50 ILCS 740/ Illinois Fire Protection Training Act.

(50 ILCS 740/1) (from Ch. 85, par. 531)

Sec. 1. Legislative Declaration. It is declared as a matter of legislative determination that in order to promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of the public, it is necessary and in the public interest to provide for the encouraging and aiding of municipalities, counties and other local governmental agencies of this State in their efforts to raise the level of local fire protection by upgrading and maintaining a high level of training for fire protection personnel. It is declared to be the responsibility of the Office of the State Fire Marshal to encourage the participation of local governmental units in the programs established by the Office and to aid in the establishment of adequate training facilities.

(Source: P.A. 80-147.)

(50 ILCS 740/2) (from Ch. 85, par. 532)

Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context requires otherwise:

a. "Office" means the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

b. "Local governmental agency" means any local governmental unit or municipal corporation in this State. It does not include the State of Illinois or any office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency of the State except: (i) a State controlled university, college, or public community college, or (ii) the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

c. "School" means any school located within the State of Illinois whether privately or publicly owned which offers a course in fire protection training or related subjects and which has been approved by the Office.

d. "Trainee" means a recruit fire fighter required to complete initial minimum basic training requirements at an approved school to be eligible for permanent employment as a fire fighter.

e. "Fire protection personnel" and "fire fighter" means any person engaged in fire administration, fire prevention, fire suppression, fire education and arson investigation, including any permanently employed, trainee, or volunteer fire fighter, whether or not such person, trainee, or volunteer is compensated for all or any fraction of his time.

f. "Basic training" and "basic level" shall mean the entry level fire fighter program established by the Office.

g. "Advanced training" means the advanced level fire fighter programs established by the Office.

(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

(50 ILCS 740/3) (from Ch. 85, par. 533)

Sec. 3. This Act shall be administered by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

(Source: P.A. 80-147.)

(50 ILCS 740/6) (from Ch. 85, par. 536)

Sec. 6. Acceptance of contributions, etc. - Deposit of funds. The Office may accept contributions, capital grants, gifts, donations, services or other financial assistance from any individual, association, corporation or other organization, having a legitimate interest in fire protection training and personnel and from the United States of America and any of its agencies or instrumentalities, corporate or otherwise. Such amounts of money so received shall be deposited in the fund created by Section 10 of this Act and may be expended, along with moneys obtained from the State of Illinois, for the purposes specified in that Section.

(Source: P.A. 80-147.)

(50 ILCS 740/7) (from Ch. 85, par. 537)

Sec. 7. Selection and approval of schools. The Office shall select and approve the fire training program at the University of Illinois and other schools within the State of Illinois for the purpose of providing basic training for trainees, and advanced or in-service training for fire protection personnel which schools may be either publicly or privately owned and operated.

(Source: P.A. 100-600, eff. 1-1-19.)

(50 ILCS 740/8) (from Ch. 85, par. 538)

Sec. 8. Rules and minimum standards for schools. The Office shall adopt rules and minimum standards for such schools which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

a. Minimum courses of study, resources, facilities, apparatus, equipment, reference material, established records and procedures as determined by the Office.

b. Minimum requirements for instructors.

c. Minimum basic training requirements, which a trainee must satisfactorily complete before being eligible for permanent employment as a firefighter in the fire department of a participating local governmental agency. Those requirements shall include training in first aid (including cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and training in the administration of opioid antagonists as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Section 5-23 of the Substance Use Disorder Act.

d. Training in effective recognition of and responses to stress, trauma, and post-traumatic stress experienced by firefighters that is consistent with Section 25 of the Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act in a peer setting.

(Source: P.A. 101-375, eff. 8-16-19; 101-620, eff. 12-20-19; 102-331, eff. 1-1-22; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

(50 ILCS 740/9) (from Ch. 85, par. 539)

Sec. 9. Training participation; funding. All local governmental agencies and individuals may elect to participate in the training programs under this Act, subject to the rules and regulations of the Office. The participation may be for certification only, or for certification and reimbursement for training expenses as further provided in this Act. To be eligible to receive reimbursement for training of individuals, a local governmental agency shall require by ordinance that a trainee complete a basic level course approved by the Office, and pass the State test for certification at the basic level within the probationary period as established by the local governmental agency. A certified copy of the ordinance must be on file with the Office.

Individuals who have retired from active fire service duties and are officially affiliated with fire service training, mutual aid, incident command, fire ground operations, or staff support for public fire service organizations shall not be prohibited from receiving training certification from the Office on the ground that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire department if they otherwise meet the minimum certification standards set by the Office.

Employees of the Office shall not be prohibited from receiving training certifications from the Office on the grounds that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire department if they otherwise meet the minimum certification standards set by the Office and the certifications are directly related to their job-related duties, as determined by the Office.

The Office may by rule provide for reimbursement funding for trainees who are volunteers or paid on call fire protection personnel beyond their probationary period, but not to exceed 3 years from the date of initial employment. The Office may reimburse for basic or advanced training of individuals who were permanently employed fire protection personnel prior to the date of the ordinance. Individuals may receive reimbursement if employed by a unit of local government that participates for reimbursement funding and the individual is otherwise eligible.

