Florida Senate - 2015 CS for SB 244
By the Committee on Banking and Insurance; and Senator Dean
597-02735-15 2015244c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to volunteer rural firefighting;
3 amending 633.102, F.S.; defining the term “volunteer
4 rural firefighter”; amending 633.406, F.S.;
5 authorizing the Division of State Fire Marshal within
6 the Department of Financial Services to award a
7 Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion;
8 amending s. 633.408, F.S.; authorizing the division to
9 establish by rule courses and course examinations to
10 provide training required to obtain the certificate;
11 providing requirements for the issuance of the
12 certificate; requiring the division to award credit
13 for certain courses as provided by rule adopted by the
14 division; amending s. 633.412, F.S.; exempting
15 applicants for certification as a volunteer rural
16 firefighter from certain qualifications for
17 firefighter certification; amending s. 633.414, F.S.;
18 specifying requirements for the retention of the
19 certificate; amending s. 633.416, F.S.; specifying the
20 circumstances under which a fire service provider may
21 retain the services of a volunteer firefighter;
22 requiring a fire service provider to provide notice to
23 the division regarding a decision to retain or not
24 retain a volunteer rural firefighter; providing an
25 effective date.
26
27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29 Section 1. Subsection (36) is added to section 633.102,
30 Florida Statutes, to read:
31 633.102 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
32 (36) “Volunteer rural firefighter” means an individual who
33 holds a current and valid Volunteer Rural Firefighter
34 Certificate of Completion issued by the division under s.
35 633.408 and provides fire extinguishment or fire prevention
36 services through a fire service provider that:
37 (a) Is in existence on July 1, 2015, or that was in
38 existence at any time between July 1, 2000 and July 1, 2015, and
39 is subsequently reestablished after July 1, 2015; and
40 (b) Provides services in a municipality with a population
41 of fewer than 12,000 or a county with a population of fewer than
42 150,000.
43 Section 2. Paragraph (h) is added to subsection (1) of
44 section 633.406, Florida Statutes, to read:
45 633.406 Classes of certification.—
46 (1) The division may award one or more of the following
47 certificates:
48 (h) Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion.
49 A Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion may be
50 awarded to a person who has satisfactorily completed the
51 training requirements as prescribed by rule for a volunteer
52 rural firefighter.
53 Section 3. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (1) of
54 section 633.408, Florida Statutes, present paragraph (c) of that
55 subsection is redesignated as paragraph (d), and subsection (5),
56 is amended, to read:
57 633.408 Firefighter and volunteer firefighter training and
58 certification.—
59 (1) The division shall establish by rule:
60 (a) A Minimum Standards Course and course examination to
61 provide the training required to obtain a Firefighter
62 Certificate of Compliance.
63 (b) Courses and course examinations to provide training
64 required to obtain a Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
65 Completion or a Special Certificate of Compliance.
66 (c) Courses and course examinations to provide training
67 required to obtain a Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of
68 Completion. The required courses may not exceed 160 hours and
69 must include emergency medical responder training. The division
70 shall award credit toward a certificate under this paragraph, as
71 provided by rule adopted by the division, for any approved
72 course successfully completed on or after July 1, 1970, which
73 was creditable at the time of completion toward a certification
74 under this chapter.
75 (5) The division shall issue a:
76 (a) Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion to any
77 individual who satisfactorily completes the course established
78 under paragraph (1)(b).
79 (b) Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion
80 to any individual who satisfactorily completes the course
81 established under paragraph (1)(c).
82 Section 4. Subsection (3) is added to section 633.412,
83 Florida Statutes, to read:
84 633.412 Firefighters; qualifications for certification.—
85 (3) The requirements of paragraphs (1)(e) and (1)(f) do not
86 apply to an individual applying for certification as a volunteer
87 rural firefighter.
88 Section 5. Subsection (3) is added to section 633.414,
89 Florida Statutes, present subsections (3) and (5) of that
90 section are redesignated as subsections (4) and (6), and present
91 subsection (4) is amended, to read:
92 633.414 Retention of firefighter certification.—
93 (3) In order for a volunteer rural firefighter to retain
94 her or his Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of
95 Completion, every 4 years he or she must:
96 (a) Be active as a volunteer rural firefighter; or
97 (b) Successfully complete a refresher course consisting of
98 a minimum of 40 hours of training to be prescribed by rule.
99 (5)(4) For the purposes of this section, the term “active”
100 means being employed as a firefighter or providing service as a
101 volunteer firefighter or volunteer rural firefighter for a
102 cumulative 6 months within a 4-year period.
103 Section 6. Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection
104 (4) of section 633.416, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
105 633.416 Firefighter employment and volunteer firefighter
106 service; saving clause.—
107 (2)(a) A fire service provider may not retain the services
108 of an individual volunteering to extinguish fires for the
109 protection of life or property or to supervise individuals who
110 perform such services unless the individual holds a current and
111 valid Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion.
112 (b) A fire service provider may not retain the services of
113 an individual volunteering to extinguish fires for the
114 protection of life or property or to supervise individuals who
115 perform such services only in a municipality with a population
116 of fewer than 12,000 or a county with a population of fewer than
117 150,000 unless the individual holds a current and valid
118 Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion or a
119 current and valid Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
120 Completion. This paragraph does not apply to volunteers who
121 provide only support services.
122 (4)(a) A fire service provider must notify the division
123 electronically, as directed by rule by the division, within 10
124 days after:
125 1. The hiring of a firefighter.
126 2. The retention of a volunteer firefighter or a volunteer
127 rural firefighter.
128 3. The cessation of employment of a firefighter.
129 4. A decision not to retain a volunteer firefighter or a
130 volunteer rural firefighter.
131 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.