Florida Senate - 2016 SB 550
By Senator Dean
5-00274A-16 2016550__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to volunteer rural firefighting;
3 amending s. 633.102, F.S.; defining the term
4 “volunteer rural firefighter”; amending s. 633.406,
5 F.S.; authorizing the Division of State Fire Marshal
6 within the Department of Financial Services to award a
7 Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion;
8 amending s. 633.408, F.S.; requiring 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 courses for the
12 certificate; requiring the division to award credit
13 for certain approved courses successfully completed by
14 a certain date; amending s. 633.414, F.S.; specifying
15 the requirements for the retention of the certificate;
16 amending s. 633.416, F.S.; revising the circumstances
17 under which a fire service provider may retain the
18 services of a volunteer firefighter; requiring a fire
19 service provider to provide notice to the division
20 regarding a decision to retain or not retain a
21 volunteer rural firefighter; providing an effective
22 date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Subsection (36) is added to section 633.102,
27 Florida Statutes, to read:
28 633.102 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
29 (36) “Volunteer rural firefighter” means an individual who
30 holds a current and valid Volunteer Rural Firefighter
31 Certificate of Completion issued by the division under s.
32 633.408 and provides fire extinguishment or fire prevention
33 services through a fire service provider that:
34 (a) Is in existence on July 1, 2016, or that was in
35 existence at any time between July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2016,
36 and is subsequently reestablished after July 1, 2016; and
37 (b) Provides services in a municipality with a population
38 of fewer than 12,000 or a county with a population of fewer than
39 150,000.
40 Section 2. Paragraph (h) is added to subsection (1) of
41 section 633.406, Florida Statutes, to read:
42 633.406 Classes of certification.—
43 (1) The division may award one or more of the following
44 certificates:
45 (h) Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion.
46 A Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion may be
47 awarded to a person who has satisfactorily completed the
48 training requirements as prescribed by rule for a volunteer
49 rural firefighter.
50 Section 3. Present paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of
51 section 633.408, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph
52 (d), a new paragraph (c) is added to that subsection, and
53 subsection (5) of that section is amended, to read:
54 633.408 Firefighter and volunteer firefighter training and
55 certification.—
56 (1) The division shall establish by rule:
57 (c) Courses and course examinations to provide training
58 required to obtain a Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of
59 Completion. The required courses may not exceed 160 hours and
60 must include emergency medical responder training. The division
61 shall award credit toward a certificate under this paragraph, as
62 provided by rule adopted by the division, for any approved
63 course successfully completed on or after July 1, 1970, which
64 was creditable at the time of completion toward a certification
65 under this chapter.
66 (5) The division shall issue:
67 (a) A Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion to
68 any individual who satisfactorily completes the course
69 established under paragraph (1)(b).
70 (b) A Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion
71 to any individual who satisfactorily completes the course
72 established under paragraph (1)(c).
73 Section 4. Present subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section
74 633.414, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4),
75 (5), and (6), respectively, a new subsection (3) is added to
76 that section, and present subsection (4) is amended, to read:
77 633.414 Retention of firefighter certification.—
78 (3) In order for a volunteer rural firefighter to retain
79 her or his Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of
80 Completion, every 4 years he or she must:
81 (a) Be active as a volunteer rural firefighter; or
82 (b) Successfully complete a refresher course consisting of
83 a minimum of 40 hours of training as prescribed by rule.
84 (5)(4) For the purposes of this section, the term “active”
85 means being employed as a firefighter or providing service as a
86 volunteer firefighter or volunteer rural firefighter for a
87 cumulative 6 months within a 4-year period.
88 Section 5. Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection
89 (4) of section 633.416, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
90 633.416 Firefighter employment and volunteer firefighter
91 service; saving clause.—
92 (2) A fire service provider may not retain the services of
93 an individual volunteering to extinguish fires for the
94 protection of life or property or to supervise individuals who
95 perform such services only if:
96 (a) unless The individual holds a current and valid
97 Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of Completion; or
98 (b) The services will be performed in a municipality with a
99 population of fewer than 12,000 or a county with a population of
100 fewer than 150,000 and the individual holds a current and valid
101 Volunteer Rural Firefighter Certificate of Completion or a
102 current and valid Volunteer Firefighter Certificate of
103 Completion.
104
105 This subsection does not apply to a volunteer who provides only
106 support services.
107 (4)(a) A fire service provider must notify the division
108 electronically, as directed by rule by the division, within 10
109 days after:
110 1. The hiring of a firefighter.
111 2. The retention of a volunteer firefighter or a volunteer
112 rural firefighter.
113 3. The cessation of employment of a firefighter.
114 4. A decision not to retain a volunteer firefighter or a
115 volunteer rural firefighter.
116 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.