AN ACT
To improve the working conditions of
fire fighters and other first responders in the
Imperial Dominion of the South
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Imperial Dominion of the South assembled.
SECTION 1: TITLE 1. The long title of this bill shall be the
Fire Protection and Fire Services Act. It may also be cited as the
FPFSA or the
Fire Services Act.
SECTION 2: BUILDING CODE COVERAGE 1. The
Southeast Building Code Initiative is hereby repealed, and the
International Building Code shall cease to apply for the construction, manufacture, renovation, improvement, and maintenance of structures in the Imperial Dominion of the South and all subsidiary jurisdictions.
2. In lieu of the
International Building Code, the Imperial Dominion of the South shall adopt the latest version of the
Comprehensive Consensus Codes, particularly its centrepiece building code
NFPA 5000, issued by the National Fire Protection Agency.
3. In the event that the
Consensus Codes require adherence to particular items from another nationally-recognized building code, the Imperial Dominion of the South shall accept those items as part-and-parcel with the
Comprehensive Consensus Codes. 4. Unless otherwise required by law, an agency may not enforce a provision of the
Consensus Codes to the extent that it is inconsistent with any other regional statute or regulation.
5. Nothing in this initiative shall be construed so as to render invalid the right of any political subdivision of the Imperial Dominion of the South to adopt additions to the
Comprehensive Consensus Codes so long as such additions are not inconsistent with the codes themselves.
SECTION 3: PANDEMIC SITUATIONS 1. Municipal or county coordinators of all volunteer and professional fire fighters operating in the Imperial Dominion of the South shall provide for their first responders any necessary vaccinations for which need may arise during a pandemic situation.
2. Along with other first responders working under the jurisdiction of the government of the Imperial Dominion of the South, the fire service shall be given priority access to all such vaccinations as stipulated in Section 2(1) of this act.
SECTION 4: CREW SIZE AND APPROACH 1. The Imperial Dominion of the South affirms its acceptance of the
“two-in, two-out” provisions set out in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s 1998
Respiratory Protection; Final Rule 29 CFR 1910.134.
2. All fire service employers in the region shall be required to comply with these provisions, the basics of which are outlined below.
a. Upon approach of the scene of an emergency, fire crews shall employ what is colloquially known as the buddy system.
b. No less than two fire fighters shall enter the scene of a reported fire situation upon initial approach.
c. No fire fighter shall enter the scene of an emergency without the confirmed presence of at least two other fire fighters (a designated rescue team) waiting outside.
d. Under no circumstances, budgetary or otherwise, shall employers be permitted to run crews containing less than four fire fighters.
SECTION 5: FIRE SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE 1. Upon the submission and acceptance of clear proposal from counties and municipalities, up to $75 million in total shall be distributed throughout the region for the express purpose of improving local fire services.
2. Qualifying projects shall include the following:
a. Improvement of existing fire stations;
b. Upgrading fire suppression equipment, including trucks, hoses, nozzles, ladders, breathing apparatuses, turnout gear, and other related technologies;
c. Improvement of fire hydrant coverage;
d. Improvement of dispatch facilities, processes, and technologies.
SECTION 6: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRAINING INITIATIVE 1. The government of the Imperial Dominion of the South shall work in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Fighters to bring its
Canadian Hazardous Materials and CBNRE (Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, Radioactive, Explosive) Training Initiative to the Imperial Dominion of the South.
2. The government of the Imperial Dominion of the South shall provide no more than $1 million dollars per year to the International Association of Fire Fighters for the operation of this program. Funding shall expire on December 30th, 2019.
3. To qualify, the Hazardous Materials and CBRNE course must meet the following criteria:
a. Be offered free of charge to municipal and county-level fire departments throughout the region;
b. Receive or be in the process of receiving Pro Board accreditation;
c. Follow National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 427,
Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents;
d. Be administered by professional career fire fighters;
e. Be available in English and Spanish.
SECTION 7: WAGES AND CONTRACTS 1. At a minimum, the wages paid to professional fire fighters shall be tied to those of police officers with comparable experience, seniority, and on-the-job hours.
SECTION 8: FALLEN FIRE FIGHTERS 1. 2,500 square feet of public land in the regional capital shall be set aside to the Southern Federation of Professional Fire Fighters for the purposes of constructing a memorial to all fire fighters killed in the line of duty in the Imperial Dominion of the South.
