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PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES
TITLE 35. HEALTH AND SAFETY
PART V. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
CHAPTER 73. COMMONWEALTH SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER B. PENNSYLVANIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Date:
08/31/2009
Document:
§ 7316. Pennsylvania State Fire Academy
(a) CREATION.-- There is hereby created within the agency a Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, which shall be under the operational control of the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner. The agency shall administratively provide for the erection or construction, the furnishing, the staffing and the equipping of the buildings and structures through the Department of General Services and the leasing thereof by the Commonwealth for the use and support of the academy.
(b) TRANSFER.-- There are hereby transferred to the agency, to be used, employed and expended in connection with the functions, powers and duties, personnel, contract obligations, if any, records, files, property, supplies and equipment now being used or held in connection with such functions, powers and duties, and the unexpended balance of appropriations, allocations, Federal grants and other funds available or to be made available for use in connection with such functions, powers and duties as transmitted by Reorganization Plan No. 6 of 1981 (P.L. 613).
(c) HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL TRAINING.-- The Pennsylvania State Fire Academy shall serve as the resident Commonwealth government center for hazardous chemical and radioactive material training. Resident and field staffing shall be added to the staff of the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy for this purpose.
(d) FIREFIGHTER TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION.-- A Statewide firefighter training program shall be implemented by the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner to educate the fire service community about the importance of firefighter health and safety. This program shall include measures designed to increase the mobility of training courses throughout this Commonwealth, to enhance firefighter accessibility to training course offerings, and to improve and expand training for and response capability to emergencies, with emphasis on hazardous materials incidents. The program shall also include implementation of a firefighter certification program in accordance with parameters developed by the commissioner, consistent with established standards. The acquisition of physical resources to enhance Statewide capability will be coordinated by the commissioner.
(e) OUT-OF-STATE FIREFIGHTER TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION.-- A firefighter or prospective firefighter is eligible for in-State firefighter course accreditation, without additional training, if the firefighter submits proof of successful completion of an out-of-State training course with standards equivalent to the training standards of Pennsylvania. The agency shall establish procedures for determining equivalency and for certifying firefighters who have obtained firefighter training or certification from any other state.
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