The Honorable Michael Moore, Senate Chair
The Honorable Harold Naughton, Jr., House Chair
Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
State House, Boston

Dear Chair Moore, Chair Naughton, and Members of the Committee,

On behalf of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Municipal Association is writing to submit the following comments on several bills that were heard before your Committee on September 24th. We appreciate the Committee’s consideration of local government’s position regarding these bills, which all relate to public safety.

The MMA supports S. 1466, An Act creating the fire station building assistance program. The bill would establish an independent public authority, the Fire Station Building Authority, to assist in the construction of fire stations and facilities. We ask the committee to report this bill out favorably.

The MMA supports H. 2043 and S. 1410, An Act establishing a municipal bulk purchasing program for extractors for fire departments. The purpose of washer extractors is to improve the cleaning of firefighter gear in order to reduce firefighters’ exposure to carcinogens that collect in their clothing. We believe the adoption of this amendment would positively contribute to the wellbeing of municipal firefighters as well as preserve the integrity and increase the longevity of firefighters’ clothing. We ask the committee to report this bill out favorably.

The MMA supports H. 2025, An Act establishing an emergency equipment grant program for firefighters. This bill would authorize the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to make grants to local fire departments for the purpose of upgrading their safety equipment. The bill would also require the promulgation of an annual list of new health and safety devices and technologies for firefighters, and require annual audits of local fire departments relative the recommended equipment. We ask the committee to report this bill out favorably.

The MMA supports S. 1445, An Act providing mental wellness training for police officers. This bill would require the municipal police training commission to develop a mental wellness and suicide prevention training program for its recruit basic training and its in-service training curriculum. The bill would require the two-hour course to include the use of healthy coping skills to manage the stress of policing, and teaches attendees to recognize the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal behaviors. Municipal police would be required to complete the mental wellness and suicide prevention course on an annual basis. We ask the committee to report this bill out favorably.

The MMA opposes H. 2079, An Act pertaining to public fire safety and professionalism. This bill would add a new section to the statute governing fires, fire departments and fire districts, G.L. Chapter 48, to prohibit a person from being appointed fire chief unless the person has been a uniformed member of a firefighting force of a fire department for a minimum of ten years. The MMA opposes this bill because it would limit local flexibility and restrict municipal authority in making appointments. We ask that you not report this bill out of committee, as it represents an unacceptable erosion of local authority to recruit and appoint the most qualified candidates to manage their fire departments and districts.

Thank you very much for your consideration of the municipal perspective and position on these measures. If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me or Senior Legislative Analyst Lisa Adams at 617-426-7272 at any time.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey C. Beckwith
Executive Director & CEO

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