SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 384 PRINTER'S NO. 2058
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, DALEY, KIRKLAND, SAMUELSON, SOLOBAY AND
MICHLOVIC, FEBRUARY 8, 1999
SENATOR TILGHMAN, APPROPRIATIONS, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS
AMENDED, JUNE 15, 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:
1 Section 3. Definitions.--As used in this act:
2 * * *
3 "National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards" means
4 apparatus and equipment, including personal protective
5 equipment, shall be deemed to meet the requirements of
6 compliance with the applicable standards of the National Fire
7 Protection Association (NFPA) provided:
8 (1) New apparatus shall be constructed to meet or exceed the
9 standards in effect at the time of manufacture.
10 (2) Used firefighting apparatus shall:
11 (i) in no instance, meet lesser requirements than the
12 standards for apparatus adopted by the National Fire Protection
13 Association in 1991; and
14 (ii) beginning with the effective date of this amendatory
15 act, meet the National Fire Protection Association standards for
16 apparatus in effect at the time of original manufacture:
17 Provided, however, that no loans shall be considered or made for
18 apparatus that cannot meet the National Fire Protection
19 Association standards in effect within 12 years of NO MORE THAN <--
20 12 YEARS PRIOR TO the date of the application for loan
21 financing.
22 (3) New equipment shall meet or exceed the standards in
23 effect at the time of original manufacture.
24 (4) Used equipment shall meet or exceed the standards in
25 effect at the time of original manufacture, however, no loans
26 for used equipment shall be considered or made for equipment
27 more than five years old at the time of application for loan
28 assistance.
29 (5) In every instance, used equipment and apparatus shall
30 meet the applicable National Fire Protection Association
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1 standards, as required above, at the time loan funds are
2 advanced.
3 * * *
4 Section 2. Section 4(a) of the act is amended by adding a
5 clause to read:
6 Section 4. Assistance to Volunteer Fire Companies, Ambulance
7 Service and Rescue Squads.--(a) The department is hereby
8 authorized, upon application of any volunteer fire company,
9 volunteer ambulance service and volunteer rescue squad, to make
10 loans to said volunteer companies for the following purposes:
11 * * *
12 (7) Purchasing Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
13 System (PennFIRS) Hardware and Software. A volunteer fire
14 company shall be eligible to apply one time only for a loan of
15 not more than $2,000 or 75% of the cost of such acquisition,
16 whichever is less, and with a term not exceeding five years for
17 the purpose of acquiring the hardware and software necessary to
18 participate in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
19 System. The Office of the State Fire Commissioner shall develop,
20 at its discretion, such procedures and forms as it may deem
21 necessary to facilitate loans for PennFIRS hardware and
22 software. Such loans shall be secured as required by law.
23 * * *
24 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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