PART II-A. FIREFIGHTER; TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION;

LOUISIANA FIRE AND

EMERGENCY TRAINING COMMISSION

§1541. State fire marshal; official agency for training

            A. The office of state fire marshal is hereby officially designated as the agency of this state to conduct training for in-service firefighters on a statewide basis in which firefighters from any and all duly constituted fire departments and private or commercial industrial and allied emergency services may participate, and to coordinate and conduct other firefighter training programs at other training locations as provided in this Part and transfer such training to the office of state fire marshal. This Part shall not be construed as affecting the authority of any fire department to conduct training for its own personnel.

            B. The office of state fire marshal shall conduct training programs and perform its functions as provided in this Part with the advice and guidance of the Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Commission created by this Section.

            C.(1) The Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Commission, referred to in this Part as the "commission", is hereby created.

            (2) The commission shall be composed of eleven members as follows:

            (a) One member shall be the state fire marshal or his designee.

            (b) One member shall be the Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge chancellor or his designee.

            (c) Two members shall be selected by the Louisiana State Firemen's Association.

            (d) Two members shall be selected by the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association.

            (e) Two members shall be selected by the Professional Firefighters' Association of Louisiana.

            (f) One member shall be a Louisiana citizen with knowledge and experience in the field of fire and emergency services appointed by the governor.

            (g) One member shall be a person who is currently in active service with a Louisiana fire department and has been active for at least ten years, appointed by the governor upon recommendation of the commission.

            (h) One member shall be a person with knowledge and experience and active in the field of industrial fire and emergency services, appointed by the governor upon recommendation of the commission.

            (3) Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. A vacancy shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment.

            (4) Members shall serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses.

            (5) The commission annually, at the first meeting of the calendar year, shall elect from its members a chairman and vice chairman. The chairman and vice chairman shall serve as such for a period of one year from the date of election.

            (6) Commission members shall be considered state officers for purposes of R.S. 9:2798.1 and Chapter 16-A of Subtitle III of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.

            (7) The commission shall meet at least quarterly. Other meetings may be called by the chairman on his own initiative and shall be called by him at the request of three or more members of the commission within fourteen days of such request. Each member shall be notified by the chairman in writing of the time and place of a meeting at least seven days before the meeting.

            (8) The commission shall adopt rules for the conduct of commission functions. Any decision of the commission may be made only by the favorable vote of at least two-thirds of those members in attendance at the meeting provided that a quorum is established prior to the vote. A majority of members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

            D. The commission shall provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to the office of state fire marshal relative to the approval of matters including but not limited to the following:

            (1) Approval of an organizational chart outlining the arrangement of personnel needed for the conduct of the office of state fire marshal's functions pursuant to this Part.

            (2) All aspects of the conduct of fire and emergency training and training programs, including curricula and performance of the office of state fire marshal's functions pursuant to this Part.

            (3) Prioritization of training throughout the state.

            (4) Recommendations to be made by the office of state fire marshal to the legislature relative to the office of state fire marshal's functions pursuant to this Part.

            (5) The acceptance of any and all appropriate donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials, and services and their receipt, use, and disposal. The commission shall be apprised of all grant opportunities available to the office of state fire marshal Fire and Emergency Training Academy and all grant applications submitted on behalf of the academy individually or in conjunction with other institutions or programs of the office of state fire marshal.

            E. The state fire marshal, subject to the approval of the commission, shall appoint a qualified person to serve as the superintendent of the Louisiana Fire and Emergency Training Academy.

            F. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the commission may certify educators to conduct fire-based emergency medical services training in preparation for licensure, and such training shall be accepted by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.

            Acts 1970, No. 481, §1. Amended by Acts 1979, No. 528, §1, eff. July 18, 1979; Acts 2012, No. 596, §2, eff. July 1, 2012; Acts 2020, No. 268, §1; Acts 2022, No. 231, §3.