Winona Lake Fire Department and other local volunteer fire departments fear new OSHA regulations will force them to shut down. InkFreeNews file photo.

By Madison Hart
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Local fire departments are urging residents to write to OSHA before July 22, citing concerns that newly proposed guidelines will cripple small, rural volunteer fire departments.

OSHA proposed new guidelines for increased safety measures that local firefighters/chiefs are worried they will not be able to comply with due to lack of funding and manpower.

Local fire departments in Milford, Silver Lake, Claypool and Winona Lake have brought these concerns to the town council meetings, urging residents to make their voices heard.

OSHA’s proposed regulations include:

• Preemptive assessments of every business building in their district’s safety hazards should a fire occur.
• Prohibition of new firefighters being present at the scene of a fire, even for observation, before completing 1.5 to 2 years of training.
• Prohibition of worn PPE in the truck cabin, regardless of disinfecting measures.
• A delegated administration position.
• Recurring physical exams and medical observation.
• Additional training hours and certifications.
• Training at facilities with dummies and specific props.
• Fitness center access provided for firefighters.
• Replacing gear more frequently.
  • Personal protective equipment every 10 years
  • Fire engines every 10 years
  • Tires every seven years

Another barrier to compliance is the breadth of regulatory text. The complete proposed OSHA regulations are 600 pages long, and the regulations reference standards ‘incorporated by reference‘ from the National Fire Protection Association, adding 3,000 more pages.

The National Volunteer Fire Council website provides a brief overview of the regulations and concerns.

Costs Associated With Implementing New Regulations

OSHA estimates that implementing these new rules will cost $14,000 for each department, but the National Volunteer Fire Council estimates the cost would be much higher. OSHA also stated that local governments could allot money to help out fire department costs, but local fire departments do not think that will be feasible in all small towns.

According to Kosciusko County Fire Association President Kevin McSherry, to fulfill the requirements of what OSHA is proposing would raise fire department budgets over 200%. McSherry listed $4,000 PPE and $900 tires among some of the expenses.

Winona Lake Fire Department Public Information Officer Mike Cox said that recently WLFD got a new fire engine which was $600,000. If the regulations change to replace fire trucks more frequently, that will mean more needing replaced soon.

Volunteer Fire Departments Could Be Forced To Close

Volunteer fire departments are concerned that they would have to close due to inability to meet these new regulations. That brings safety concerns to small, rural towns and puts a strain on the personnel and finances of paid city fire departments that would have to contract with small towns.

McSherry stated hiring and keeping on good personnel at the fire departments is already challenging, and additional time commitments and financial strain won’t help.

Cox agrees, stating volunteers make up 75-85% of fire departments in the US, and if OSHA gets this through, each of the departments will have to dramatically increase their budget and take more time away from volunteers’ families and careers in order to keep running.

“As dedicated as (the volunteer firefighters) are, if you force them to make a choice between their family and career and the volunteer fire department, the fire department will lose,” said Cox.

McSherry says taxpayers can’t handle increased taxes. He says some fire departments have managed costs by creating fire territories — Syracuse and Turkey Creek Township to form Turkey Creek Fire Territory, North Webster and Tippecanoe Township to form Tippecanoe Township Fire Territory, and Warsaw and Wayne Township to form the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory. All three of these are also the only full-time fire departments in the county. He says that even if small departments go to fire territory models, it would be a huge burden on taxpayers.

In Kosciusko County, there are 15 fire departments, 12 of which are volunteer. According to Cox, township trustees are responsible to ensure all towns have fire protection. If volunteer fire departments close and each town has to contract Warsaw’s, Syracuse’s or North Webster’s fire departments, there will still be an issue with manpower, funding and possibly response times. Cox says that there are supposed to be 16 firefighters at a structure fire, and in order for the paid fire departments to provide salaries, gear, insurance, etc., to enough firefighters, he would guess the cost would approach a million dollars.

How To Write To OSHA And Legislators

“We are asking OSHA to exempt volunteer fire departments and volunteer medical services,” said Cox. “(OSHA’s proposal) really doesn’t fit volunteer services — but also paid services. Their costs would be affected too.”

To write a comment to OSHA, click here and search Docket No. OSHA-2007-0073. This will bring up a list of proposals. Select Emergency Response Standard that includes the docket number. Select the Comment button. Write comments or attach them as a document. The deadline to comment is Monday, July 22.

Be aware that these comments are public. Local fire personnel encourage sharing concerns with OSHA in a polite, constructive way. Here is a summary of concerns provided by McSherry.

“I’d also like to ask people to write to their state and federal representative and ask them to legislate that OSHA can’t regulate volunteer services,” said Cox.

To find your Indiana legislators and their contact information, click here.

Local fire department representatives have sent letters to “anybody who will listen.” McSherry stated that fire chiefs in the county got together a few weeks ago and spoke with State Rep. Craig Snow. Because it’s a federal matter, McSherry says there’s nothing Snow can do at this point, but Snow said he will step in if it goes against the tax levy.

Click here to find the federal legislator of your local branch of the U.S. Department to Labor to contact with concerns about OSHA.