Protecting Arkansas Volunteer Fire Departments

Across The Natural State, selfless men and women protect their communities from danger through service with local, volunteer fire departments. They deserve our thanks and support, particularly at a time when their ability to carry out that work is under threat.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently proposed a rule that would impose unnecessary and, frankly, debilitating regulations on Arkansas’s volunteer fire departments, search and rescue units, and emergency medical services providers.

Deeply concerned about the implications of this proposal, emergency personnel from across the state have engaged with my office to express their dismay and worries. Through these discussions, we’ve gained greater insight into the noble services and support they provide to their fellow Arkansans, and the harmful impact this mandate could have throughout our state.

These requirements mandated by OSHA could force many fire stations, particularly those in rural areas that are mainly staffed with selfless and brave volunteers, to close their doors, eliminating services vital to the survival and safety of these communities.

The current proposal would require all fire stations and other emergency response centers, regardless of their resources, to meet impractical standards. Fire departments will face constraints such as using trucks no older than fifteen years regardless of feasibility and availability considerations, costly medical examinations, and time-consuming and expensive facility assessments.

Out of Arkansas’s 1,003 fire departments, 974 are at least partially staffed by volunteers. It is these volunteer-based departments, already operating on tight budgets, that will struggle the most to comply with OSHA’s new standards.

OSHA estimates these new regulations will cost fire departments $15,000. Given the breadth of the requirements, that figure seems highly unrealistic and doesn’t account for the likely unintended consequences, including the need for in-house lawyers and compliance staff necessary to implement the 250-page rule. It is easy to understand why our local leaders and volunteer fire services view this rule as daunting and unworkable.

While I appreciate OSHA’s efforts to ensure the safety and effectiveness of our emergency services personnel, this is another example of a blanket federal regulation that does more harm than good. It jeopardizes the safety of small communities across Arkansas and our country by decimating local fire station staff and potentially leaving them without adequate systems for protection and mitigation.

I understand the importance of local volunteer fire departments to Arkansans. In many cases, they are the backbone of our rural communities, composed of courageous volunteers who take great pride and responsibility in serving their fellow citizens. Without them, our communities face greater fire risks, leading to widespread safety concerns and higher home insurance premiums for everyday Arkansans.

Needlessly threatening to eliminate these long-standing community institutions is not only sad, but unwise.

That’s why I was proud to join the rest of Arkansas’s congressional delegation, led by Congressman Rick Crawford, in denouncing OSHA’s new rule and requesting its immediate rescission. We will continue working to protect our volunteer fire departments and the important mission they fulfill for communities in every corner of our state.