Bill A-1934 Basic Training for Career Firefighters

[thecutman]

What do you think of this bill. Please no career vs volunteer just your thoughts.

A-1934. This bill would establish basic training requirements for paid entry level firefighters and any paid firefighters promoted to supervisory positions, ranging from a first level through fourth level title, except the position of Chief. The training programs would be available to, but not be required for, volunteer firefighters and officers. (taken out of BCESN 01/2008)

[papacheese]

How can basic requirements be a bad thing, career or volunteer? This bill would merely close the gap that's been out there for years because of traditional sand box thinking.

[voyager9]

From the Introduction: www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A2000/1934_I1.PDF
Training for new Firefighters:

The training program shall:
28 a. Consist of a minimum of 84 hours of instruction over a
29 minimum period of time to be established by rule and regulation;
30 b. Utilize a curriculum which shall provide one-time initial
31 training;
32 c. Take place at central locations in the State, including county
33 fire academies or State facilities;
34 d. Require that the firefighter either pass or fail the program
35 within one year of appointment. If the person fails one or more
36 modules of the program, he shall retake the failed module and pass
37 at the appropriate level of performance; and
38 e. Be available to, but not mandatory for, volunteer firefighters.

And for Officers:

14 The training program shall:
15 a. Consist of a minimum of 160 hours of instruction over a
16 minimum of four weeks;
17 b. Utilize a curriculum which shall provide one-time initial
18 training for persons promoted to lieutenant, captain, battalion chief
19 and deputy chief;
20 c. Take place at central locations in the State, including county
21 fire academies or State facilities; and
22 d. Require that the fire officer either pass or fail the program. If
23 the officer fails one or more modules of the program, he shall retake
24 the failed module and pass at the appropriate level of performance.
...
33 5. The training programs required under sections 3 and 4 of this
34 act shall be available to, but not required for, newly-promoted
35 volunteer fire officers.

Now the interesting thing:

40 2. Expenses incurred in furnishing the programs in fire fighting41 to firefighters referred to in section 1 of this act that are directly
42 attributable to training shall be annually reimbursed by the Division
43 of Fire Safety in an amount not to exceed $500,000 in any fiscal
44 year.
37 6. Expenses incurred in furnishing the programs in fire
38 supervision to an officer referred to in sections 3, 4 and 5 of this act
39 that are directly attributable to training shall be reimbursed annually
40 by the Division of Fire Safety in an amount not to exceed $500,000
41 in any fiscal year.

So DFS reimburses the FD's to send their guys to the academy, or just reimburses the academy for putting on the program?

Overall doesn't seem to be a BadThing(tm), but doesn't something like this already exist under DOP/Civil Service?

[chief3102]

papacheese said:

How can basic requirements be a bad thing, career or volunteer? This bill would merely close the gap that's been out there for years because of traditional sand box thinking.

I agree Cheese.

As far as the reimbursement, I believe that they are referring to the acadamies. That is if the Governor stops robbing the training fund.