Firefighter Protection: New Rules for Training Cancellations and Reimbursements
The FLAME Act introduces new rules for canceling firefighter training, ensuring that Congress and firefighters themselves are notified in advance of large-scale cancellations. Crucially, the act also provides for reimbursement of expenses incurred by fire departments due to canceled training, protecting their budgets and ability to maintain readiness.
Key points
Mandates 60-day notice to Congress before large-scale firefighter training cancellations, increasing transparency and oversight.
Ensures firefighters and their chiefs are informed of training cancellations with adequate notice (45 days before start date), allowing for better planning.
Establishes a mechanism for reimbursing fire departments for incurred expenses (e.g., travel, backfill) if training is canceled without good cause, protecting their finances.
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the impact of training cancellations on fire department preparedness for national emergencies.
Introduced
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