Status Update:
The fiscal conditions of the state and a weakened economy combined with $380,000 fiscal note resulted in no action taken.
Background
A July 2006 survey conducted by the state fire marshal indicates there are approximately 34,000 firefighters in Tennessee. Of these, 7,073, or about 21 percent, are full-time, career firefighters, while the remaining 26,900 firefighters in the state are either part-time or volunteers. None of Tennessee's firefighters, whether they be career, part-time or volunteer are required by law to complete any minimum training. There is a direct correlation between firefighter deaths and injuries, the inability of firefighters to rapidly prevent fire spread, and the large dollar fire-related losses suffered each year in Tennessee and the lack of adequate training of many Tennessee firefighters.
All cities employing career firefighters have elected to participate in the Tennessee Commission on Firefighting Personnel Standards and Education. In these cities, firefighters are required by rule to complete 40 hours of in-service training annually. Full-time firefighters continue to draw their full salary during training while also receiving an additional $450 per year in supplemental pay, funded by the state, upon completion of their in-service training. All other cities have elected not to participate in the program and therefore may only provide "on the job training." Firefighters in these cities are not eligible to receive the training pay supplement from the State of Tennessee.
Part-time and volunteer firefighters account for 80 percent of the state's firefighters and yet, there are no minimum training requirements and no incentives to encourage or promote training. In fact, volunteer firefighters are ineligible for the state's supplemental training pay and, unlike career firefighters, must take time off from their regular jobs and may have to surrender some of their wages as well as vacation time to attend training. This may help to explain the fact that only 4,000 of Tennessee's 26,900 part-time and volunteer firefighters have received any formal training, according to records from the Tennessee Firefighter Commission.
Perhaps, even more troubling is that an annual volunteer firefighter attrition rate of 20% per year and lagging recruitment has resulted in a net loss of 15% of volunteer firefighters in the past 10 years, according to the National Volunteer Fire Council. Consequently, it is estimated that only 2,500 of the 4,000 part-time and volunteer firefighters that have received any formal training are currently serving with a fire department in Tennessee.
Problems
The State of Tennessee has the second highest death rate from fire in the United States. Many have suggested there is a direct correlation between the death rate from fire and the fact that a very large percentage of Tennessee firefighters are either untrained or under-trained.
In the event of a catastrophic experience in Tennessee, man-made or natural, current response scenarios assume a significant mobilization of volunteer, part-time and career firefighters in response to such disasters. A majority of these volunteer and part-time firefighters as well as a small percentage of career firefighters have not received sufficient training in the basic skills necessary to perform under the everyday conditions that exist in their home communities; much less the skills required during a major disaster.
Proposed Remedy
TML, along with the Tennessee Fire Chiefs Association, is seeking approval of legislation establishing a minimum training requirement of 16 hours of training for all firefighters in Tennessee before they may actively participate in firefighting. In addition, firefighters will be required to complete an 84-hour basic firefighting class within three years. Firefighters that have been in a fire department for at least five years are exempt from the bills requirements and those with less than five years on the job will have three years from the effective date to complete the requirements.
Anticipated Benefits to Municipalities
There is an expectation that when a career firefighter is hired, the employer should provide that individual with at least the basic skills needed to perform their job. Similar expectations are present for part-time and volunteer firefighters. Training in the basic firefighting skills is needed to begin reducing the fire death rate in Tennessee. This legislation allows Tennessee's cities and counties to begin to address the number of untrained and under-trained firefighters.
