§ 580 — Emergency services council

§ 580. Emergency services council. 1. Creation; members. There is\nhereby created in the department of state an emergency services council,\nthe members of which shall be the directors of the office of fire\nprevention and control, the bureau of emergency medical services and the\nstate emergency management office, the superintendent of state police,\nthe commissioner of health, the secretary of state, the director of the\nstate office for the aging and the director of state operations who\nshall be the chairperson unless otherwise appointed by the governor.\nThere shall also be two representatives appointed by the state emergency\nmedical services council, one of whom shall be a representative of\nvolunteer ambulance service and one of whom shall be a representative of\nproprietary ambulance service; two representatives appointed by the fire\nadvisory board, one of which shall be representative of volunteer fire\nservice and one of which shall be representative of paid fire service;\none representative shall be appointed by the disaster preparedness\ncommission; one physician shall be appointed by the state emergency\nmedical advisory committee; one appointment shall be made by the\ngovernor; one appointment shall be made by the temporary president of\nthe senate; and one appointment shall be made by the speaker of the\nassembly.\n 2. The role of the council shall be advisory. The purposes of the\ncouncil shall be to develop and coordinate state emergency services,\nmake recommendations on emergency services policy, and eliminate\nunnecessary duplication of effort in such a way as to ensure the\nprovision of efficient and effective delivery of such services. The\ncouncil shall adopt a mission statement consistent with the intent of\nthis legislation and which shall affirm the council's commitment to\nfostering improved communication, coordination and cooperation among law\nenforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services and disaster\npreparedness agencies.\n 3. Powers and duties. The members of the council shall receive no\ncompensation for their services but shall be allowed actual and\nnecessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The\ncouncil may request and shall receive from any department, board,\nbureau, commission, office, agency or other instrumentality of the\nstate, such facilities, assistance and data as it deems necessary or\ndesirable for the proper execution of its powers and duties. The council\nshall meet at least quarterly and report annually no later then\nSeptember thirtieth of each year. However should the need arise the\ncouncil may submit incremental reports as deemed necessary. Such reports\nshall be submitted to the governor, the temporary president of the\nsenate, the chairperson of the senate finance committee, the speaker of\nthe assembly, and the chairperson of the assembly ways and means\ncommittee. The council shall have the power to hold public hearings and\nsolicit testimony on any matter it deems relative to carrying out its\nmission. The council shall have the power to make non-binding\nrecommendations concerning existing and/or future policy, rules and\nregulations and have the ability to take up for consideration\nrecommendations submitted by either public or private entities. The\ncouncil may have the ability to advise the governor, legislature, state\nagencies and entities, and localities on issues relating to and\neffecting the coordination and enhancement of emergency response, and\npublic health and safety. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to\nsupersede any established authority, duty and power established by local\nlaw, state law or regulation, or otherwise granted to any agency, body\nor entity.\n