PRINTER'S NO. 2464
No. 1899 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY SOLOBAY, SCRIMENTI, BARRAR, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BLAUM, BROWNE, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CASORIO, M. COHEN, CORRIGAN, COY, CURRY, DALLY, DERMODY, DIVEN, FEESE, FLEAGLE, GEORGE, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HARHAI, HESS, HUTCHINSON, JOSEPHS, KELLER, LaGROTTA, LEH, LEVDANSKY, MACKERETH, MARKOSEK, CAWLEY, COLEMAN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, EACHUS, FICHTER, FREEMAN, GORDNER, GRUITZA, HANNA, HERMAN, HORSEY, JAMES, KAISER, KIRKLAND, LAUGHLIN, LESCOVITZ, LUCYK, MANN, MAYERNIK, MELIO, MUNDY, PETRARCA, PISTELLA, ROBERTS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SHANER, STEELMAN, T. STEVENSON, SURRA, TIGUE, TRICH, WALKO, WASHINGTON, WATSON, WILT, YUDICHAK, S. MILLER, PALLONE, PIPPY, READSHAW, ROSS, RUFFING, SAMUELSON, SCHRODER, STABACK, STETLER, STURLA, TANGRETTI, TRAVAGLIO, VEON, WANSACZ, WATERS, C. WILLIAMS, WOJNAROSKI, J. WILLIAMS AND THOMAS, SEPTEMBER 18, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, SEPTEMBER 18, 2001
AN ACT 1 Establishing and funding a grant program for volunteer fire 2 companies, volunteer ambulance services, water and vehicle 3 rescue squads and municipal fire departments; and making 4 appropriations. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions 7 Section 101. Short title. 8 Section 102. Definitions. 9 Chapter 3. Annual Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program 10 Section 301. Establishment. 11 Section 302. Guidelines and procedures.
1 Section 303. Award of grants. 2 Section 304. Consolidation. 3 Chapter 5. Annual Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Services 4 Grant Program 5 Section 501. Establishment. 6 Section 502. Guidelines and procedures. 7 Section 503. Award of grants. 8 Chapter 7. Annual Municipal Fire Department Grant Program 9 Section 701. Establishment. 10 Section 702. Guidelines and procedures. 11 Section 703. Award of grants. 12 Chapter 9. Grant Funding Provisions 13 Section 901. Annual Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program. 14 Section 902. Annual Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Services 15 Grant Program. 16 Section 903. Annual Municipal Fire Department Grant Program. 17 Section 904. Agency funding. 18 Chapter 11. Miscellaneous Provisions 19 Section 1101. Effective date. 20 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 21 hereby enacts as follows: 22 CHAPTER 1 23 PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS 24 Section 101. Short title. 25 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Fire and 26 Emergency Services Annual Grant Act. 27 Section 2. Definitions. 28 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 29 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 30 context clearly indicates otherwise: 20010H1899B2464 - 2 -
1 "Advanced life support services." The term shall have the 2 meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), 3 known as the Emergency Medical Services Act. 4 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. 5 "Basic life support services." The term shall have the 6 meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), 7 known as the Emergency Medical Services Act. 8 "Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner. 9 "Facility." A structure or portion thereof intended for the 10 purpose of storage or protection of firefighting apparatus, 11 ambulances and rescue vehicles and related equipment and gear. 12 The term does not include meeting halls, social halls, social 13 rooms, lounges or any other facility not directly related to 14 firefighting or the furnishing of ambulance or rescue services. 15 "Fiscal year." One full year beginning on July 1 and ending 16 on June 30 of the next calendar year. 17 "Grant program." The Fire and Emergency Services Annual 18 Grant Program, and any of its component parts, including the 19 Annual Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program established under 20 Chapter 3, the Annual Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Services 21 Grant Program established under Chapter 5, and the Annual 22 Municipal Fire Department Grant Program established under 23 Chapter 7. 24 "Invalid coach." The term shall have the meaning given to it 25 in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the 26 Emergency Medical Services Act. 27 "Municipal fire department." Any department of a 28 municipality consisting of firefighters or support staff who are 29 employees of the municipality and whose primary purpose is to 30 engage in fire protection, firefighting or necessary support 20010H1899B2464 - 3 -
