PRINTER'S NO. 954

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No. 839 Session of 2007

        INTRODUCED BY DENLINGER, ARGALL, BASTIAN, BELFANTI, BOYD,
           CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, COX, CREIGHTON, CUTLER,
           DALEY, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GEIST, GINGRICH, HARRIS, HENNESSEY,
           HERSHEY, HICKERNELL, JOSEPHS, M. KELLER, McGEEHAN,
           McILHATTAN, RAPP, REICHLEY, SONNEY, STERN, R. STEVENSON,
           STURLA, SWANGER, TRUE AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 19, 2007

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
           PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 19, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of November 13, 1995 (P.L.604, No.61), entitled
     2     "An act establishing the State Fire Commissioner within the
     3     Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency; transferring the
     4     Volunteer Loan Assistance Program and the State Fire Academy
     5     to the State Fire Commissioner; and making repeals," further
     6     providing for Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.

     7     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     8  hereby enacts as follows:
     9     Section 1.  Section 4(d) of the act of November 13, 1995
    10  (P.L.604, No.61), known as the State Fire Commissioner Act, is
    11  amended to read:
    12  Section 4.  Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
    13     * * *
    14     (d)  Firefighter training and certification.--A Statewide
    15  firefighter training program shall be implemented by the
    16  commissioner to educate the fire service community about the
    17  importance of firefighter health and safety. This program shall

     1  include measures designed to increase the mobility of training
     2  courses throughout this Commonwealth, to enhance firefighter
     3  accessibility to training course offerings and to improve and
     4  expand training for and response capability to emergencies with
     5  emphasis on hazardous materials incidents. The program shall
     6  also include implementation of a firefighter certification
     7  program in accordance with parameters developed by the
     8  commissioner consistent with established standards. Firefighter
     9  certification standards developed by the State Fire Commissioner
    10  shall not violate a person's religious freedoms. The acquisition
    11  of physical resources to enhance Statewide capability shall be
    12  coordinated by the commissioner.
    13     * * *
    14     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.











    L21L35RLE/20070H0839B0954        - 2 -