A. The purpose of Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training (OSU FST) shall be to develop, deliver, support and evaluate training, education and professional certification programs for fire service in this state to ensure emergency responders may safely and successfully perform their duties.

B. OSU FST shall:

1. Deliver and support training and education programs for fire service and other emergency responders in this state to meet local and state needs by:

a.collaborating with technology center schools and other training providers to ensure training, training support and support of certification testing are readily available to all areas of the state to accomplish the State Fire Marshal Commission annual state training plan and regional training plans which are voluntarily developed and adopted, and

b.collaborating with technology center schools and other training providers to develop and maintain a database of available instructors to teach fire and emergency responder topics. The database shall be maintained on the OSU FST website and made available to other training providers;

2. Collaborate with the State Fire Marshal Commission on efforts which shall include, but not be limited to, participation in the activities of the State Fire Marshal Commission training task force and initiatives intended to accomplish the State Fire Marshal Commission firefighter training goals and the state-specific standards certification program;

3. Develop or adopt and disseminate curriculum and instructional materials to fire departments and training providers consistent with state and federal statutory requirements for classes, courses and programs for delivery to fire service in this state, with every effort being made to provide the curriculum and materials at minimal or no cost. Unless required by state or federal regulations, selection, adoption and/or use of the OSU-FST-disseminated curriculum and training materials or instructors shall be at the discretion of each training provider or local fire department;

4. Maintain and make available by electronic means, in a manner consistent with state and federal regulations, to the State Fire Marshal Commission, fire chiefs, training officers and other agencies as required by law, as requested, all training and certification records of Oklahoma firefighters who participate in training sponsored by OSU FST or records provided to OSU FST by local fire departments or other training agencies. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to state and federal wild-land fire agencies;

5. Develop, administer and evaluate an accredited certification program available to all firefighters and other emergency responders based on National Fire Protection Association standards and/or state and federal standards. The program shall:

a.be accredited through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and/or the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications at levels deemed beneficial to fire service in this state,

b.provide for dissemination to recognized certification partners and posting to the OSU FST's website a list of qualified proctors and evaluators for use during OSU FST certification events,

c.develop, as requested, special certifications based on state-specific standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal Commission or other state agencies that are designed for emergency responders in this state, which may not be accredited,

d.maintain certification records and disseminate certifications of State-Fire-Marshal-Commission-adopted or -approved Oklahoma state-specific certifications. The certifications may be jointly labeled as the State Fire Marshal Commission, OSU FST, the Oklahoma Career and Technology Education System or other State-Fire-Marshal-Commission-approved training providers administering state-specific certifications,

e.ensure that the Oklahoma state-specific certifications shall not duplicate certifications accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress or the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications, or titles of certification levels listed in the National Fire Protection Association professional qualifications standards, and

f.when requested by an Oklahoma fire department or state agency, facilitate delivery of International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications accredited certification processes which are not currently available through OSU FST; and

6. Fulfill any other statutory requirements set forth by the Legislature.

C. OSU FST shall be the Oklahoma state government representative to the United States Fire Administration's National Fire Academy and shall be responsible for delivering and disseminating training courses provided by, or made available through, the National Fire Academy.

D. Beginning September 15, 2014, and continuing on September 15 every following year, OSU FST shall submit an annual report regarding its programs, activity and accomplishments to the Chair of the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, the President of Oklahoma State University and the Dean of the Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.

E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to divert funding from one entity to another. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit, preclude or exempt an organization, agency or local department from delivery of training; development, adoption or dissemination of training curriculum or materials; participation in a State Fire Marshal Commission certification program based on an Oklahoma state-specific standard adopted or approved by the State Fire Marshal Commission; or issuance of a certificate of completion of training.

Added by Laws 2013, c. 220, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013. Amended by Laws 2017, c. 232, § 5, eff. July 1, 2017.