Requires training of fire officers in cities of one million or more

1 Co-sponsor

• Tony Avella

BILL NUMBER:S4650

Title of bill

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to training of fire officers in cities of one million or more

Purpose

Requires mandatory training for fire officers in all cities whose population is in excess of one million.

Summary of provisions

This bill adds a new section 209-ff to the General Municipal Law to require the fire department of any city with a population of one million or more to provide all fire officers with at least 40 hours of field training and classroom instruction in the building and construction codes and local ordinances of such city.

Justification

In order to insure the most coordinated and efficient fire departments, it is necessary for new and existing fire officers to be knowledgeable of contemporary fire codes, as well as building and construction codes and local city ordinances. Specifically, this act requires all fire departments of a city with an excess population of one million residents to provide all fire officers of such department with at least 40 hours of field training and classroom instruction in the city's fire code, and a minimum of 40 hours of field training and classroom instruction in the building and construction codes and local ordinances of the city. Per these requirements and with emphasis on the inspection duties of fire officers, including any pertinent changes in such duties resulting from the enactment of or any amendment to any codes that took effect in recent years, fire officers can better understand the current codes of their city.

This curriculum will benefit both the fire departments and the communities they serve by insuring a more knowledgeable and effective body of fire officers who are up to date in terms of these readily-changing codes and ordinances.

Legislative history

S.6436 of 2012 - Vetoed

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.