1 services in that municipality. This term does not include a 2 volunteer fire company that may employ one or more firefighters 3 or other personnel. 4 "Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered 5 corporation, association or organization located in this 6 Commonwealth which is licensed by the Department of Health and 7 is not associated or affiliated with a hospital and which is 8 regularly engaged in the provision of emergency medical 9 services, including basic life support or advanced life support 10 services and the transportation of patients. The term does not 11 include any corporation, association or organization that is 12 primarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches which are 13 intended for the routine transport of persons who are 14 convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily 15 require emergency medical treatment while in transit. 16 "Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation, 17 association or organization located in this Commonwealth which 18 provides fire protection or rescue services and which may offer 19 other voluntary emergency services within this Commonwealth. 20 Voluntary emergency services provided by a volunteer fire 21 company may include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue 22 services. 23 "Water or vehicle rescue company." A nonprofit chartered 24 corporation, association or organization that provides rescue 25 services as part of the response to fires or accidents involving 26 vehicles or occurring in a body of water. 27 CHAPTER 3 28 ANNUAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM 29 Section 301. Establishment. 30 The Annual Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program is hereby 20010H1899B2464 - 4 -
1 established and shall be administered by the agency in 2 consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under this 3 program shall be used to continually improve and enhance the 4 capabilities of the volunteer fire company to provide 5 firefighting, ambulance and rescue services. 6 Section 302. Guidelines and procedures. 7 The agency, in consultation with the commissioner, shall 8 develop guidelines, procedures and all applications necessary to 9 implement the annual grant program. The agency shall submit the 10 guidelines, procedures and applications to the Legislative 11 Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin 12 within 30 days after the effective date of this act. 13 Section 303. Award of grants. 14 (a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make 15 annual grant awards to each eligible volunteer fire company, to 16 be used for the following: 17 (1) Construction or renovation of the fire company's 18 facility and purchase or repair of fixtures, furnishings, 19 office equipment and support services necessary to maintain 20 or improve the capability of the company to provide 21 firefighting, ambulance and rescue services. 22 (2) Purchase or repair of equipment used to provide 23 firefighting, ambulance or rescue services. 24 (3) Retirement or reduction of debt accumulated through 25 the construction or renovation of facilities, purchase or 26 repair of fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support 27 services or the purchase or repair of equipment. 28 (4) Reasonable costs associated with training or 29 certification of members. 30 (b) Eligibility and limits.-- 20010H1899B2464 - 5 -
1 (1) To receive grant funds under this act, a volunteer 2 fire company shall have actively responded to one or more 3 fire or rescue emergencies since July 1, 2001, and must sign 4 an agreement to actively participate in the Pennsylvania Fire 5 Information Reporting System administered by the agency. 6 (2) No volunteer fire company shall be eligible for more 7 than one grant award per each fiscal year. 8 (3) All grant awards shall be equitable, except as 9 provided under section 304(a) and made upon a pro rata basis 10 if the total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds 11 the amount of funds allocated under section 901. 12 (c) Application.-- 13 (1) The agency shall provide applications and a program 14 summary for grants under this act to the fire chief and 15 president of every volunteer fire company in this 16 Commonwealth on or before July 31 of each fiscal year. The 17 program summary shall include, but not be limited to: 18 (i) Limitations on the use of grants. 19 (ii) Eligibility criteria. 20 (iii) Amount of funding available for the current 21 fiscal year. 22 (iv) Number of grants awarded during the previous 23 fiscal year. 24 (v) Total amount of grants awarded during the 25 previous fiscal year. 26 (2) Volunteer fire companies seeking grants under this 27 act shall submit completed applications to the agency on or 28 before October 1 of each fiscal year. 29 (d) Agency action.--The agency shall act to approve or 30 disapprove the application by December 1 of each fiscal year. 20010H1899B2464 - 6 -
1 Applications which have not been approved or disapproved by the 2 agency by December 1 shall be deemed approved. 3 Section 304. Consolidation. 4 (a) Financial incentives.--If, after the effective date of 5 this act, two or more volunteer fire companies consolidate their 6 use of facilities, equipment, firefighters and services, the 7 consolidated entity may, upon notification of the agency, be 8 eligible for: 9 (1) Reduction of the interest rate payable on any 10 outstanding principal balance owed, as of the date of 11 consolidation, by any or all of the consolidating companies 12 to the Volunteer Companies Loan Fund for loans made under the 13 act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), known as the 14 Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad 15 Assistance Act. The reduction in the interest rate payable 16 shall be from 2% to 1%. Upon receipt of such notification, 17 the agency, in conjunction with the State Fire Commissioner, 18 shall determine and verify that the consolidated entity is in 19 fact a bona fide consolidated volunteer fire company. If the 20 agency determines that the consolidated entity is a bona fide 21 consolidated volunteer fire company, it shall reduce the 22 interest rate payable on any outstanding principal balance 23 owed to the Volunteer Companies Loan Fund for loans made 24 under the Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service and 25 Rescue Squad Assistance Act, for which the consolidating 26 companies or the consolidated entity may be individually or 27 jointly responsible. 