Failure of any trainee to complete the basic training and certification within the required period will render that individual and local governmental agency ineligible for reimbursement funding for basic training for that individual in the calendar year in which his probationary period ends. The individual may later become certified without reimbursement.

Any participating local governmental agency may elect to withdraw from the training program by repealing the original ordinance, and a certified copy of the ordinance must be filed with the Office.

(Source: P.A. 100-600, eff. 1-1-19.)

(50 ILCS 740/10) (from Ch. 85, par. 540)

Sec. 10. Training expenses; reimbursement. The Office shall reimburse the local governmental agencies or individuals participating in the training program in an amount equaling one-half of the total sum paid by them during the period established by the Office for tuition at training schools, salary of trainees while in school, necessary travel expenses, and room and board for each trainee from funds appropriated for this purpose. Funds appropriated under this Section shall be used for reimbursement for costs incurred from January 1 through December 31 of the prior calendar year. In addition to reimbursement provided herein by the Office to the local governmental agencies for participation by trainees, the Office in each year shall reimburse the local governmental agencies participating in the training program for fire protection personnel in the same manner as trainees for each training program. No more than 50% of the reimbursements distributed to local governmental agencies in any fiscal year shall be distributed to local governmental agencies of more than 500,000 persons. If at the time of the annual reimbursement to local governmental agencies participating in the training program there is an insufficient appropriation to make reimbursement in full, the appropriation shall be apportioned among the participating local governmental agencies. No local governmental agency which shall alter or change in any manner any of the training programs as promulgated under this Act or fail to comply with rules and regulations promulgated under this Act shall be entitled to receive any matching funds under this Act. Submitting false information to the Office is a Class B misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 100-600, eff. 1-1-19.)

(50 ILCS 740/11) (from Ch. 85, par. 541)

Sec. 11. Rules and regulations. The Office may make, amend, and rescind those rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The Office may make rules and regulations establishing the fees to be paid for the administration of examinations, approval of schools, certification of fire fighters, and other training programs provided by the Office.

(Source: P.A. 100-600, eff. 1-1-19.)

(50 ILCS 740/12) (from Ch. 85, par. 542)

Sec. 12. Advanced training programs. The Office, in its discretion, may adopt rules and minimum standards for advanced training programs for fire protection personnel in addition to the basic training programs. The training for fire protection personnel may be given in any schools approved by the Office. Such training, if offered, may be discontinued by the school upon either a temporary or permanent basis. Local governmental agencies which have elected to participate in the basic training program may elect to participate in the advanced training for fire protection personnel, but non-participation in the advanced program shall not in any way affect the right of governmental agencies to participate in the basic training program. The failure of any permanent fire protection employee to successfully complete any course herein authorized shall not affect his or her status as a member of the fire department of any local governmental agency.

(Source: P.A. 100-600, eff. 1-1-19.)

(50 ILCS 740/12.5)

Sec. 12.5. In-service training; opioid antagonists. The Office shall distribute an in-service training program for fire fighters in the administration of opioid antagonists as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Section 5-23 of the Substance Use Disorder Act that is developed by the Department of Human Services in accordance with that Section. As used in this Section 12.5, the term "fire fighters" includes full-time or part-time fire fighters, but does not include auxiliary, reserve, or volunteer firefighters.

(Source: P.A. 99-480, eff. 9-9-15; 100-759, eff. 1-1-19.)

(50 ILCS 740/12.6)

Sec. 12.6. History of the fire service. The Office shall maintain on its website a link to an educational program or literature for fire fighters in the history of the fire service labor movement. The training shall be completed by each fire fighter. Entities responsible for the training of fire fighters may request that such educational program be presented in person by a statewide organization representing professional union fire fighters in this State. In this Section, "fire fighter" means a fire fighter hired under Division 2.1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, under Section 10-1-7.1 of the Illinois Municipal Code, under Section 16.06b of the Fire Protection District Act, or fire fighters hired by the Chicago Fire Department.

(Source: P.A. 101-252, eff. 8-9-19; 102-115, eff. 1-1-22.)

(50 ILCS 740/13) (from Ch. 85, par. 543)

Sec. 13. Additional powers and duties. In addition to the other powers and duties given to the Office by this Act, the Office:

(1) may employ a Manager of Personnel Standards and Education and other necessary clerical and technical personnel;

(2) may make such reports and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly in regard to fire protection personnel, standards, education, and related topics as it deems proper;

(3) shall report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than March 1 of each year the affairs and activities of the Office for the preceding year.

The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as is required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act.

(Source: P.A. 100-600, eff. 1-1-19; 100-1148, eff. 12-10-18.)

(50 ILCS 740/15) (from Ch. 85, par. 545)

Sec. 15. Short title.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Fire Protection Training Act".

(Source: P.A. 77-1665.)