PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action:
Action taken:
Addition of Part 438 to Title 19 NYCRR.
Statutory authority:
Executive Law, section 156(6); and L. 2006, ch. 615
Finding of necessity for emergency rule:
Preservation of general welfare.
Specific reasons underlying the finding of necessity:
L. 2006, ch. 615 requires that regulations concerning firefighter training be adopted by Feb. 12, 2007.
Subject:
Firefighter training.
Purpose:
To set forth standards concerning firefighter training and describe the process whereby firefighter training hours and additional training hours will be allocated to counties.
Substance of emergency rule:
PART 438
MINIMUM STANDARDS REGARDING OUTREACH FIRE TRAINING PROGRAM
[Statutory Authority: Executive Law, § 156(6)]
Sec.
438.1 Purpose
438.2 Definitions
438.3 Training Standards (including instructor and student requirements)
438.4 Training Hours and Course Allocations
438.5 Additional Training Hours and Course Allocations
438.6 Supplemental Training Program
438.7 Restrictions
438.8 Exemptions
Section 438.1 of the rule recites its purpose. The purpose of this rule is to implement the requirements of subdivision 6 of section 156 of the Executive Law, as enacted by Chapter 615 of the Laws of 2006. This subdivision empowers the State Fire Administrator to plan, coordinate, and provide training related to fire and arson prevention and control for firefighters, both paid and volunteer, and related governmental officers and employees. Subdivision 6 also directs the Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) to adopt rules and regulations relating to such training, including but not limited to training standards used, the process by which training hours will be allocated to counties, and the establishment of a uniform procedure for counties to request and OFPC to provide additional training hours.
Section 438.2 contains definitions of terms used in Part 438.
Section 438.3 describes training standards which will be followed by OFPC in its implementation of the rule. Included are items dealing with instructor qualifications, student requirements, requirements concerning live fire training, and a listing of the standards, manuals, statutes, and regulations which will be used to provide the training authorized by subdivision 6 of section 156 of the Executive Law.
Section 438.4 deals with firefighter training hours, course allocations and scheduling procedures.
Section 438.5 deals with additional firefighter training hours.
Section 438.6 deals with a supplemental firefighter training program.
Section 438.7 deals with restrictions on matters found in Part 438.
Section 438.8 exempts regional delivery of training courses sponsored by the New York State Academy of Fire Science operated by the Office of Fire Prevention and Control from the requirements of Part 438.
This notice is intended
to serve only as a notice of emergency adoption. This agency intends to adopt this emergency rule as a permanent rule and will publish a notice of proposed rule making in the State Register at some future date. The emergency rule will expire May 20, 2007.
Text of emergency rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from:
Nathan A. Hamm, Department of State, 41 State St., Albany, NY 12231, (518) 474-6740
Regulatory Impact Statement
1. STATUTORY AUTHORITY
Section 156(6) of the Executive Law requires that the Office of Fire Prevention and Control of the Department of State (OFPC) provide fire and arson prevention and control training to firefighters and related governmental officers and employees. This section requires OFPC to adopt rules related to such training. These rules must include statements concerning training standards used by OFPC, the process by which OFPC allocates training hours to counties, and a uniform procedure for counties to request and OPFC to provide additional training hours.
2. LEGISLATIVE OBJECTIVES
The legislative objectives behind section 156(6) are to make more transparent the process by which OPFC allocates training hours to counties, to establish a uniform procedure for counties to request and OFPC to provide additional training hours, and to require that OFPC state the training standards which it will follow when it delivers training.
3. NEEDS AND BENEFITS
Section 156(6) of the Executive Law requires that OPFC adopt a rule which deals with firefighter training. Adoption of this rule would add transparency to the process by which firefighter training hours are allocated to counties, describe the training standards which will be followed by OFPC when it delivers training, and prescribe a uniform procedure for counties to request and OFPC to provide additional training hours.
4. COSTS
a. Cost to regulated parties for the implementation of and continuing compliance with the proposed rule.
Fire departments would experience no additional out-of-pocket costs if the rule is adopted. The equipment and facilities required by the training provided for in this rule are already in the possession of these departments.
b. Costs to the Agency, the State and Local Governments for the Implementation and Continuation of the Rule.
The cost to the Office of Fire Prevention and Control for the implementation of the proposed rule is approximately $1,500,000 per year. This amount is currently expended for training outreach programs; no additional costs beyond this amount would be required if this rule is adopted.
There would be no costs to local governments for the implementation and continuation of the proposed rule.
5. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANDATES
This rule making will not impose any program, service, duty or responsibility upon counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts, fire districts or other special districts. Participation in the firefighter training provided for in this rule is at the option of each fire department.
