Pennsylvania Act 1949-547 — ESTABLISHING THE STATE FIREMEN'S TRAINING SCHOOL

Act text

ESTABLISHING THE STATE FIREMEN'S TRAINING SCHOOL
                 Act of May 26, 1949, P.L. 1844, No. 547              Cl. 53
                                  AN ACT

     Establishing the Pennsylvania State Firemen's Training School in
        or adjacent to the borough of Lewistown; providing for its
        operation and maintenance by the Department of Public
        Instruction; authorizing the acquisition of a site either by
        gift or purchase by the Commonwealth or by The General State
        Authority, or the use of land now owned by the Commonwealth;
        providing for the erection or construction and the furnishing
        and equipping of the buildings and structures by The General
        State Authority, and the leasing thereof by the Commonwealth;
        and conferring powers and imposing duties upon the Department
        of Public Instruction and the Public Service Institute Board.

        Compiler's Note:  Section 10 of Reorganization Plan No.6 of
            1981 provided that the Pennsylvania State Firemen's
            Training School and the powers and duties of the
            Department of Education and the Public Service Institute
            Board pertaining thereto, as set forth in Act 547, are
            transferred from the Bureau of Vocational Education in
            the Department of Education to the Pennsylvania Emergency
            Management Agency.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  Establishment; Purpose; Name.--In order to enable
     the Department of Public Instruction more effectively to train
     firemen under the program of the Public Service Institute
     established by the department under its vocational education
     program, there is hereby established a training school for
     firemen for practical training in the control and extinguishment
     of fires. The training school hereby established shall be known
     as "The Pennsylvania State Firemen's Training School."
        Section 2.  Supervision and Control.--The management of the
     school and the control and care of the buildings and grounds
     owned and used by the State for such school and the conduct of
     instruction thereat shall be under the direct supervision and
     control of the Department of Public Instruction.
        Section 3.  Powers and Duties.--The Department of Public
     Instruction and the Public Service Institute Board shall have
     the power and their duty shall be:
        (1)  To fix the salaries of the employes of the school in
     conformity with the standards established by the Executive
     Board;
        (2)  To make rules and regulations for the government and
     management of the school and the admission of firemen from the
     various political subdivisions thereto;
        (3)  To prescribe the courses of study and the practical
     training in connection therewith;
        (4)  To accept on behalf of the Commonwealth donations of
     land or equipment for the use of said school.
        Section 4.  Persons Admitted.--All firemen who are regularly
     employed by any local political subdivisions of the State and
     all regularly enrolled members of volunteer fire companies shall
     be eligible for admission to the school and shall be chosen by
     the governing authority of each of said political subdivisions.
     The Public Service Institute Board shall apportion the number
     admitted to the school so that each county is represented
     therein in the ratio that the number of firemen in each county
     bears to the total number of firemen in the State.
        Section 5.  Application for Admission.--Application for
     admission shall be made to the Public Service Institute Board by
     the political subdivisions in the manner prescribed by said
     board.
        Section 6.  Acquisition of Site.--The Superintendent of
     Public Instruction, with the approval of the governor, may
     accept a gift of land suitable as a site for the school or, if
     no gift of a suitable site is offered, he shall, with like
     approval, select for acquisition, either by the Department of
     Property and Supplies in the name of the Commonwealth or by The
     General State Authority with funds of the Authority, a tract of
     land located in or adjacent to the borough of Lewistown, for the
     erection and construction and the furnishing and equipping
     thereon by The General State Authority of The Pennsylvania State
     Firemen's Training School. The title to the lands so acquired,
     whether by gift or otherwise, shall be approved by the Attorney
     General. If it shall be found that the Commonwealth owns State
     lands suitable in whole or in part for such use, such lands may
     be designated by the Department of Public Instruction, with the
     approval of the Governor and the department, board or commission
     having possession and control of the same, and used for such
     purpose. Any additional lands necessary may be selected and
     acquired as hereinbefore provided.
        Section 7.  Conveyance of Land; Plans, etc., for Buildings
     and Structures.--Upon the acquisition of any land in the name of
     the Commonwealth or designation of any land of the Commonwealth,
     the Department of Property and Supplies shall have authority to
     convey the same to The General State Authority for the purpose
     of having such Authority erect or construct and furnish and
     equip thereon the buildings and other structures necessary for
     The Pennsylvania State Firemen's Training School. The plans and
     specifications of the school, whether erected on land acquired
     directly by The General State Authority or by conveyance to it
     from the Commonwealth, shall be subject to the approval of the
     Department of Public Instruction, and shall provide for suitable
     buildings and other necessary equipment, structures and
     improvements.
        Section 8.  Leasing by Commonwealth.--The Department of
     Property and Supplies, with the approval of the Governor, is
     hereby authorized to enter into a lease for not more than
     ninety-nine (99) years with The General State Authority to
     acquire the use of the buildings and structures and any lands
     connected therewith and the furnishings and equipment thereof,
     for the purpose of having the same managed and operated by the
     Department of Public Instruction and the Public Service
     Institute Board.
        Section 9.  Effective Date.--The provisions of this act shall
     become effective immediately upon final enactment.