U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, along with a bipartisan group of senators, is urging the federal Department of Labor to exempt financially struggling volunteer fire departments from costly federal regulations proposed by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The regulations would impact firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, and technical search and rescue operations.
In Kansas, where nearly 80% of fire departments rely on volunteers, the impact of these regulations would be significant. Moran and the other senators argue that these regulations would place unnecessary burdens on volunteer departments, many of whom would struggle to afford replacing equipment and complying with new training and health care requirements.
The proposed regulations aim to replace outdated, hazard-specific standards with more comprehensive rules to address the various hazards faced by emergency responders. However, the International Association of Fire Fighters warns that the cost of compliance could strain already tight budgets for volunteer fire departments. Departments with 240 to 600 responders could see annual expenditures increase by up to 10%, while smaller departments with fewer than 70 responders could face a 46% increase in annual budgets.
The senators and advocacy groups are calling for flexibility in the regulations to protect volunteer firefighters and ensure they can continue to serve their communities effectively without being burdened by impracticable requirements. The Department of Labor has stressed the importance of providing updated protections for emergency responders to align with industry practices, but the impact on volunteer fire departments remains a significant concern.
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