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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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An act relating to qualifications for county emergency 2
management directors; amending s. 252.38, F.S.; 3
requiring county emergency management directors to 4
meet specified qualifications; requiring such 5
directors to meet such qualifications by a specified 6
date; providing an effective date. 7
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 9
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Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 11
252.38, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 12
252.38 Emergency management powers of political 13
subdivisions.—Safeguarding the life and property of its citizens 14
is an innate responsibility of the governing body of each 15
political subdivision of the state. 16
(1) COUNTIES.— 17
(b)1. Each county emergency management agency created and 18
established pursuant to ss. 252.31 -252.90 shall have a director. 19
The director must meet the following minimum training and 20
education qualifications : 21
a. Fifty hours of training in business or public 22
administration, business or public management, or emergency 23
management or preparedness. A bachelor's degree may be 24
substituted for this training requirement. 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
b. Four years of verifiable experience in comprehensive 26
emergency management services that includes improving 27
preparedness for emergency and disaster protection, prevention, 28
mitigation, response, and recovery, with direct supervisory 29
responsibility for responding to at least 1 emergency or 30
disaster. 31
(I) A master's degree in emer gency preparedness or 32
management, business or public administration, communications, 33
finance, homeland security, public health, criminal justice, 34
meteorology, or environmental science may be substituted for 2 35
of the years of experience required in this sub -subparagraph but 36
not for the required supervisory experience. 37
(II) A valid accreditation as a Certified Master Exercise 38
Practitioner through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 39
Certified Emergency Manager through the International 40
Association of Emergency Managers, or Florida Professional 41
Emergency Manager through the Florida Emergency Preparedness 42
Association may be substituted for the requirements of this sub -43
subparagraph. A certification used as a substitution for the 44
requirements of this sub -subparagraph must be currently 45
maintained in good standing at all times until the actual time 46
and experience requirements satisfying this sub -subparagraph are 47
met by the appointee. 48
c. Completion of 150 hours in comprehensive emergency 49
management training pr ovided through or approved by the Federal 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Emergency Management Agency or its successor, including 51
completion of the following National Incident Management System 52
courses, or equivalent courses established by the Federal 53
Emergency Management Agency through the Emergency Management 54
Institute: 55
(I) ICS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System; 56
(II) ICS-200: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action 57
Incidents; 58
(III) ICS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents; 59
(IV) ICS-400: Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff; 60
(V) IS-700: National Incident Management System, An 61
Introduction; and 62
(VI) IS-800: National Response Framework, An Introduction. 63
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All training required by this sub -subparagraph must have been 65
completed no earlier than the 10 years preceding the date of 66
appointment, regardless of whether it is an initial appointment 67
or reappointment. 68
d. A valid driver license. If the license is not a Florida 69
driver license, the director must obtain a Florida driver 70
license within 30 days after being appointed as director. 71
2. established in a job description approved by the 72
county. The director shall be appointed by the board of county 73
commissioners or the chief administrative officer of the county, 74
as described in chapter 125 or the coun ty charter, if 75
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
applicable, to serve at the pleasure of the appointing 76
authority, in conformance with applicable resolutions, 77
ordinances, and laws. 78
3. A county constitutional officer, or an employee of a 79
county constitutional officer, may be appointed as director 80
following prior notification to the division. 81
4. Each board of county commissioners shall promptly 82
inform the division of the appointment of the director and other 83
personnel. 84
5. Each director has direct responsibility for the 85
organization, administration, and operation of the county 86
emergency management agency. The director shall coordinate 87
emergency management activities, services, and programs within 88
the county and shall serve as liaison to the division and other 89
local emergency management ag encies and organizations. 90
Section 2. A county emergency management director who does 91
not satisfy the training or certification requirements of 92
section 1 of this act as of July 1, 2024, shall have until June 93
30, 2026, to complete such requirements. 94
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 95