Brabenec, Brindisi, Lupardo, Hunter, Walter, Miller B
MLTSPNSR
Byrne
Amd §58-a, Civ Serv L
Relates to the qualifications of fire chiefs in any fire department, fire district or fire protection district that employs fewer than five paid firefighters.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8057B
SPONSOR: Abbate TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to the minimum quali-
fications to serve as a fire chief in any fire department, fire district
or fire protection district that employs five or more paid firefighters
PURPOSE:
To require all fire chiefs in any fire department with one more paid
fire fighters to have minimum qualifications.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision 6 of Section 58-a of the Civil Service Law is
amended to read as follows:
6. The provisions of this section shall not apply to appointments made
by any county, city, except cities with a population of one million or
more, town, village or fire district which employs five or fewer fire
fighters.
Section 2. Section 58-a of the civil service law, is amended by adding a
new subdivision 7 to read as follows:
7. Notwithstanding any other provision of this law or any general,
special or local law to the contrary, no person shall be eligible for
provisional or permanent appointment as a fire chief other than those
chiefs employed by a fire department of cities with a population of one
million or more unless he or she shall:
(a) satisfy the basic requirements for education, health and physical
fitness established by the state fire administrator pursuant to section
one hundred fifty-eight of the executive law, and
(b) has successfully completed training and education courses of minimum
contact hour criteria approved by the State Fire Administrator and
received certification for Supervisory Level 1 or higher pursuant to 19
NYCRR 427.9.
Section 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it
shall have become a law and shall apply to any appointment as a fire
chief established on or after such date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation creates critical, yet basic, education, health and
physical fitness training benchmarks for fire chiefs in any fire depart-
ment, fire district, or fire protection district that employs one or
more paid fire fighters in areas outside of New York City. In addition,
this legislation required a minimum of five years as a lieutenant or
higher prior to being promoted to chief. This ensures a transition where
fire chiefs are learning necessary leadership skills at different levels
within the organization.
Currently, in New York State there are no training requirements to
become a fire chief of a combination department (mix of volunteers and
professional firefighters). This potential lack of training or under-
standing of fire situations can seriously jeopardize the lives of the
brave men and women on the scene of a fire under the direction of the
chief.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law and shall apply to any appointment as a fire chief estab-
lished on or after such date.
