§ 74-325.1. Council on Firefighter Training.

A.  There is hereby established the Oklahoma Council on Firefighter Training.

B.  The Council shall consist of ten (10) members, three of whom shall be ex officio and nonvoting, as follows:

1.  One member to be appointed by the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association who shall be a member of an Oklahoma fire department representing all members of paid, volunteer and combination fire departments;

2.  One member to be appointed by the Professional Fire Fighters of Oklahoma who shall be a fire union officer, chief officer, or fire service instructor from a full-time paid fire department;

3.  One member to be appointed by the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs’ Association who shall be a chief officer from an Oklahoma career or combination or volunteer fire department;

4.  One member to be appointed by the State Fire Marshal Commission who shall be a representative of the Oklahoma Fire Service with preferred skills in arson investigation or code enforcement;

5.  One member to be appointed by the Oklahoma Rural Fire Coordinators who shall be a chief officer or fire service instructor from a volunteer fire department;

6.  One member to be appointed by the Director of the State Department of Health-Emergency Medical Services Division who shall be a chief officer or fire service EMS instructor from an Oklahoma fire department;

7.  One member to be appointed by the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security who shall be a municipal emergency management official;

8.  The Director of Fire Service Training, Oklahoma State University, ex officio and nonvoting;

9.  The Director of Fire Service Publications, Oklahoma State University, ex officio and nonvoting; and

10.  The Director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education or the Director's designee, ex officio and nonvoting.

C.  The initial term of office for the members of the Council shall be:

1.  Three (3) years for persons appointed pursuant to paragraphs 1 through 3 of subsection B of this section;

2.  Two (2) years for persons appointed pursuant to paragraphs 4 and 5 of subsection B of this section; and

3.  One (1) year for persons appointed pursuant to paragraphs 6 and 7 of subsection B of this section.

D.  After the expiration of the initial terms of office prescribed by subsection C of this section, the term of office for each member of the Council shall be for a period of three (3) years.

E.  Each member of the Council shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority.

F.  Appointments made to fill a vacancy in any position shall be for the period of time remaining for such appointed position and shall be made in the same manner as for the original appointment.  Any vacancy in the Council shall be filled in the same manner as provided for in the original appointment.

G.  The Council shall be responsible for:

1.  Identifying firefighter training needs and setting the firefighter training goals for the State of Oklahoma;

2.  Interacting with the Homeland Security Department’s Preparedness and Awareness Division on firefighter training and grants;

3.  Administering and maintaining the incentive and recognition programs established for Oklahoma firefighters; and

4.  Ensuring that the state has consistent basic and continuing education programs that include steps for all ranks or positions of career and volunteer firefighters, by setting minimum standards for career, recommended levels for volunteer, identifying training programs and courses required for fire service members to achieve those levels.

H.  The Council shall advise the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the State Senate and the Oklahoma State Fire Service on fire and emergency service training needs for the state.  The Council shall submit an annual report or recommendations regarding fire and emergency service training needs to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the State Senate not later than December 31 each year.

I.  After the initial appointments to the Council have been made and at the beginning of each fiscal year thereafter, the Council shall select from among its membership a chairperson and vice-chairperson.  The chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be selected annually at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Board on or after July 1.  Either the current chairperson or current vice-chairperson shall be a current volunteer member of a combination or volunteer fire department.

J.  At least four members of the Council must be present to constitute a quorum at the meetings of the Council.  A simple majority of the members in attendance and voting shall constitute passage of any vote.

K.  The chair of the Council shall recommend to the appointing authority the replacement of any Council member who misses more than two consecutive regular meetings or who attends less than fifty percent (50%) of the Council’s regularly scheduled meetings in a twelve-month period without an excused absence.

L.  The Council may seek federal and private grants where applicable.

M.  The Council shall conduct six meetings annually.  Meetings of the Council shall be held at a location and time to be determined by the chair.  The chair shall have the discretion to cancel or reschedule any regular meeting by written notice within a reasonable time prior to the meeting.  Council members shall be notified of the time and place of all such meetings at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting date.

N.  Special meetings of the Council may be called at the discretion of the chair or by a written request of at least three members of the Council.  An agenda, together with a written notice of the time and place of any such meeting must be provided to the Council members at least seven (7) days in advance.  Only matters contained in the agenda shall be voted on at any special meeting.  The chair shall have the discretion to cancel any special meeting; provided, that such meetings called by the members of the Council are canceled only with their consent.

Added by Laws 2004, c. 515, § 2, eff. July 1, 2004.  Amended by Laws 2012, c. 161, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2012.