28 (2) A grant award equal to the total amount each 29 volunteer fire company from which the consolidated entity was 30 created would have been eligible to receive as though it had 20010H1899B2464 - 7 -
1 not consolidated, for a period of five years after the date 2 of consolidation. 3 (b) Regulatory authority.--The agency may promulgate such 4 rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the 5 provisions of this section. 6 CHAPTER 5 7 ANNUAL VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE AND RESCUE SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM 8 Section 501. Establishment. 9 The Annual Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Services Grant 10 Program is hereby established and shall be administered by the 11 agency. Grants provided under this program shall be used to 12 continually improve and enhance the capabilities of the 13 volunteer ambulance and rescue services to provide ambulance, 14 emergency medical, basic and advanced life support and general 15 rescue services. 16 Section 502. Guidelines and procedures. 17 The agency shall develop guidelines, procedures and all 18 applications necessary to implement the annual grant program. 19 The agency shall submit the guidelines, procedures and 20 applications to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication 21 in the Pennsylvania Bulletin within 30 days after the effective 22 date of this act. 23 Section 503. Award of grants. 24 (a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make 25 annual grant awards to each eligible volunteer ambulance service 26 and water or vehicle rescue company for the following: 27 (1) Construction or renovation of the volunteer 28 ambulance service's facilities and purchase or repair of 29 fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support services 30 necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the 20010H1899B2464 - 8 -
1 ambulance service to provide ambulance, emergency medical, 2 basic and advanced life support and general rescue services. 3 (2) Purchase or repair of ambulance or rescue equipment. 4 (3) Retirement or reduction of debt accumulated through 5 the construction or renovation of facilities, purchase or 6 repair of fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support 7 services or the purchase or repair of equipment. 8 (4) Reasonable costs associated with training and 9 certification of members. 10 (b) Eligibility and limits.-- 11 (1) To receive grant funds under this act, a volunteer 12 ambulance service or a water or vehicle rescue company shall 13 have actively responded to one or more emergency medical 14 situations or water or vehicle rescue emergencies since July 15 1, 2001. 16 (2) No volunteer ambulance service or water or vehicle 17 rescue company shall be eligible for more than one grant 18 award per each fiscal year. 19 (3) All grant awards shall be equitable and made upon a 20 pro rata basis if the total dollar amount of approved 21 applications exceeds the amount of funds allocated under 22 section 902. 23 (c) Application.-- 24 (1) The agency shall provide applications and a program 25 summary for grants under this act to the fire chief and 26 president of every volunteer ambulance service and water or 27 vehicle rescue company in this Commonwealth on or before July 28 31 of each fiscal year. The program summary shall include, 29 but not be limited to: 30 (i) Limitations on the use of grants. 20010H1899B2464 - 9 -
1 (ii) Eligibility criteria. 2 (iii) Amount of funding available for the current 3 fiscal year. 4 (iv) Number of grants awarded during the previous 5 fiscal year. 6 (v) Total amount of grants awarded during the 7 previous fiscal year. 8 (2) Volunteer ambulance services and water or vehicle 9 rescue companies seeking grants under this act shall submit 10 completed applications to the agency on or before October 1 11 of each fiscal year. 12 (d) Agency action.--The agency shall act to approve or 13 disapprove the application by December 1 of each fiscal year. 14 Applications which have not been approved or disapproved by the 15 agency by December 1 shall be deemed approved. 16 CHAPTER 7 17 ANNUAL MUNICIPAL FIRE DEPARTMENT GRANT PROGRAM 18 Section 701. Establishment. 19 The Annual Municipal Fire Department Grant Program is hereby 20 established and shall be administered by the agency in 21 consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under this 22 program shall be used to continually improve and enhance the 23 capabilities of the municipal fire departments to provide 24 firefighting and fire protection services. 25 Section 702. Guidelines and procedures. 26 The agency, in consultation with the commissioner, shall 27 develop guidelines, procedures and all applications necessary to 28 implement the annual grant program. The agency shall submit the 29 guidelines, procedures and applications to the Legislative 30 Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin 20010H1899B2464 - 10 -
