act-2003-0-17•Pennsylvania Act 2003-17 — VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY AND VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT ACT
Pennsylvania Act 2003-17 — VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY AND VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT ACT
act-2003-0-172003 Pa. Act 17Law
Act text
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY AND VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT ACT
Act of Jul. 31, 2003, P.L. 73, No. 17 Cl. 35
AN ACT
Establishing a grant program for volunteer fire companies and
volunteer ambulance services; and providing for grant
funding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program
Section 301. Establishment.
Section 302. Guidelines and procedures (Repealed).
Section 302.1. Publication and notice.
Section 303. Award of grants.
Section 304. Consolidation incentive.
Chapter 5. Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program
Section 501. Establishment.
Section 502. Guidelines and procedures (Repealed).
Section 502.1. Publication and notice.
Section 503. Award of grants.
Chapter 7. Grant Funding Provisions
Section 701. Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program.
Section 702. Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program.
Section 703. Allocation of appropriated funds.
Chapter 9. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 901. Expiration of authority.
Section 901.1. Special provisions.
Section 902. Declaration (Deleted by amendment).
Section 903. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Volunteer
Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Advanced life support services." The term shall have the
meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),
known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
"Basic life support services." The term shall have the
meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),
known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.
"Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner.
"Facility." A structure or portion thereof intended for the
purpose of storage or protection of firefighting apparatus,
ambulances and rescue vehicles and related equipment and gear.
The term does not include meeting halls, social halls, social
rooms, lounges or any other facility not directly related to
firefighting or the furnishing of ambulance or rescue services.
"Grant program." The Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program
established in Chapter 3 or the Volunteer Ambulance Service
Grant Program established in Chapter 5.
"Invalid coach." The term shall have the meaning given to it
in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the
Emergency Medical Services Act.
"Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered
corporation, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth, which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department
of Health and is not associated or affiliated with any hospital
and which is regularly engaged in the provision of emergency
medical services, including basic life support or advanced life
support services and advanced life support squads as defined in
28 Pa. Code § 1005.1 (relating to general provisions). The term
shall not include any corporation, association or organization
that is primarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches
which are intended for the routine transport of persons who are
convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily
require emergency medical treatment while in transit. (Def.
amended June 28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
"Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation,
association or organization located in this Commonwealth which
provides fire protection or rescue services and which may offer
other voluntary emergency within this Commonwealth. Voluntary
emergency services provided by a volunteer fire company may
include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue services.
"Volunteer rescue company." A nonprofit chartered
corporation, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth that provides rescue services as part of the
response to fires and/or vehicle accidents within this
Commonwealth.
CHAPTER 3
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM
Compiler's Note: See sections 8.1, 8.2 and 9 of Act 10 of
2007 in the appendix to this act for special provisions
relating to payment of grants and performance review of
program.
Section 301. Establishment.
The Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program is hereby
established and shall be administered by the agency in
consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under this
program shall be used to improve and enhance the capabilities of
the volunteer fire company to provide firefighting, ambulance
and rescue services.
Section 302. Guidelines and procedures. (302 repealed June
28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
Section 302.1. Publication and notice.
The agency shall publish notice of the grant program
availability through the Legislative Reference Bureau for
publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin:
(1) within 30 days of the effective date of this section
for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2006, and July 1,
2007; and
(2) by August 8 for fiscal years beginning after June
30, 2008.
(302.1 added June 28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
Section 303. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
a grant award to each eligible volunteer fire company for the
following:
(1) Construction and/or renovation of the fire company's
facility and purchase or repair of fixtures and furnishings
necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
company to provide fire, ambulance and rescue services.
(2) Repair of firefighting, ambulance or rescue
equipment or purchase thereof.
(3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) Training and certification of members.
(b) Limits.--
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), grants shall be
not less than $2,500 and not more than $15,000 per volunteer
fire company.
(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this
purpose.
(3) In a municipality where there are two or more
volunteer fire companies and if two or more fire companies
consolidated their use of equipment, firefighters and
services within five years preceding the date of the current
year application submission deadline, the consolidated entity
shall be deemed eligible to receive a grant not to exceed the
amount of the combined total for which the individual
companies would have been eligible had they not consolidated.
