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:
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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
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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
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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.--
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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1 This act shall take effect July 1, 2001, or immediately,
2 whichever is later.
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