1 within 30 days after the effective date of this act. 2 Section 703. Award of grants. 3 (a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make 4 annual grant awards to each eligible municipal fire department 5 to be used for the following: 6 (1) Construction or renovation of municipal fire 7 department facilities and purchase or repair of fixtures, 8 furnishings, office equipment and support services necessary 9 to maintain or improve the capability of the company to 10 provide firefighting, ambulance and rescue services. 11 (2) Purchase or repair of equipment used to provide 12 firefighting, ambulance or rescue services. 13 (3) Retirement or reduction of debt accumulated through 14 the construction or renovation of facilities, purchase or 15 repair of fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support 16 services or the purchase or repair of equipment. 17 (4) Reasonable costs associated with training or 18 certification of members. 19 (b) Eligibility and limits.-- 20 (1) To receive grant funds under this act, a municipal 21 fire department shall have actively responded to one or more 22 fire or rescue emergencies since July 1, 2001. 23 (2) No municipal fire department shall be eligible for 24 more than one grant award per each fiscal year. 25 (3) All grant awards shall be equitable and made upon a 26 pro rata basis if the total dollar amount of approved 27 applications exceeds the amount of funds allocated in section 28 903. 29 (c) Application.-- 30 (1) The agency shall provide applications and a program 20010H1899B2464 - 11 -
1 summary for grants under this act to the chief of every 2 municipal fire department in this Commonwealth on or before 3 July 31 of each fiscal year. The program summary shall 4 include, but not be limited to: 5 (i) Limitations on the use of grants. 6 (ii) Eligibility criteria. 7 (iii) Amount of funding available for the current 8 fiscal year. 9 (iv) Number of grants awarded during the previous 10 fiscal year. 11 (v) Total amount of grants awarded during the 12 previous fiscal year. 13 (2) Municipal fire departments seeking grants under this 14 act shall submit completed applications to the agency on or 15 before October 1 of each fiscal year. 16 (d) Agency action.--The agency shall act to approve or 17 disapprove the application by December 1 of each fiscal year. 18 Applications which have not been approved or disapproved by the 19 agency by December 1 shall be deemed approved. 20 CHAPTER 9 21 GRANT FUNDING PROVISIONS 22 Section 901. Annual Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program. 23 The sum of $37,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 24 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Pennsylvania Emergency 25 Management Agency for the current fiscal year for the purpose of 26 making grants to eligible volunteer fire companies under Chapter 27 3. The General Assembly shall annually include in the 28 appropriation to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency in 29 the General Appropriation Act an appropriation from the General 30 Fund in an amount sufficient to make grants pursuant to Chapter 20010H1899B2464 - 12 -
1 3. 2 Section 902. Annual Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Services 3 Grant Program. 4 The sum of $5,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 5 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Pennsylvania Emergency 6 Management Agency for the current fiscal year for the purpose of 7 making grants to eligible volunteer ambulance services and water 8 or vehicle rescue companies under Chapter 5. The General 9 Assembly shall annually include in the appropriation to the 10 Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency in the General 11 Appropriation Act an appropriation from the General Fund in an 12 amount sufficient to make grants under Chapter 5. 13 Section 903. Annual Municipal Fire Department Grant Program. 14 The sum of $3,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 15 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Pennsylvania Emergency 16 Management Agency for the current fiscal year for the purpose of 17 making grants to eligible volunteer fire companies under Chapter 18 7. The General Assembly shall annually include in the 19 appropriation to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency in 20 the General Appropriation Act an appropriation from the General 21 Fund in an amount sufficient to make grants under Chapter 7. 22 Section 904. Agency funding. 23 The sum of $100,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, 24 is hereby appropriated to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management 25 Agency for the current fiscal year for expenses or costs 26 incurred by the agency for the administration of the grant 27 programs authorized under Chapters 3, 5 and 7. 28 CHAPTER 11 29 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 30 Section 1101. Effective date. 20010H1899B2464 - 13 -
1 This act shall take effect July 1, 2001, or immediately, 2 whichever is later. H16L35JAM/20010H1899B2464 - 14 -