The proposed rule amendment will include the updated courses career and volunteer firefighters training related to cancer and mental health risks within the fire service, and to update the NFPA 1582 to the 2018 Edition.

 

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

Division of State Fire Marshal

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

69A-37.055Curriculum Requirements for Training Firefighter Recruits or Firefighters

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The proposed rule amendment will include the updated courses career and volunteer firefighters training related to cancer and mental health risks within the fire service, and to update the NFPA 1582 to the 2018 Edition.

SUMMARY: This rule amendment is mandatory due to passage of CS/SB 394, in which changes were made to section 633.408, F.S. The law requires the Division of State Fire Marshal to establish courses to provide training for career and volunteer firefighters related to cancer and mental health risks within the fire service. In addition, the updated NFPA 1582, 2018 Edition, is included in this rule amendment.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The Division of State Fire Marshal conducted an analysis of the proposed rules’ potential economic impact and determined that it did not exceed any of the criteria established in section 120.541(1), F.S., and it therefore does not require legislative ratification pursuant to section 120.541(3), F.S.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 633.128(1)(a), (b), (2)(a), 633.408(1) FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 633.128(1)(a), (b), 633.408 FS.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, January 23, 2019, 3:00 p.m. till 5:00 p.m.

PLACE: Daytona Beach Ocean Center, 101 North Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 5 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Mark Harper, Assistant Superintendent by telephone at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Mark Harper, Assistant Superintendent, address: 11655 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala, FL 34482 telephone: [phone], email: [e-mail].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

69A-37.055 Curriculum Requirements for Training Firefighter Recruits or Firefighters.

(1) The firefighter training embodied in the curriculum requirements for schools operated by or for any employing agency for the specific purpose of training firefighter recruits or firefighters shall consist of 206 hours of training to complete Part I (equivalent to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Firefighter I compliant), and an additional 192 hours of training to complete Part II (equivalent to NFPA Firefighter II compliant) training. Completion of both Part I and Part II represents the required 398 hours that are referred to collectively referred to hereinafter as the “Minimum Standards Course,” which is required to be certified as a firefighter. The individual courses shall include have the titles, content, and at least the minimum hours of instruction prescribed by the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training (Bureau) in this rule. Part I completion shall be documented when the required coursework identified in this section has been accomplished completed. These courses shall be delivered by an instructor approved by the Bureau. However, Part I curriculum may be delivered by a recognized fire department. The school or employing agency is permitted and encouraged to offer additional training above what is that training required by this chapter for firefighter recruit training.

(2) Curriculum requirements. The Bureau will develop and maintain an objective-based curriculum addressing the topics contained in this rule subsection. Such curriculum will shall be available electronically through the Division of State Fire Marshal’s website at https://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/SFM/ and by email upon request. The curriculum will list each topic area, objectives, and the required hours, and the objectives. The curriculum will be maintained by the Bureau.

(a) Part I of the curriculum, consisting of 206 hours of knowledge and skill-based training, will include:

1. Orientation. Orientation is a pre-class meeting to cover the following topics:

a. through f. No change.

g. Personnel Policies of the Training Provider; and

h. NFPA® 1582, “Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments,” 2018 2013 Edition.

2. Chapter 5 of NFPA® Standard 1001, “Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications,” 2019 2013 Edition, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference in this rule. Copies of NFPA publications can be obtained from the National Fire Protection Association, Inc., 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts 02169-7471. All standards adopted and incorporated by reference in these rules are also available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, Division of State Fire Marshal, 11655 Northwest Gainesville Road, Ocala, Florida 33482-1486.

3. Incident Command.

4. Wildland Fire, S130/S190/L180 (or equivalent) Fighting.

5. through 9. No change.

10. EMS First Responder. – Current certification as an emergency medical technician or paramedic, or successful completion of a USDOT first responder course will substitute for this area. Documentation of current certification or completion shall be submitted prior to completion of this curriculum. Individuals enrolled in a combined firefighter or / emergency medical technician program shall be eligible to take the minimum standards examination upon successful completion of the firefighter program content.

11. Cancer and Mental Health Risks.

12 11. Awareness and operational Level Hazardous Materials.

13 12. Examinations: each portion of the outline shall be the subject of both a written and a performance test in order to obtain the best measure of learning.

14 13. Course Review.

(b) Part II of the curriculum, consisting of 192 hours of knowledge and skill-based training, which together with Part I totals 398 hours, will include:

l. Chapter 6 of NFPA® Standard 1001, “Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications,” 2019 2013 Edition, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference in this rule. Copies of NFPA publications can be obtained from the National Fire Protection Association, Inc., 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts 02169-7471. All standards adopted and incorporated by reference in these rules are also available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, Division of State Fire Marshal, 11655 Northwest Gainesville Road, Ocala, Florida 33482-1486.

2. Florida Specific Requirements.

a. through m. No change.

3. NFPA® 1001 and NFPA® 1582 are copyrighted material that cannot be copied but may be: (a) viewed during regular business hours at the Division of State Fire Marshal, 315 John Knox Road, The Atrium, Third Floor, Tallahassee, Florida; (b) accessed in a read-only, non-printable, non-downloadable format at the NFPA’s free access website at http:www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/free-access; or (c) purchased by writing to the NFPA at 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachussetts 02169-7471.

Rulemaking Authority 633.128(1)(a), (b), (2)(a), 633.408(1) FS. Law Implemented 633.128(1)(a), (b), 633.408 FS. History–New 9-7-81, Formerly 4A-37.10, 4A-37.55, Amended 11-26-85, 1-3-90, 6-30-91, 3-20-95, 12-10-01, Formerly 4A-37.055, Amended 3-19-09, 8-3-15, 10-20-15.             .

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Mike Tucker

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer, Department of Financial Services

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: 12/26/2018

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: 11/21/2018