SB 139 AID TO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS  CHAIRMAN MACKIE called the Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee meeting to order at 2:00 p.m., and noted all members were present. He then brought SB 139 before the committee as the first order of business. SENATOR TORGERSON , prime sponsor of SB 139, informed the committee that since the previous hearing on the legislation, his office did extensive research and came up with a proposed committee substitute which will expand the existing state funding program to include volunteer fire departments and EMS groups. Number 050 SENATOR WILKEN moved CSSB 139(CRA) be adopted. Hearing no objection, CHAIRMAN MACKIE stated the motion carried. Number 055 MARY JACKSON , staff to Senator Torgerson, explained the committee substitute takes the program out from under the municipal assistance program and makes it a stand-alone program. When the program is funded, it goes directly to volunteer fire departments and EMS groups in the amounts determined by the funding level appropriated by the Legislature. Also, the title in the committee substitute has been changed reflecting "volunteer services" because the program has been expanded to include EMS services. Both fire and EMS services are limited to communities with a population of 2,500 or under, and EMS is limited to those that provide ambulance services. Both volunteer services have to be certified or registered with the state of Alaska. Number 085 MARK JOHNSON , Chief, Community Health & Emergency Medical Services, Department of Health & Social Services, testifying in support of CSSB 139(CRA), said the department recognizes the difficulties that volunteer agencies across the state face to get appropriately trained and equipped, etc., to the provide these services. He pointed out that the vast majority of the people who are in need of EMS services are not local residents, especially when the service is provided in highway areas, tourist impact areas, or commercial fishing areas. Mr. Johnson directed attention to a document prepared by the department listing ambulance services that transport. He noted the list does not include organized first responder services that don't transport. Number 158 JERRY GENTILE , Division of Fire Prevention, Department of Public Safety, voiced the department's support for CSSB 139(CRA) and stated he would respond to questions from the committee. CHAIRMAN MACKIE asked Mr. Gentile if he thought that with the way this program is laid out it will give a lot more support to the small volunteer departments, and MR. GENTILE answered that he thinks it will have a positive impact on small volunteer departments that presently don't get enough money. Number 172 CHAIRMAN MACKIE commented that currently, when a municipality gets money under municipal assistance or revenue sharing for fire protection services, it doesn't necessarily mean it's passed on to the fire departments, so if this goes to the community specifically for EMS or fire services, then these services should have a little more leverage to make sure they get these funds. Number 195 BILL ROLFZEN , Division of Municipal & Regional Assistance, Department of Community & Regional Affairs, stated the department's support for CSSB 139(CRA). SENATOR DONLEY inquired how this legislation relates to the safe communities funding bill. SENATOR TORGERSON responded that this is a different program than the safe communities program and it wouldn't have an effect on that legislation. Number 236 SENATOR WILKEN moved that CSSB 139(CRA) be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.