OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-6841
AN ACT CONCERNING FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION.
Primary Analyst: RP 4/3/23
Contributing Analyst(s): SB, RDP, DD, NN, MP
Reviewer: ME
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 24 $ FY 25 $
Resources of the General Fund GF -
Appropriation
1 million 1.75 million
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Cost 1.2 million 746,000
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Savings 26,000 26,000
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Potential
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Higher Education Constituent
Units
Tuition Funds -
Revenue Loss
Potential
Significant
Potential
Significant
Public Health, Dept. GF - Cost 188,225 973,921
Public Health, Dept. GF - Cost See Below See Below
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 270,450 323,399
Comptroller GF - Cost See Below See Below
Connecticut Housing Finance
Authority (CHFA)
Resources of
CHFA - Cost
Potential Potential
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 24 $ FY 25 $
Various Municipalities Potential
Revenue
Gain
See Below See Below
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 42.82% of payroll in FY 24. 2023HB-06841-R000370-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 7
All Municipalities Potential
Savings
See Below See Below
All Municipalities Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Explanation
The bill makes numerous changes designed to help recruit and retain
people in firefighting and emergency medical services (EMS) careers,
resulting in a cost to the state of at least $2.6 million in FY 24 and $3.0
million in FY 25 as well as the various other impacts described below.
Section 1 establishes a Fire Service Youth Program Advisory Board
within the Office of State Fire Administrator in the Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection, (DESPP) and requires the
board to distribute $5,000 to each high school and fire department that
adopts its programming. It is expected that at least 24 programs
throughout the state will be eligible to receive these funds in FY 24 and
FY 25, resulting in a cost to the state of at least $120,000 each year. The
board is also required to develop and implement a standard curriculum
for high schools addressing public safety and community services and
a plan for public safety tracks in technical high schools, including
firefighting and EMS certification. Consultant costs and training costs
required to develop and implement the curriculum and tracks are not
expected to exceed $100,000 in FY 24.
Section 1 also results in a potential revenue gain to municipalities of
$5,000 for each fire department and high school that implements the
board's programming.
Section 2 requires DESPP to hire a firefighter recruitment and
training coordinator in each of the state's five emergency preparedness
regions, resulting in a cost of $405,540 in FY 24 and $414,449 in FY 25.
The associated fringe benefits for these positions will result in a cost to
the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) of $152,242 in FY 24 and
$156,048 in FY 25. The starting salary for this position
2
is $71,108, with
2
The salary of the firefighter recruitment and training coordinator is expected to be
comparable with that of a Fire Academy Trainer. 2023HB-06841-R000370-FN.DOCX Page 3 of 7
an associated fringe benefits cost $30,448. There is also an estimated cost
of $50,000 for equipment and training expenses each year.
Section 3 requires the State Fire Administrator to develop facilities to
assist in training and testing for the candidate physical ability test
(CPAT). It is anticipated that five new facilities will be created across the
state and each one will cost a minimum of $76,130 in equipment costs,
resulting in a total one-time cost of $380,650 in FY 24. Such equipment
for CPAT testing includes helmets, gloves, vest weights, weighted
manikins, and machinery designed to mimic fire rescue scenarios.
Maintenance and replacement of damaged equipment is expected to
cost up to $25,000 in each year thereafter.
Section 3 also requires DESPP to hire two program coordinators to
oversee the programming implemented pursuant to section 1, resulting
in a cost to DESPP of $182,832 in FY 24 and $186,903 and a cost to OSC
of $69,725 in FY 24 and $71,468 in FY 25 for associated fringe benefits.
The starting salary for this position
3
is $81,416, with an associated fringe
benefits cost $34,862. There is also an estimated cost of $20,000 for
equipment and training expenses each year
Section 4 requires that a fire service instructor's compensation be
comparable to that of a law enforcement instructor, which may reduce
the compensation that some fire service instructors receive, resulting in
estimated savings of $26,000 to DESPP in FY 24 and FY 25. Currently, all
law enforcement instructors are compensated at an hourly rate of $20,
whereas there are three levels of fire service instructors, with Instructor
I receiving $20 per hour, and Instructor II and Instructor III receiving
hourly rates of $24 and $26, respectively.
This section also requires DESPP to conduct at least three classes at
the state fire school each year, which can result in a potential cost or
potential revenue gain depending on the number of students in each
class. Currently, DESPP conducts two classes per year with attendance
3
The salary of the youth program coordinator and cadet or explorer program
coordinator is expected to be comparable with that of a Lead Fire Academy Trainer. 2023HB-06841-R000370-FN.DOCX Page 4 of 7
ranging from approximately 30 to 70 students. If there are less than
about 55 students enrolled, tuition costs will generally not cover the cost
of running the class. If greater, there is a potential revenue gain from
tuition costs. The costs of running a class range from $285,378 to
$428,619, and the tuition revenue per class can range from $224,550 to
$523,950.
