Assemblyman Joe Howarth introduced a bill that aims to do just that.
Assemblyman Joe Howarth introduced a bill that has been championed by local fire chiefs as a way to help grow their junior firefighting ranks.
The bill (A4037) aims to create a robust pipeline from junior members to future firefighters by easing highly restrictive regulations put on Junior Firefighter Auxiliaries, which have resulted in sharp decreases in junior firefighter membership.
“The volunteer work that firefighters do in their local neighborhoods is nothing short of amazing, but they are constantly looking for new membership so our towns can remain safe,” said Howarth (R-Burlington).
“In order to create a farm system of future firefighters, state regulations need to be changed,” he continued. “The state went too far with policing these programs, and it has hurt our local fire departments.”
Under the legislation, the Department of Community Affair’s Director of the Division of Fire Safety would take back sole duties of regulating Junior Firefighter Auxiliaries from the Department of Labor, which recently began putting heavy-handed restrictions on what tasks Junior Firefighter Auxiliary members could perform.
The change was widely criticized by local fire chiefs, who were unclear about what training tasks Junior Auxiliary members could now carry out.
“From being out around my district, I learned that local fire chiefs were worried that new Junior Firefighter Auxiliary regulations have severely hurt the future ranks of volunteer firefighters,” Howarth said. “This bill would put regulation responsibilities back in the hands of the Director of the Division of Fire Safety and lays trust in the professionals who know what it takes to maintain a fire company.”
The Department of Labor determined that junior firefighters were considered public employees, which came with restrictions that prohibited junior firefighters from providing any non-hazardous duties at the scene of a fire and from handling a long list of equipment in the firehouse. The restrictions contrasted with regulations that were already in place for the auxiliaries.
