1Establishing a grant program for municipal fire and emergency
2services organizations; and providing for grant funding.

3TABLE OF CONTENTS

4Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions

5Section 101. Short title.

6Section 102. Definitions.

7Chapter 3. Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization
8Grant Program

9Section 301. Establishment.

10Section 302. Guidelines and procedures.

11Section 303. Award of grants.

12Chapter 5. Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization
13Grant Program Funding Provisions

14Section 501. Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization
15Grant Program.

16Section 502. Allocation of appropriated funds.

1Chapter 21. Miscellaneous Provisions

2Section 2101. Expiration of authority.

3Section 2102. Effective date.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6CHAPTER 1

7PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

8Section 101. Short title.

9This act shall be known and may be cited as the Municipal
10Fire and Emergency Services Organization Grant Act.

11Section 102. Definitions.

12The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
13have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14context clearly indicates otherwise:

15"Advanced emergency medical services." The term shall have 
16the meaning given to it in 35 Pa.C.S. § 8103 (relating to 
17definitions).

18"Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

19"Basic emergency medical services." The term shall have the 
20meaning given to it in 35 Pa.C.S. § 8103 (relating to 
21definitions).

22"Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner.

23"Facility." A structure or portion of a structure intended 
24for the purpose of storage or protection of firefighting 
25apparatus, ambulances and rescue vehicles and related equipment 
26and gear. The term does not include meeting halls, social halls, 
27social rooms, lounges or any other facility not directly related 
28to firefighting or the furnishing of ambulance or rescue 
29services.

30"Grant program." The Municipal Fire and Emergency Services 

1Organization Grant Program established in Chapter 3.

2"Municipal fire and emergency services organization." A fire 
3department, ambulance service or rescue squad established, 
4operated and funded by a municipality within this Commonwealth 
5that provides fire protection or emergency services. Emergency 
6services provided by a municipal fire and emergency services 
7organization may include ambulance and rescue services. The 
8ambulance services may include basic emergency medical services 
9or advanced emergency medical services and the transportation of 
10patients within this Commonwealth. The term does not include any 
11corporation, association or organization that is primarily 
12intended for the routine transport of persons who are 
13convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily 
14require emergency medical treatment while in transit. The rescue 
15services may include rescue services in response to fire, 
16vehicle accidents and water rescue efforts.

17CHAPTER 3

18MUNICIPAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ORGANIZATION

19GRANT PROGRAM

20Section 301. Establishment.

21The Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization Grant
22Program is established and shall be administered by the agency
23in consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under
24this program shall be used to improve and enhance the
25capabilities of municipal fire and emergency services
26organizations to provide firefighting, ambulance and rescue
27services.

28Section 302. Guidelines and procedures.

29The agency shall develop guidelines, procedures and all
30applications necessary to implement the grant program. The

1agency shall submit the guidelines, procedures and applications
2to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the
3Pennsylvania Bulletin within 30 days of the effective date of
4this section.

5Section 303. Award of grants.

6(a) Authorization.--The agency may make a grant award to
7each eligible municipal fire and emergency services organization
8for the following:

9(1) Construction or renovation of the municipal fire and
10emergency services organization's facility and purchase or
11repair of fixtures and furnishings necessary to maintain or
12improve the capability of the municipal fire and emergency
13services organization to provide fire, ambulance and rescue
14services.

15(2) Repair or purchase of firefighting, ambulance or
16rescue equipment.

17(3) Retirement or reduction of debt associated with
18paragraph (1) or (2).

19(4) Training and certification of members.

20(b) Limits.--

21(1) Grants shall be not less than $10,000 and not more
22than $1,000,000 per municipal fire and emergency services
23organization.

24(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
25total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
26amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this
27purpose.

28(c) Time for filing application and department action.--

29(1) The agency shall provide written instructions and
30guidelines for grants under this chapter to the fire chief

1and president of each municipal fire and emergency services
2organization in this Commonwealth within 60 days of the
3effective date of this section.

4(2) Municipal fire and emergency services organizations
5seeking grants under this chapter shall submit completed
6applications to the agency on or before December 31, 2013.
7The agency shall act to approve or disapprove the application
8by May 1, 2014. Applications that have not been approved or
9disapproved by the agency by May 1, 2014, shall be deemed
10approved.

11(d) Eligibility.--To receive grant funds under this chapter,
12a municipal fire and emergency services organization shall have
13actively responded to one or more fire or rescue emergencies
14since July 1, 2011, and must sign an agreement to actively
15participate in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
16System.

17CHAPTER 5

18MUNICIPAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ORGANIZATION

19GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING PROVISIONS

20Section 501. Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization
21Grant Program.

22From any amount appropriated in a general appropriations act
23to the agency for the Municipal Fire and Emergency Services
24Organization Grant Program, $8,000,000 shall be expended for the
25purpose of making grants to eligible municipal fire and
26emergency services organizations pursuant to Chapter 3.

27Section 502. Allocation of appropriated funds.

28No moneys from the appropriation for municipal fire and
29emergency services organization grants shall be used for
30expenses or costs incurred by the agency for the administration

1of the grant program authorized under Chapter 3.

2CHAPTER 21

3MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

4Section 2101. Expiration of authority.

5The authority of the agency to award grants under Chapter 3
6shall expire June 30, 2014.

7Section 2102. Effective date.

8This act shall take effect immediately.