Bill Text: PA HR561 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Encouraging the National Fire Protection Association to consider economic impact, to include additional active firefighters and to allow for more fire department input.

Sponsorship: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 11-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-03 - Referred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS [HR561 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR561-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3034
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 561 Session of2012
INTRODUCED BY TALLMAN, BROOKS, DENLINGER, GROVE, HORNAMAN, KILLION, MAJOR, MILLER, CULVER, SWANGER AND TOEPEL, FEBRUARY 3, 2012
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 3, 2012
A RESOLUTION
Encouraging the National Fire Protection Association to consider
economic impact, to include additional active firefighters
and to allow for more fire department input.
WHEREAS, Volunteer emergency services organizations are
experiencing ever-increasing financial burdens; and
WHEREAS, The increasing financial burden and costs are having
an adverse and serious negative impact upon maintaining and
providing adequate emergency services response capabilities for
communities across this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Volunteer emergency services organizations can no
longer realistically afford to be expected to exist and provide
services at financial losses; and
WHEREAS, The emergency services in this Commonwealth are
being tasked to provide even greater levels of service with very
limited resources; and
WHEREAS, The National Fire Protection Association provides
uniform standards for firefighting equipment and apparatus; and
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WHEREAS, The association last updated these standards on
January 1, 2009; and
WHEREAS, Many of the updated standards that have been
implemented have increased the cost that Pennsylvania's fire
companies have to bear; and
WHEREAS, Some of the additional standards for apparatus
include a black box recorder as well as an electronic vehicle
stability control device; and
WHEREAS, The association has produced a Pennsylvania Fire
Needs Assessment report in 2001, 2005 and 2011, highlighting the
needs which remain in Pennsylvania's fire departments, such as
the existing shortfalls for self-contained breathing apparatus,
personal protective equipment, training and fire stations and
apparatus; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing these continuing needs should cause the
association to strongly consider the economic impact their
proposed changes may have on the firefighting community;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
National Fire Protection Association to strongly consider the
economic impact of the changes in the Pennsylvania Fire Needs
Assessment report of 2011, or any proposed changes to
firefighting equipment and apparatus standards; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
association to include additional active firefighters on the
association's various committees and its board of directors; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
association to allow for more input from fire departments from
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across the United States, especially rural fire departments; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the National Fire Protection Association at 1 Batterymarch Park,
Quincy, Massachusetts 02169-7471.
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