S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8750
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
June 5, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CHRISTENSEN, JAFFEE, FIELDS, LUPARDO, ORTIZ --
Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, GABRYSZAK, MAGEE, McENENY, REILLY
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to defining
search and rescue teams to include voluntary and municipal search and
rescue teams
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new
section 209-ff to read as follows:
S 209-FF. SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS AND WORKERS. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
CHAPTER:
1. "SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM" MEANS ONLY A VOLUNTARY OR MUNICIPAL
WILDERNESS/INLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM WHOSE MEMBERS SHALL HAVE
OBTAINED THE MINIMUM LEVEL OF TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE TO MEET QUALIFYING
STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION'S
OFFICE OF PUBLIC PROTECTION; INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF NEW YORK
STATE; FORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOCATING AND RESCUING, OR RECOVERING, A
KNOWN INDIVIDUAL OR KNOWN INDIVIDUALS, IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION, WHOSE
SAFETY MAY BE THREATENED BY CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT OR
OTHER FACTORS; AND WHICH IS OPERATING NOT FOR PECUNIARY PROFIT OR FINAN-
CIAL GAIN.
2. "VOLUNTEER SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM WORKER" MEANS AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
MEMBER OF A SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM AS SPECIFIED ON A LIST REGULARLY
MAINTAINED BY THE TEAM.
S 2. Subdivision 4 of section 209-bb of the general municipal law, as
amended by chapter 482 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as
follows:
4. For the purposes of this section, "specialized teams" shall mean
any emergency team or squad composed of volunteer firefighters, volun-
teer ambulance workers, VOLUNTEER SEARCH AND RESCUE WORKERS or municipal
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05500-03-9
A. 8750 2
employees, who shall have attained the minimum level of training or
experience to meet qualifying standards established by the office of
fire prevention and control, and which is administered by the state, a
county, city or town for the purposes of training for or responding to a
man made or natural disaster by carrying out any activities which are
within the relevant training and expertise of such municipal employees
or are authorized pursuant to the volunteer firefighters' benefit law or
the volunteer ambulance workers' benefit law but which are not normally
provided by such entities.
S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.