Bill > SB1110

This bill, titled the "Rescue Squad Recognition Act," establishes a framework for recognizing and regulating rescue squads in Tennessee. It defines a "rescue squad" as a municipal, county, or nonprofit entity providing emergency response services in at least four specific disciplines like rope rescue, floodwater rescue, or confined space rescue, and sets qualifications for nonprofit organizations, requiring a majority of their team to meet national standards and volunteer their services. The act mandates that all rescue squads must be recognized by the State Fire Marshal's office, which will develop standards and qualifications for their operation, though the State Fire Marshal will not oversee funding for squads chartered before July 1, 2026. To gain recognition, rescue squads must apply to the State Fire Marshal, pay a small fee, and obtain approval from their local elected governing body, with recognition certificates valid for three years and requiring renewal. The bill also outlines procedures for non-renewal, revocation, or suspension of recognition, requires rescue squads to report emergency responses, and provides an exemption process for existing chartered rescue squads that may not yet meet all new definition requirements, allowing them to apply for recognition if their charter is active before July 1, 2026. Violations of this act are classified as a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a $50 fine.