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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating a database of the firefighting equipment in |
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the state available for use in responding to wildfires. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 88, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 88.1255 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 88.1255. STATEWIDE DATABASE OF FIREFIGHTING |
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EQUIPMENT. (a) In this section, "fire department" means: |
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(1) a volunteer fire department; or |
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(2) a department of a municipality, county, or special |
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district or authority that provides firefighting services. |
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(b) The Texas Forest Service shall create and maintain a |
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comprehensive database that shows in real time the statewide |
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inventory of firefighting equipment that is available for use in |
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responding to wildfires. |
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(c) The database must: |
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(1) include a description of the type of firefighting |
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equipment each fire department in the state has available for use in |
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responding to wildfires; |
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(2) include contact information for the fire |
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department that has the equipment; |
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(3) be searchable by location and equipment type; and |
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(4) be accessible by all fire departments in the state |
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and allow each fire department to update the information in the |
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database regarding the equipment the fire department has available. |
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(d) The Texas Forest Service shall assist a fire department |
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that provides equipment information to the database in updating the |
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database annually or as soon as practicable after any change in the |
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availability of the department's firefighting equipment. The Texas |
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Forest Service shall use an electronic notification system to |
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remind fire departments, at least once each calendar year, to |
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update the availability of the department's firefighting |
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equipment. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |