PRINTER'S NO. 384
No. 371 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY SERAFINI, BELARDI, SEMMEL, TRELLO, ARMSTRONG,
S. H. SMITH, LAUGHLIN, MAITLAND, TIGUE, CORRIGAN, BAKER,
BELFANTI, TRAVAGLIO, READSHAW, NAILOR, HERMAN, FLICK,
HENNESSEY, EGOLF, HALUSKA, E. Z. TAYLOR, SAINATO, STERN,
MAHER, BARD, DeLUCA, HESS, RAMOS, COLAFELLA, WILT, CIVERA,
MELIO, M. COHEN, SCRIMENTI, McILHINNEY, PRESTON, HERSHEY,
SAYLOR, HARHAI, SEYFERT, STABACK, FARGO, BARRAR, SURRA,
PHILLIPS, ROSS AND DALEY, FEBRUARY 8, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 8, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), entitled,
2 as amended, "An act authorizing the indebtedness, with the
3 approval of the electors, of fifty million dollars for loans
4 to volunteer fire companies, volunteer ambulance services and
5 volunteer rescue squads for the purpose of establishing or
6 modernizing facilities to house fire fighting apparatus
7 equipment, ambulances, and rescue vehicles, and for
8 purchasing new fire fighting apparatus equipment, ambulances,
9 and rescue vehicles, protective and communications equipment,
10 and any other accessory equipment necessary for the proper
11 performance of such organizations' duties," adding a
12 definition; and further providing for assistance to volunteer
13 fire companies.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Section 3 of the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036,
17 No.208), known as the Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service
18 and Rescue Squad Assistance Act, is amended by adding a
19 definition to read:
20 Section 3. Definitions.--As used in this act:
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2 "National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards" means
3 apparatus and equipment, including personal protective
4 equipment, shall be deemed to meet the requirements of
5 compliance with the applicable standards of the National Fire
6 Protection Association (NFPA) provided:
7 (1) New apparatus shall be constructed to meet or exceed the
8 standards in effect at the time of manufacture.
9 (2) Used firefighting apparatus shall:
10 (i) in no instance, meet lesser requirements than the
11 standards for apparatus adopted by the National Fire Protection
12 Association in 1991; and
13 (ii) beginning with the effective date of this amendatory
14 act, meet the National Fire Protection Association standards for
15 apparatus in effect at the time of original manufacture:
16 Provided, however, that no loans shall be considered or made for
17 apparatus that cannot meet the National Fire Protection
18 Association standards in effect within 12 years of the date of
19 the application for loan financing.
20 (3) New equipment shall meet or exceed the standards in
21 effect at the time of original manufacture.
22 (4) Used equipment shall meet or exceed the standards in
23 effect at the time of original manufacture, however, no loans
24 for used equipment shall be considered or made for equipment
25 more than five years old at the time of application for loan
26 assistance.
27 (5) In every instance, used equipment and apparatus shall
28 meet the applicable National Fire Protection Association
29 standards, as required above, at the time loan funds are
30 advanced.
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1 * * *
2 Section 2. Section 4(a) of the act is amended by adding a
3 clause to read:
4 Section 4. Assistance to Volunteer Fire Companies, Ambulance
5 Service and Rescue Squads.--(a) The department is hereby
6 authorized, upon application of any volunteer fire company,
7 volunteer ambulance service and volunteer rescue squad, to make
8 loans to said volunteer companies for the following purposes:
9 * * *
10 (7) Purchasing Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
11 System (PennFIRS) Hardware and Software. A volunteer fire
12 company shall be eligible to apply one time only for a loan of
13 not more than $2,000 or 75% of the cost of such acquisition,
14 whichever is less, and with a term not exceeding five years for
15 the purpose of acquiring the hardware and software necessary to
16 participate in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
17 System. The Office of the State Fire Commissioner shall develop,
18 at its discretion, such procedures and forms as it may deem
19 necessary to facilitate loans for PennFIRS hardware and
20 software. Such loans shall be secured as required by law.
21 * * *
22 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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