PRINTER'S NO. 1000
No. 892 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY CIVERA, MICOZZIE, HERSHEY, ADOLPH, GANNON,
RAYMOND, BARRAR, ROSS, HENNESSEY, SCHRODER, E. Z. TAYLOR,
BAKER, ARMSTRONG, FICHTER, WAUGH, PHILLIPS, SATHER, KAISER,
BELARDI, MASLAND, STABACK, HALUSKA, LUCYK, HERMAN, B. SMITH,
MILLER, SCHULER, GORDNER, MAYERNIK, TRAVAGLIO, READSHAW, ZUG,
TRELLO, McCALL, SEMMEL, ITKIN, YOUNGBLOOD, GEIST, TIGUE,
CARONE, HESS, CURRY, BROWN, SERAFINI, MAITLAND, ARGALL,
MELIO, COLAIZZO, OLASZ, SHANER, FEESE, LEH, LYNCH, CORPORA,
DeLUCA, LAUGHLIN, STERN, D. W. SNYDER, COLAFELLA, PETRARCA,
S. H. SMITH, GLADECK, RAMOS AND GIGLIOTTI, MARCH 13, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 13, 1997
AN ACT
1 Providing for grants for emergency services training
2 organizations; establishing the Emergency Services Training
3 Organization Grant Program; and making an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency
8 Services Training Organization Grant Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Agency." The Office of the State Fire Commissioner.
14 "Approved training course." A course of training or
1 instruction in public safety administered by an emergency
2 services training organization which has been approved by the
3 Office of the State Fire Commissioner under this act.
4 "Emergency services training organization" or "ESTO." A
5 functional unit of county government providing classroom
6 education and practical training to volunteer and career fire,
7 rescue and emergency medical service personnel approved by the
8 Office of the State Fire Commissioner to receive grants under
9 this act.
10 "Trainee." An individual who performs public safety duties
11 as firefighter or rescue or emergency medical service provider
12 within this Commonwealth who is enrolled in an approved training
13 course.
14 Section 3. Emergency Services Training Organization Grant
15 Program.
16 (a) Establishment.--The Emergency Services Training
17 Organization Grant Program is hereby established and shall be
18 administered by the agency. Grants provided under this program
19 shall be used for the purpose of training volunteer and career
20 fire, rescue and emergency medical service personnel at
21 emergency services training organizations approved under this
22 act.
23 (b) Guidelines and procedures.--The agency shall develop
24 guidelines and procedures to implement the grant program.
25 (c) Requirements for emergency services training
26 organizations.--No emergency services training organization
27 shall be eligible to receive grants under this act unless the
28 ESTO has met all of the following requirements:
29 (1) The ESTO has not, as of or subsequent to January 1,
30 1997, developed a relationship informally or contractually
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1 with any of the community colleges in this Commonwealth which
2 allows the ESTO to be reimbursed for providing public safety
3 courses under section 1913-A(b)(1.4)(ii) of the act of March
4 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of
5 1949.
6 (2) The ESTO employs and maintains a full-time
7 professional staff responsible for the operation of the ESTO.
8 (3) The ESTO agrees to provide the agency and the
9 Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency monthly reports
10 detailing the courses scheduled and provided, the identities
11 of the instructors utilized and the students enrolled in
12 completing each training course and program.
13 (d) Approval of training courses.--The agency shall have the
14 authority to approve training courses administered by an ESTO as
15 approved training courses eligible to receive grants under the
16 Emergency Services Training Organization Grant Program. Such
17 courses shall provide emergency service, fire service and other
18 public safety training to volunteer and career fire, rescue and
19 emergency medical service personnel who perform public safety
20 duties within this Commonwealth.
21 Section 4. Grants.
22 (a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
23 grants to emergency services training organizations.
24 (b) Amount of grant.--The grant for each ESTO shall be
25 calculated as follows:
26 (1) Multiply the number of trainees per approved
27 training course by the number of training hours for each
28 approved training course.
29 (2) Add the amount determined under paragraph (1) for
30 all training courses administered by the ESTO.
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1 (3) Divide the amount determined under paragraph (2) by
2 180.
3 (4) Multiply the amount determined under paragraph (3)
4 by 100% of the equivalent full-time student reimbursement
5 amount as provided in section 1913-A(b)(1.4)(ii) of the act
6 of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School
7 Code of 1949.
8 (c) Application.--No grant shall be awarded to an ESTO for
9 an approved training course unless the application for such
10 grant is submitted to the agency within 180 days of the
11 completion of the approved training course.
12 (d) Limitation.--In no event shall the sum of the grants
13 made by the agency exceed the amount of the appropriation for
14 the Emergency Services Training Organization Grant Program.
15 Section 5. Appropriation.
16 The sum of $100,000 is hereby appropriated to the Office of
17 the State Fire Commissioner for the fiscal year July 1, 1996, to
18 June 30, 1997, to carry out the provisions of this act. This
19 appropriation shall not lapse.
20 Section 6. Effective date.
21 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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