| Directs the office of fire prevention and control within the division of homeland security and emergency services to form a task force and issue a report relating to volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention; creates the New York state volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention task force; requires a report to the governor and legislature on Firefighter 1 training, and all other firefighter training offered by the office of fire prevention and control, and delivery methods to enhance and streamline training including the use of distance learning; the utilization of community colleges, BOCES or state accredited high schools to train firefighters and the creation of pilot programs within community colleges or BOCES that will offer Firefighter 1 certification upon completion; the creation of a dedicated bureau within the office of fire prevention and control responsible for recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters; tax incentives and volunteer firefighter benefits currently provided and recommendations as to these or new programs; analysis of current recruitment and retention programs successfully being utilized by other states and recommendations as to adoption of similar programs in New York; and identification and recruitment incentives to assist in the recruitment of volunteer firefighters from under-represented and at-risk populations; makes related provisions. |
