ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

House: LARA DP 5-2-0-2 | APPROP DPA 11-4-3-0

HB 2456: appropriation; fire incident management grants..

Sponsor: Representative Marshall, LD 7

Caucus & COW

Overview

Appropriates $6,500,000 to the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) for a Fire Incident Management Grant Program (Grant Program) from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2026.

History

The Fire Incident Management Fund (Fund), administered by ADOA, was established to provide grants to municipal fire departments and fire districts for hardware and software that:

1) enables the statewide deployment of a secure incident management platform to fire and law enforcement agencies;

2) provides a standardized incident command and management platform based on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards that enable diverse incident management and support entities to work together; and

3) provide a collaboration and communications solutions (Laws 2023, Ch. 138).

The General Appropriations Act appropriated the following one-time monies to ADOA for fire incident management system grants:

1) $6,100,000 in FY 2023; and

2) $12,200,000 in FY 2024 (Laws 2022, Ch. 313 and Laws 2023, Ch. 133).

Provisions

1. Appropriates $6,500,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to ADOA for a Grant Program. (Sec. 1)

2. Prohibits ADOA from using more than $250,000 to administer the Grant Program, including conducting audits of grant recipients. (Sec. 1)

3. Requires the remaining monies be use towards providing grants to municipal fire departments and fire districts for hardware and software that:

a) enable the statewide deployment of a secure incident management platform to fire and law enforcement agencies;

b) provide a standardized incident command and management platform based on FEMA standards that enable diverse incident management and support entities to work together; and

c) provide a collaboration and communications solution. (Sec. 1)

4. States a standardized incident command and management platform must ensure:

a) a clearly defined chain of command;

b) the use of common terminology;

c) the safety of first responders and others;

d) the achievement of response objectives; and

e) the efficient use of resources. (Sec. 1)

5. Requires a collaboration and communications solution to:

a) identify the location, status and assignment of assigned resources;

b) allow status updates, tracking and management of an incident;

c) allow secure messaging and file sharing to all users involved in an incident;

d) allow the sharing of collaborative maps, building floor plans and images between public safety agencies;

e) allow collaboration and information sharing between disparate agencies during a mass casualty incident;

f) define a FEMA or National Incident Management Systems based organizational structure for the management of incidents;

g) provide the ability to print standard integrated computer solutions forms for tracking and cost reimbursement;

h) provide enhanced telemetry-based firefighter safety monitoring;

i) work in areas without internet access in a disconnected mode;

j) provide a seamless and connected platform for notification, response and rostering;

k) provide cross platform functionality; and

l) provides a smartphone-based application for notification, accountability and situational awareness. (Sec. 1)

6. Allows each fire district or municipal fire department in Arizona to submit a grant request to ADOA for the costs of the secure incident management system. (Sec. 1)

7. Instructs ADOA to award grants on a first-come, first-served basis. (Sec. 1)

8. Requires awarded grants to fully fund the costs of the secure incident management system for each municipal fire department or fire district for three years. (Sec. 1)

Amendments

Committee on Appropriations

1. Lowers the appropriation from $6,500,000 to $2,000,000.

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5. HB 2456

6. Initials BSR Page 0 Caucus & COW

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