SENATE BILL REPORT

EHB 1109

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Government Operations & Elections, April 2, 2003

Title: An act relating to providing wildland fire fighting training.

Brief Description: Providing wildland fire fighting training.

Sponsors: Representatives Clibborn, Newhouse, Benson, Wallace and Haigh.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 4/2/03 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Stevens, Vice Chair; Kastama and McCaslin.

Staff: Mac Nicholson (786-7445)

Background: The State Fire Protection Policy Board consists of eight members, appointed by the Governor, charged with establishing a comprehensive state policy regarding fire protection services. As one aspect of that policy, the board is required to develop and adopt a plan with the goal of providing training to all fire fighters in the state. The plan is to include a reimbursement for fire protection districts and city fire departments of not less than $2 for every hour of fire fighter training. Reimbursement is limited to 150 hours of training for each fire fighter trained. Reimbursement is paid from the fire service training account, which consists of fees received by the State Patrol for training; grants and bequests accepted by the State Patrol; and 20 percent of all moneys received by the state on fire insurance premiums.

Summary of Amended Bill: The State Fire Protection Policy Board must include wildland fire fighting training as part of the board's plan to provide training to all fire fighters in the state. The reimbursement element of the training plan is increased from $2 to $3 per hour of training, and the limit on reimbursement is increased from 150 to 200 hours per fire fighter trained.

Wildland training reimbursement will be provided to fire protection districts and city departments that do not have an interior attack policy or to districts and departments that are fulfilling their interior attack policy.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill: The amended bill removes the provision making "fire fighter one" training a prerequisite for wildland fire training. The amended bill provides wildland fire training reimbursement to fire districts and departments that do not have an interior attack policy or to districts and departments that are fulfilling their interior attack policy.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Essential wildland fire training for fire fighters is provided. This is not mandatory training, and funds currently exist in the account to pay for the additional reimbursements.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Representative Clibborn, prime sponsor; Ryan Spiller, WA Fire Commissioners; Mark Kahley, DNR.