The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

In the Year Two Thousand and Eight.

 AN  ACT PROVIDING FOR CAPITAL FACILITY REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE COMMONWEALTH.

 Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith for the immediate capital improvement needs of the commonwealth, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Department of Fire Services

8000-4900   For costs associated with planning and studies, dispositions, acquisition of land and buildings and interests therein by purchase, lease for a term, including any extensions, not to exceed 50 years, gift or other transfer, or by eminent domain under chapter 79 of the General Laws, for the preparation of plans and specifications, repairs, construction, renovations, improvements, asset management and demolition for a fire training facility in the city of Springfield, all as the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance, in consultation with the state fire marshal,  shall consider appropriate; provided, that costs payable from this item shall include, but not limited be to, the costs of engineering and other services essential to this project rendered by division of capital asset management and maintenance employees or by consultants; and provided further, that amounts expended for division employees may include the salary and salary-related expenses of these employees to the extent that they work on or in support of this project...................................................... $10,000,000

Fellow Chiefs,

State Senator Stanley Rosenberg has filed legislation "An Act Establishing the Western Massachusetts Fire Training Academy" in an effort to move this project forward. Below is a list of Senators and Representatives who have signed on to the bill. If you do not see your Senator or Representative on this list, please call them and ask them to sign on to the bill, and support the establishment of an Academy in Western Massachusetts. If you, or your Representative/Senator have any questions, please contact me anytime. Thank you for your support.

Senators                                               
-       Stan Rosenberg                                 
-       Gale Candaras                                  
-       Mike Knapik                                    
-       Stephen Brewer                                 
-       Stephen Buoniconti                             
-       Ben Downing                                    

Representatives
-       Cheryl Coakley-Rivera                          
-       Don Humason
-       John Scibak                                    
-       Sean Curran
-       Cleon Turner
-       Todd Smola
-       Chris Donelan
-       Peter Kocot
-       Mary Rogeness

2007 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

•        INCREASE LOCAL AID TO MUNICIPALITIES BEYOND THAT IN THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET MESSAGE, WITH A POSIBILITY OF EARMARKING FUNDS FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

•        CONTINUE THE “SAFE” PROGRAM AT LEAST TO FY05 LEVELS – FUNDED AS PART OF HOUSE 4559 (FIRE SAFETY LEGISLATION).  COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY RECOMMENDS RESTORING SAFE BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

•     FUNDED IN 2002 AND 2004, AND THEN LAST YEAR AS PART OF THE CHAPTER 304 LEGISLATION, 50% OF THE FUNDS WERE ALLOWED TO BE SPENT OF PERSONNEL COSTS FOR THE FIRST TIME.  WITH MOST MUNICIPAL BUDGETS TRIMMED OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS, EQUIPMENT $ FOR FIREFIGHTER SAFETY OFTEN WAS THE FIRST TO GO.

•     PASS THE HARKINS-BALSER BILL (HOUSE 1915).  ORIGINALLY FILED AS HOUSE 2573 IN 2002 AFTER THE TRAGIC MULTIPLE FATALITY FIRE IN A NEWTON OFFICE BUILDING, THIS SPRINKLER LEGISLATION WILL CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE THAT EXISTS IN THE STATE BUILDING CODE THAT ALLOWS OWNERS/DEVELOPERS TO ADD TO BUILDINGS PIECEMEAL WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION.

•     RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER BILL (HOUSE DOCKET 2045).  WOULD ADD PERMISSIVE LEGISLATION TO MGL CHAPTER 148 WHICH ALLOWS COMMUNITIES ACCEPTING THIS SECTION TO SPRINKLER NEW OR RENOVATED HOMES AND DUPLEXES (4000 DIE IN U.S. HOUSE FIRES ANNUALLY) .

•     RE-CLASSIFY CERTAIN POSITIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF FIRE SERVICES FOR RETIREMENT PURPOSES (SENATE BILL 2293).  THERE IS NO INCENTIVE FOR QUALIFIED AND MOTIVATED FIREFIGHTERS IN THE COMMONWEALTH TO ACCEPT KEY POSITIONS AT DFS DUE TO GROUP 4 RETIREMENT LOSS WORKING FOR THE STATE.  THE INTENT OF THIS LEGISLATION IS TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO COMPETE FOR AND ACCEPT EMPLOYMENT FOR THESE KEY ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS AND RETAIN THEIR GROUP 4 RETIREMENT.

•      AN ACT RELATING TO THE MANDATORY REPORTING OF FIRES IN SCHOOLS (SENATE BILL 1381) – SIMILAR TO MANDATORY REPORTING OF FIRES IN HOTELS/MOTELS.  REQUIRES PRINCIPALS OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS (GRADES 1-12) IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT FIRES IN THEIR BUILDINGS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS.  WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF UN-REPORTED FIRES IN SCHOOLS ANNUALLY WHICH IF INVESTIGATED PROPERLY, COULD LEAD TO PROFESSIONAL CHILD-FIRE SETTER INTERVENTIONS TO REMEDY NOT ONLY THIS ISSUE, BUT OTHER BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AS WELL.