(a) Creation.--
(1) There is created the State Fire Advisory Board to assist the commissioner. The board shall consist of the following members:
(i) The commissioner, who shall serve as chairperson.
(ii) The President of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association or a designee.
(iii) The President of the Pennsylvania Career Fire Chiefs Association or a designee.
(iv) The President of the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute or a designee.
(v) Ten firefighters appointed by the Governor, to whom the following shall apply:
(A) One member shall be the President, or designee of the President, of the International Association of Firefighters in a fire company in a city of the first class, second class or third class with a population of at least 115,000 based on the most recent census, so long as the fire company is not a member of the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association.
(B) Except for the member under clause (A), the following apply:
(I) One member shall be a certified fire service instructor.
(II) Members shall be:
(a) current members of a fire company or currently serving or have served within the past five years as a chief officer or administrative officer of a fire company; and
(b) certified as Firefighter I or its equivalent.
(III) One member shall be selected from each of the following regions:
(a) Region 1 - Crawford, Erie, Forest, Venango and Warren Counties.
(b) Region 2 - Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland Counties.
(c) Region 3 - Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Counties.
(d) Region 4 - Bedford, Blair, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Snyder Counties.
(e) Region 5 - Bradford, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, Sullivan, Tioga and Union Counties.
(f) Region 6 - Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties.
(g) Region 7 - Berks, Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Wyoming Counties.
(h) Region 8 - Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne Counties.
(i) Region 9 - Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties.
(2) Members of the board shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority.
(3) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives, or their designees, shall serve as nonvoting members of the board.
(4) The Governor shall appoint the following as nonvoting members of the board:
(i) The director of the agency.
(ii) The Director of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health.
(iii) Representatives of the following:
(A) The Pennsylvania Association of Hazardous Materials Technicians.
(B) The Pennsylvania Association of Fire Equipment Distributors.
(C) The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.
(D) The Pennsylvania Municipal League.
(E) The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners.
(F) The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.
(G) The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs.
(H) The Pennsylvania Association of Councils of Governments.
(I) Trade associations.
(J) Fire equipment and apparatus vendors.
(K) Members of the public.
(5) Members of the board initially appointed by the Governor under paragraph (1)(v) shall serve an initial term of two years as designated by the Governor at the time of appointment. Upon the expiration of the initial term of office of each member of the board as appointed under paragraph (1)(v), the member shall hold office for a term of four years and may continue to hold office for a period of time not to exceed six months or until a successor is appointed and qualified, whichever occurs first. Upon the death, resignation or removal from office of any person so appointed, the Governor shall appoint a competent person to serve for the unexpired term.
(6) Upon the completion of a member's term who was appointed under paragraph (1)(v)(A), the Governor shall not appoint the succeeding member from the same class of city as the previous two outgoing members.
(b) Expenses.--Members of the board shall receive reimbursement for reasonable travel and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with Commonwealth regulations.
(c) Meetings.--The board shall meet at least quarterly or at the times and places as called upon by the commissioner. All meetings of the board shall comply with 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
(d) Duties.--The board shall advise the commissioner on matters pertaining to the following:
(1) Legislation.
(2) Innovative programming.
(3) Standards of cover for municipalities.
(4) Operation of the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
(5) Any other matters as the commissioner may request or as directed by the General Assembly.