6. PAPERWORK
Several new forms would be required as a result of the rule:
County fire coordinators desiring that training be provided to fire departments within their jurisdiction will be required to answer a survey related to such training and submit a proposed training schedule.
If this rule is adopted, state fire instructors, municipal fire instructors, and county fire instructors would be required to complete student attendance cards, and state fire instructors would be required to submit payroll vouchers.
7. DUPLICATION
No rules or other legal requirements of either the state or federal government exist at the present time which duplicate, overlap, or conflict with the proposed rule.
8. ALTERNATIVES
Section 156(6) of the Executive Law requires that OPFC adopt a rule which deals with firefighter training. This section requires that the rule describe the process by which firefighter training hours are allocated to counties, the training standards which will be followed by OFPC when it delivers such training, and prescribe a uniform procedure for counties to request and OFPC to provide additional training hours. Since OFPC does not have statutory authority to consider any alternative other than to adopt a rule addressing these issues, no other significant alternatives were considered.
9. FEDERAL STANDARDS
No standards have been set by the federal government for the same or similar subject areas addressed by this proposed rule.
10. COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE
Fire departments interested in receiving the training which is provided for in this proposed rule can comply immediately with the requirements of the rule.
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
1. Effect of rule
The proposed rule potentially would affect all of the counties and all of the approximately 1850 fire departments located in New York State. The proposed rule would not affect small businesses located in New York State.
2. Compliance requirements
Counties and fire departments wishing to avail themselves of the training offered by the proposed rule would be required to submit a proposed fire training schedule to the Office of Fire Prevention and Control of the Department of State.
3. Professional services
Counties and fire departments will not need any additional professional services in order to comply with the proposed rule.
4. Compliance costs
There would be no initial capital costs to counties or fire departments which would be associated with compliance with the rule, or annual costs to these entities for continuing compliance with the rule.
5. Economic and technological feasibility
The proposed rule sets forth a voluntary process whereby counties and fire departments may make requests for firefighter training. The only requirement that the rule imposes on these counties and fire departments is that they make requests for this training. It is therefore economically and technologically feasible for these counties and fire departments to comply with this rule.
6. Minimizing adverse impact
The proposed rule sets forth a voluntary process whereby counties and fire departments may make requests for firefighter training. Since the rule would regulate the administration of a state program rather than the activities of counties and fire departments, engaging in this voluntary process would not have any adverse economic impact on these entities.
7. Small business and local government participation
Representatives of fire departments and local governments participated in legislative hearings at which they urged the implementation of a more transparent process for the allocation of firefighter training resources. This resulted in the passage of Chapter 615 of the Laws of 2006, which requires the promulgation of these rules.
Rural Area Flexibility Analysis
1. Types and estimated numbers of rural areas
The proposed rule would apply throughout New York State. All of the counties and all of the approximately 1850 fire departments in New York State, including those located in rural areas as that term is defined in section 102(10) of the State Administrative Procedure Act (“SAPA”), would potentially be affected by the rule.
The proposed rule would not regulate any activities of private entities in rural areas of the State.
2. Reporting, recordkeeping and other compliance requirements; and professional services
Counties wishing to avail themselves of the training offered by the proposed rule would be required to submit a proposed fire training schedule to the Office of Fire Prevention and Control of the Department of State. Counties and fire departments located in rural areas will not need any additional professional services in order to comply with the proposed rule.
3. Costs
There would be no initial capital costs to counties and fire companies located in rural areas associated with compliance with the rule, or annual cost for continuing compliance with the rule by these entities.
4. Minimizing adverse impact
The proposed rule sets forth a voluntary process whereby counties may make requests for firefighter training. The rule would regulate the administration of a state program rather than the activities of public or private entities located in rural areas. Since this process is voluntary, it would not have any adverse economic impact on rural areas of New York State.
5. Rural area participation
Representatives of rural areas participated in legislative hearings at which they urged the implementation of a more transparent process for the allocation of firefighter training resources. This resulted in the passage of Chapter 615 of the Laws of 2006.
Job Impact Statement
1. Nature of impact
The nature of the impact that the rule will have on jobs and employment opportunities is minimal. The rule will result in the employment of several additional Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) fire protection specialists and may result in the employment of several temporary part time instructors by OFPC.
2. Categories and numbers affected
The rule will result in the employment of several additional fire protection specialists and may result in the employment of several temporary part time instructors by OFPC.
3. Regions of adverse impact
The minimal impact that the rule will have on jobs and employment opportunities will not result in an disproportionate impact on any region of the state.
4. Minimizing adverse impact
The proposed rule would not have any adverse impact on existing jobs.
The intent of Chapter 615 of the laws of 2006 is to provide firefighter training, not to promote the development of new employment opportunities.
