N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 9 § 215.3

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 50, December 11, 2024

Section 215.3 - State Fire Training Stipends

(a) Firefighter Eligibility. A State Fire Training Stipend will only be provided to a Volunteer Firefighter who is a Member in Good Standing of their Fire Department.

(b) Fire Department Eligibility. Applications for a State Fire Training Stipend will only be accepted from Fire Departments that:

(1) Submitted Fire Department incident data through the Fire Reporting System, as required by General Municipal Law section 204-d, for the prior reporting year.

(2) Submit Fire Department demographics to OFPC annually, using a form published by OFPC, to include the following information:

(i) fire station addresses, including substations;

(ii) number of interior firefighters;

(iii) number of exterior firefighters;

(iv) name and contact information of Fire Chief or equivalent; and

(v) name and contact information of assistant/deputy chiefs or equivalent Fire Chief successor positions.

(c) Stipend Conditions and Requirements.

(1) A State Fire Training Stipend may only be awarded to individuals the first time they complete a qualifying course.

(2) An individual does not qualify for a State Fire Training Stipend if they repeat a course or take a course equivalent to a course for which they have already received a State Fire Training Stipend.

(3) Any Volunteer Firefighter that receives a Local Fire Training Stipend cannot receive a State Fire Training Stipend for the same or equivalent course.

(4) The qualifying course must have been completed on or after August 31, 2023.

(5) State Fire Training Stipend awards will be prioritized based on the date OFPC received a complete application, as determined by OFPC.

(6) All course equivalents must be reviewed and approved through OFPC's equivalency process prior to submission of a stipend application.

(7) Submitting an application does not create a right or entitlement to the receipt of a State Fire Training Stipend.

(8) An award of State Fire Training Stipend is subject to the availability of allocated funds.

(d) Qualifying Courses and Stipend Amounts.

(1) Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations with Hazardous Material First Responder Operations course or equivalent: in an amount to be determined by OFPC, up to $750.

(2) Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus with Interior Firefighting Operations course or equivalent: in an amount to be determined by OFPC, up to $1,250.

(3) Fire Officer I course or completion of the five modules of the Fire Officer I program including Company Training and Community Risk Reduction, Firefighter Health and Safety, Leadership and Supervision, Planning and Emergency Response, and Fireground Strategies and Tactics for First Arriving Companies or equivalent: in an amount to be determined by OFPC, up to $1,000.

(4) Any additional State Fire Training Course identified and published by OFPC: in an amount to be determined by OFPC, up to $500.

(e) Process.

(1) Applications for a State Fire Training Stipend must be submitted by the Volunteer Firefighter's Fire Department to OFPC and must include, but are not limited to, the following components:

(i) signed statement from the Fire Chief of the Fire Department, or their designee, that:

(a) the Volunteer Firefighter is an active firefighter and Member in Good Standing;

(b) the Volunteer Firefighter was authorized by the Fire Department to take the course; and

(c) the Volunteer Firefighter successfully completed the course;

(ii) a Substitute W-9 form, if not already submitted during course registration.

(2) Applications must be submitted using the form published by OFPC.

(3) Application packets must be submitted through email to OFPC-Stipend@dhses.ny.gov.

(4) Upon receipt and verification of a complete application, OFPC will process the stipend payment directly to the Volunteer Firefighter, subject to the requirements of this Part and the availability of funds.

(f) In the event a Fire Department has not submitted an application for a State Training Stipend to OFPC within one year after completion of a qualifying course and any local requirements, the Authority Having Jurisdiction may submit an application and signed statement on behalf of a Volunteer Firefighter, subject to and in compliance with the eligibility, conditions, and process requirements listed in this section.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 215.3

Adopted New York State Register March 6, 2024/Volume XLVI, Issue 10, eff. 3/6/2024