(c) Time for filing application and department action.--
(1) Within 30 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 1 of each year thereafter, the
agency shall provide written instructions for grants under
this act to the fire chief and president of every volunteer
fire company in this Commonwealth.
(2) Within 45 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 8 of each year thereafter, the
agency shall provide applications to the fire chief and
president of every volunteer fire company. The application
for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1,
2007, shall be a combined application. Volunteer fire
companies seeking grants under this act shall submit
completed applications to the agency. The application period
shall remain open for 45 days each year. The agency shall act
to approve or disapprove applications within 60 days of the
application submission deadline each year. Applications which
have not been approved or disapproved by the agency within 60
days after the close of the application period each year
shall be deemed approved.
(d) Eligibility.--To receive grant funds under this act, a
volunteer fire company shall have actively responded to one or
more fire or rescue emergencies during the previous calendar
year and must have signed and be under an agreement to actively
participate in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
System which is administered by the agency.
(303 amended June 28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
Section 304. Consolidation incentive.
If, after the effective date of this act, two or more
volunteer fire companies consolidate their use of facilities,
equipment, firefighters and services, the consolidated entity
may, upon notification of the agency, be eligible for a
reduction of the interest rate payable on any outstanding
principal balance owed, as of the date of consolidation, by any
or all of the consolidating companies to the Volunteer Companies
Loan Fund for loans made under the act of July 15, 1976
(P.L.1036, No.208), known as the Volunteer Fire Company,
Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad Assistance Act. The reduction
in the interest rate payable shall be from 2% to 1%. Upon
receipt of such notification, the agency, in conjunction with
the State Fire Commissioner, shall determine and verify that the
consolidated entity is in fact a bona fide consolidated
volunteer fire company. If the agency determines that the
consolidated entity is a bona fide consolidated volunteer fire
company, it shall reduce the interest rate payable on any
outstanding principal balance owed to the Volunteer Companies
Loan Fund for loans made under the Volunteer Fire Company,
Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad Assistance Act for which the
consolidating companies or the consolidated entity may be
individually or jointly responsible. The agency may promulgate
such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the
provisions of this section.
CHAPTER 5
VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
Section 501. Establishment.
The Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program is hereby
established and shall be administered by the agency. Grants
provided under this program shall be used to improve and enhance
the capabilities of the volunteer ambulance services to provide
ambulance, emergency medical, basic life support and advanced
life support services.
Section 502. Guidelines and procedures. (502 repealed June
28, 2007, P.L.36 , No.10)
Section 502.1. Publication and notice.
The agency shall publish notice of the grant program
availability through the Legislative Reference Bureau for
publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin:
(1) within 30 days of the effective date of this section
for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2006, and July 1,
2007; and
(2) by August 8 for fiscal years beginning after June
30, 2008.
(502.1 added June 28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
Section 503. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
a grant award to each eligible volunteer ambulance service for
the following:
(1) Construction and/or renovation of the volunteer
ambulance service's facility and purchase or repair of
fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support services
necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
ambulance service to provide ambulance, emergency medical,
basic life support and advanced life support services.
(2) Repair of ambulance equipment or purchase thereof.
(3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) Training and certification of members.
(b) Limits.--
(1) Grants shall be not less than $2,500 and not more
than $10,000 per volunteer ambulance service.
(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this
purpose.
(3) If two or more volunteer ambulance services
consolidated their use of equipment, personnel and services
within five years preceding the date of the current year
application submission deadline, the consolidated entity
shall be deemed eligible to receive a grant not to exceed the
amount of the combined total for which the individual
companies would have been eligible had they not consolidated.
(c) Time for filing application and department action.--
(1) Within 30 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 1 of each year thereafter, the
agency shall provide written instructions for grants under
this act to the president of every volunteer ambulance
service in this Commonwealth.
