KRS 39F.120: Requirements for rescue grant funding -- Written standard operating

procedures -- Bylaws -- Rescue vehicle -- Membership -- Training -- Affiliation

-- Service fee prohibited.

In order to ensure that rescue squads seeking funding under the rescue grant program

achieve and maintain compliance with the provisions of this chapter, the following

requirements shall be met:

(1) Each rescue squad shall develop written bylaws to specify as a minimum:

(a) The mission of the rescue squad.

(b) The election or appointment, succession, and term of officers.

(c) Financial accounting and property accountability.

(d) Administrative procedures.

(e) Definition of active membership in the squad.

(2) Each rescue squad shall develop written standard operating procedures whic h

specify as a minimum:

(a) Procedures and rules for notification and response to emergencies.

(b) Procedures for all operations and response activities of the squad in

accordance with the mission statement.

(3) A current copy of the bylaws and a current c opy of all standard operating

procedures shall be sent by the squad to the division. Amendments to the bylaws

and standard operating procedures shall be sent to the division within ten (10)

working days of their adoption. The division shall maintain a file of rescue squad

bylaws and standard operating procedures. These files shall be public records.

Copies of the bylaws and standard operating procedures of the squad, updated as

required in this subsection, shall also be sent concurrently to the local emerge ncy

management director.

(4) Each rescue squad shall have a vehicle dedicated solely to rescue service. The

make, model, year, vehicle identification number, and license number of each

vehicle used by the squad solely for rescue service shall be supplied t o the local

emergency management director and to the division. When a new vehicle is put in

service, or a vehicle is withdrawn from service, both the local director and the

division shall be notified within ten (10) working days.

(5) A minimum of twelve (1 2) persons shall be identified by name as active members

of the rescue squad.

(6) The active membership list of the rescue squad sha ll be submitted quarterly to the

division through the area manager with a copy of the same list submitted

concurrently to the local emergency management director.

(7) The active membership list shall be continuously maintained in an accurate and

current status by the rescue squad, and shall be available for inspection by state and

local government officials, employees, and the public.

(8) Rescue squads shall maintain a formal training program appropriate to accomplish

the mission of the rescue squad.

(a) The training program shall consist of not less than two (2) hours of formal

training per month. Actual rescue missions shall not constitute training.

(b) To be eligible for continued funding, each squad shall report not less than one

hundred sixty -eight (168 ) man -hours of training for its members annually.

This training shall be reported on the incident and training reports submitted

pursuant to this chapter.

(c) Training at a rescue school provided by an emergency management agency or

other appropriate train ing may be utilized to meet the requirements of

subsection (2)(b) of this section.

(9) Rescue squads shall be formally affiliated with the local disaster and emergency

services organization through the following means:

(a) Execution of a city or county ord er or ordinance, the adoption of a written

search and rescue plan pursuant to KRS 39F.190, and the promulgation of a

written statement of affiliation as the local charter of authorization signed by

the county judge/executive or mayor, the local emergency m anagement

director, and the chief rescue officer outlining a specific working agreement.

The statement of affiliation shall be subject to annual renewal. No statement

of affiliation shall be subject to automatic renewal; it shall be an affirmative

process. The document shall include, as a minimum, call out authority, chain

of command, the responsibilities of each concerned party, terms and

conditions of the local charter of authorization to operate in the jurisdiction,

and procedures for revocation of the l ocal charter, and shall be reviewed by

the chief elected official of the government signing it and the local director.

Both shall certify, if signing the document, that they have reviewed the

mission statement of the rescue squad and the statement of affil iation and that

they find that the rescue squad possesses:

1. Adequate numbers of trained personnel to perform the mission;

2. Proper and adequate equipment, including at least all of the required

equipment specified by administrative regulations of the di vision, to

perform the mission, and that the equipment is in proper working order;

3. A rescue vehicle, dedicated solely to rescue purposes, which is adequate

to perform the mission of the squad, and is in proper working order; and

4. Adequate command and control personnel, training, and policies to

ensure that the squad can quickly and efficiently respond and perform its

mission when called upon.

(b) Incorporation, into the statement of affiliation, of a finding by the chief elected

official and the local director that, following review of the mission statement

of the rescue squad and the statement of affiliation, the rescue squad is

performing a function not performed by other agencies of government or

private agencies or organizations. If other organizati ons are performing

functions which are listed on the mission statement of the rescue squad, then

the statement shall contain reasons why duplication of existing services of

other organizations by the rescue squad is necessary; and

(c) Incorporation of the responsibilities of the rescue squad into the rescue

services annex of the local emergency operations plan or other appropriate

annex.

(10) If either the chief elected official or the local director declines to sign the statement

of affiliation provided for in subsection (9) of this section, the rescue squad shall be

without local charter and shall return to the division all equipment purchased with

state funds. This return of equipment shall take place within five (5) days of the

refusal of either designee to sign the statement of affiliation. Neither the chief

elected official nor the local director shall be required to state a reason why they

sign or decline to sign a statement of affiliation.

(11) When a rescue squad is not independent, but is incorporated within other emergency

service agencies or divisions, such as a fire department or fire division, the squad

members shall be available for and capable of performing rescue services not

incidental to their primary mission.

(12) Rescue squads shall mainta in a full complement of minimum equipment

appropriate to the type of rescue to be undertaken. Minimum equipment lists and

other requirements for rescue squads shall be promulgated by the director by

administrative regulation.

(13) Rescue squads shall not assess fees or charges for any rescue activity.