Section 5 requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to
establish a paramedic candidate scholarship program, resulting in a cost
to the agency of $35,079 in FY 24 and $143,822 in FY 25, and a cost of
$15,021 in FY 24 and $61,585 in FY 25 for associated fringe benefits. DPH
costs in FY 24 reflect the salaries of a Health Program Associate (HPA),
and a Health Program Assistant 1, for a quarter of the fiscal year to
implement the paramedic scholarship program. FY 25 costs to DPH
reflect annualized salaries. Section 18 appropriates $750,000 to DPH for
paramedic candidate scholarships in FY 25.
Section 6 prohibits fire departments from denying employment to
lawful resident noncitizens, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or
municipalities.
Section 7 results in potential costs beginning in FY 24 to the
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), from the quasi-
public’s own resources, associated with developing, marketing, and
providing a program of mortgage assistance to uniformed members of
fire departments. Costs for providing such mortgage assistance are not
anticipated to be substantial but would depend on: (1) the number of
firefighters assisted and (2) the type of assistance provided.
CHFA has various existing programs that could help firefighters
purchase a house where they work, including the First Time
Homebuyers Program, the Down Payment Assistance Program, and the
Time to Own Forgivable Down Payment Assistance Program, the latter
two of which are both supported with state bond funding. Given the
low utilization rate of CHFA’s other occupation-specific mortgage
assistance programs, the bill is not anticipated to materially change the 2023HB-06841-R000370-FN.DOCX Page 5 of 7
rate of spending.
4
Sections 8-10 result in a potentially significant revenue loss
beginning in FY 24 to the higher education constituent units, associated
with waiving tuition for certain firefighters and their dependents, along
with particular fire school students. The tuition waivers will be
available to: 1) uniformed members of fire departments who have
served for at least two years in the state, 2) dependent children of
uniformed members of fire departments who have served for at least
five years in the state, and 3) students attending the state fire school who
are enrolled in a program offered together with a community college or
state university that accredits courses in the program.
There are an estimated 26,800 paid and volunteer firefighters in
Connecticut. It is unknown how many individuals will be eligible for
the tuition waivers and take advantage of it, or which constituent unit
they would choose to attend. The scope of the revenue loss will vary
based on the number of waivers and the institution waiving tuition. For
example, 500 additional tuition waivers at UConn results in a revenue
loss of approximately $8.2 million annually while 1,000 additional
community college waivers results in a revenue loss of approximately
$4.2 million annually. To the extent that some of the waiver beneficiaries
enrolling in Connecticut State Universities and Colleges institutions
might not have otherwise attended, these institutions may experience
higher fee and other revenue (e.g., room and board) due to the bill. The
exact number of additional waivers that would occur because of the bill
is unknown, but the revenue loss to the constituent units may be
significant.
4
Out of the 1,610 first mortgages originated through CHFA in 2022, zero were under
the Police Homeownership Program, 17 were under the Teachers Mortgage Assistance
Program, and 12 were under the Military Program. 2023HB-06841-R000370-FN.DOCX Page 6 of 7
Examples of Tuition Waiver Value, FY 24
# of Students UConn CSUs
Community
Colleges
Per-Student Value of
Tuition Waiver, FY 24 16,332 6,470 4,176
100
1,633,200 647,000 417,600
500
8,166,000 3,235,000 2,088,000
1,000
16,332,000 6,470,000 4,176,000
Sections 11-12 may result in start-up costs to the State Comptroller to
establish a volunteer firefighter length of service award program and
trust fund. The State Retirement Commission may contract with a third
party to administer this system. The fund will be used to make
payments towards the administrative costs of the program.
Section 13 may result in significant costs to the State Retirement
Commission in establishing a new tier in the retirement system. The bill
can also result in costs to participating municipalities to the extent of the
employer contributions set by the retirement commission to develop the
new tier in the municipal employees' retirement system.
Section 14 requires the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control
in DESPP to conduct a study on firefighter training, certification, and
benefits, not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact to the state.
Section 15 requires DPH to establish a pilot program by 10/1/23 to
provide emergency services organizations with: (1) equipment capable
of identifying individuals at high risk of cardiac arrest, (2) an early
detection system capable of identifying individuals who are at low risk
of cardiac arrest before such individuals experience critical cardiac
issues, or (3) both such equipment and system. A Senior Healthcare
Technology Consultant is needed, at a cost to DPH of approximately
$75,000 in FY 24, to research and identify what, if any, equipment is 2023HB-06841-R000370-FN.DOCX Page 7 of 7
available to assist emergency services in identifying individuals at high
risk for cardiac arrest and for identifying people at low risk before they
have a critical cardiac event, and the cost of this equipment, which is
currently unknown. A HPA is also needed to work with the consultant
on developing the pilot program. The position will also manage the
program. The cost for HPA salary is $78,146 in FY 24 and $80,099 in FY
25. Associated fringe benefit costs are $33,462 in FY 24 and $34,298 in FY
25.
Section 16 appropriates $500,000 to DESPP in FY 24 and FY 25 to
reduce the cost of attending the state fire school, resulting in the same
cost to the state and potential savings to various municipalities in each
year.
Section 17 appropriates $500,000 to DESPP in FY 24 and FY 25 to
reduce the cost of attending regional fire schools, resulting in the same
cost to the state and potential savings to various municipalities in each
year.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to the number of grants administered,
tuition waivers granted, and inflation.
The appropriations listed in sections 16 through 18 do not continue
beyond FY 25.