Connecticut § 7-313m - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date). Grants to distressed municipalities for volunteer firefighter training.

§ 7-313m. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date). Grants to distressed municipalities for volunteer firefighter training.

Sec. 7-313m. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date). Grants to distressed municipalities for volunteer firefighter training. (a) Not later than January 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the chief of a volunteer fire department for a distressed municipality, as defined in section 32-9p, shall submit to the State Fire Administrator a report on the yearly average of the number of volunteer firefighters from such municipality's volunteer fire department who enrolled in Firefighter I certification and recruit training based on the preceding four years, except the year commencing January 1, 2020, shall not be included in any such four preceding years for purposes of calculating such average.

(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, and each fiscal year thereafter, the State Fire Administrator shall award a grant to any distressed municipality with a volunteer fire department for the purposes of covering costs related to the provision of Firefighter I certification and recruit training for volunteer firefighters at regional fire schools. The amount of such grant award for each such distressed municipality shall be equal to the product of (1) the average cost of a Firefighter I certification and recruit training program at a regional fire school, and (2) the average number of volunteer firefighters from such distressed municipality's volunteer fire department who enrolled at a regional fire school for such certification and training.

(c) Not later than February 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the State Fire Administrator shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies a report on the (1) reports submitted by the chiefs of volunteer fire departments of distressed municipalities pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and (2) average cost of a Firefighter I certification and recruit training program at a regional fire school.

(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 9.)

*Note: On and after July 1, 2025, this section, as amended by section 6 of public act 24-136, is to read as follows:

“Sec. 7-313m. Grants to distressed municipalities for volunteer firefighter training. (a) Not later than January 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the chief of a volunteer fire department for a distressed municipality, as defined in section 32-9p, shall submit to the Division of Fire Services Administration within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection a report on the yearly average of the number of volunteer firefighters from such municipality's volunteer fire department who enrolled in Firefighter I certification and recruit training based on the preceding four years, except the year commencing January 1, 2020, shall not be included in any such four preceding years for purposes of calculating such average.

(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Division of Fire Services Administration shall award a grant to any distressed municipality with a volunteer fire department for the purposes of covering costs related to the provision of Firefighter I certification and recruit training for volunteer firefighters at regional fire schools. The amount of such grant award for each such distressed municipality shall be equal to the product of (1) the average cost of a Firefighter I certification and recruit training program at a regional fire school, and (2) the average number of volunteer firefighters from such distressed municipality's volunteer fire department who enrolled at a regional fire school for such certification and training.

(c) Not later than February 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the Division of Fire Services Administration shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies a report on the (1) reports submitted by the chiefs of volunteer fire departments of distressed municipalities pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and (2) average cost of a Firefighter I certification and recruit training program at a regional fire school.”

(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 9; P.A. 24-136, S. 6.)

History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 24-136 replaced references to State Fire Administrator with Division of Fire Services Administration within Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, effective July 1, 2025.