Posted: | December 14, 2021 03:32 PM |
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From: | Senator Patrick J. Stefano |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Junior Firefighters |
In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation which would help Junior Firefighters to be completely trained prior to turning 18 years old. Volunteer Fire Departments across the Commonwealth are struggling to recruit and retain Junior Firefighters. Currently Junior Firefighters are restricted to performing certain tasks and must wait until they are 18 to complete training. This legislation would allow a 17-year-old Junior Firefighter to attend and complete the Interior Firefighting Module with Live Burns and Vehicle Rescue Technician training programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Fire Training System (Community Colleges and County Training Centers). The Junior Firefighter would need to have the permission of their parent and Fire Chief. The Interior Firefighting Module would be required to be under the supervision of a credentialed state fire academy instructor. The Vehicle Rescue Technician training would be required to be under the supervision of a credentialed vehicle rescue technician instructor. Once the Junior Firefighter turns 18 years old, he/she would have the necessary training to be “interior qualified.” Please join me in sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as SB1027