(2) Within 45 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 8 of each year, the agency
shall provide applications to the president of every
volunteer ambulance service. The application for the fiscal
years commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, shall be a
combined application. Volunteer ambulance services seeking
grants under this act shall submit completed applications to
the agency. The application period shall remain open for 45
days each year. The agency shall act to approve or disapprove
applications within 60 days of the application submission
deadline each year. Applications which have not been approved
or disapproved by the agency within 60 days after the close
of the application period each year shall be deemed approved.
(503 amended June 28, 2007, P.L. , No.10)
CHAPTER 7
GRANT FUNDING PROVISIONS
Section 701. Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program.
The sum of $22,000,000 of the amount appropriated to the
agency for volunteer company grants under section 225 of the act
of March 20, 2003 (P.L.463, No.1A), known as the General
Appropriation Act of 2003, shall be expended for the purpose of
making grants to eligible volunteer fire companies pursuant to
Chapter 3.
Section 702. Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program.
The sum of $3,000,000 of the amount appropriated to the
agency for volunteer company grants under section 225 of the act
of March 20, 2003 (P.L.463, No.1A), known as the General
Appropriation Act of 2003, shall be expended for the purpose of
making grants to eligible volunteer ambulance companies pursuant
to Chapter 5.
Section 703. Allocation of appropriated funds.
(a) Prohibition.--No moneys from the appropriation for
volunteer company grants shall be used for expenses or costs
incurred by the agency for the administration of the grant
programs authorized under Chapters 3 and 5.
(b) Grant allocation.--Unless otherwise expressly stated,
moneys appropriated to the agency for purposes of volunteer
company grants shall be allocated as follows:
(1) 88% of the amount appropriated shall be used for
making grants to eligible volunteer fire companies under
Chapter 3.
(2) 12% of the amount appropriated shall be used for
making grants to eligible volunteer ambulance companies under
Chapter 5.
(703 amended July 15, 2004, P.L.712 , No.80)
CHAPTER 9
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 901. Expiration of authority.
The authority of the agency to award grants under Chapters 3
and 5 shall expire June 30, 2012.
(901 amended June 28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
Section 901.1. Special provisions.
(a) Claim.--An applicant for a grant under this act who
failed to return a signed agreement for the preceding year shall
not be permitted to apply for a grant in the current year unless
the applicant has provided the commissioner with a reasonable
written explanation as to why it did not claim its grant.
(b) Delinquency.--An applicant for a grant under this act
who is delinquent in loan payments to the Pennsylvania Volunteer
Loan Assistance Program established under the act of July 15,
1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), known as the Volunteer Fire Company,
Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad Assistance Act, shall agree
to use its grant funds to pay any arrears to the Commonwealth or
it will not be qualified to receive a grant. Any organization
agreeing to this arrangement who fails to make the payment to
the Commonwealth shall be disqualified from applying to the
grant program for a period of three years.
(c) Demonstration.--An applicant for a grant under this act
must demonstrate that it complied with all of the terms of its
grant agreement in the previous year regarding the use of the
grant money it received in previous years or it shall not be
eligible to receive a grant in the current year.
(d) Approval.--An applicant shall not be approved for a
grant to be used for purposes other than those stated in section
303(a) or 503(a).
(901.1 added June 28, 2007, P.L.36, No.10)
Section 902. "Declaration". (902 deleted by amendment July 15,
2004, P.L.712 , No.80.)
Section 903. Effective date.
This act shall take effect July 1, 2003, or immediately,
whichever is later.
APPENDIX
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Supplementary Provisions of Amendatory Statutes
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2007, JUNE 28, P.L.36, NO.10
Section 8.1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1720-
C(c) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The
Fiscal Code, moneys appropriated to the Volunteer Fire Company
Grant Program by section 1720-C(c) of The Fiscal Code shall be
utilized for payment of grants under Chapters 3 and 5.
Compiler's Note: Act 10 amended, added or repealed sections
102, 302, 302.1, 303, 502, 502.1, 503, 901 and 901.1 of
Act 17.
Section 8.2. For the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2006,
payments of grants shall commence on or after December 14, 2007.
For the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2007, payments of grants
shall commence on or after January 15, 2008.
Section 9. The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
shall conduct a performance review of the program authorized by
this act and shall submit its evaluation of and recommendations
regarding the program to the General Assembly no later than
February 28, 2012.
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