized and identified the importance of the roles that Wilderness/Inland Search and Rescue teams have in emergency services and now include them in local, state, and Federal plans that address both single incidents, along with larger scale natural and manmade disasters. By defining the basic training and certification criteria for these teams and their members in New York, agencies and organizations that elect to utilize their services will be assured of their continued level of professionalism.

Summary of amendments

The bill is amended to state that a search and rescue worker is defined as an individual who has obtained the minimum level of training or experience to meet qualifying standards established by the Department of Environmental Conservation's Office of Public Protection.

Legislative history

A.11534 of 2005/06: Referred to Local Governments

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately.