CMN - 3/8/2025 09:05

From watching local news casts, reading my local town newspaper, and engaging in conversation with friends who are volunteer firefighters and city council members, it appears that new, soon to enacted/enforced OSHA regulations are a major concern for our local volunteer MN fire departments.

My town cannot afford $4.5 million in mandatory upgrades of perfectly good, well-maintained trucks and other equipment. We just bought a really nice/ low hour, new to the local department ladder/pumper truck that would not meet the new OSHA regulations due to age...so much for the used fire truck market.

My three closest local volunteer fire departments are well run IMO, and although more funding is always wanted and is always better, judging by new and used vehicles recently purchased, other new equipment recently purchased, new fire barns recently built, and by the number of people playing pull tabs and participating in meat raffles at local restaurants/bars, our local volunteer fire departments appear to be adequately...but far from overly funded to service my area.

With all that being typed, our local volunteer fire departments have recently drafted/sent official letters to all of our MN Federal lawmakers explaining how being forced to comply with the new overreaching OSHA regulations will be a major administrative and financial burden that most all rural MN volunteer fire departments will not be able to bear.

Judging by what you post on this forum about how your volunteer fire department is managed/funded Tommy, and knowing how my local volunteer fire departments are managed/funded, there is no way your local department will be able to comply with the soon to be enacted/enforced OSHA regulations.

If my local MN fire departments are all writing letters, I highly suggest you and your rural TX volunteer fire department start drafting/sending official letters to your TX Federal lawmakers Tommy.

https://kstp.com/5-investigates/minnesota-fire-departments-worry-how...

Fire departments across the country are bracing for big changes to federal safety standards that are intended to keep firefighters safe on the job.

But in Minnesota, there’s growing concern that red tape could break the budgets of hundreds of small, volunteer fire departments and ultimately increase the time it takes crews to respond in an emergency.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, published a 250-page draft of the regulations last year. The document details mandatory equipment upgrades, training requirements and administrative duties.

When Cokato City Council member Kevin Wilson heard about the proposed changes, he did some quick, back-of-the-napkin math.

It would cost the city at least $4.5 million to replace the fire engines and other vehicles that would be expired under the proposed standards, a figure that eclipses the annual budget for the entire city.

“That’s just the trucks,” Wilson said during an interview with 5 INVESTIGATES. “Per firefighter, we’re probably looking at about $40,000 a year with equipment and the amount of training and everything else. And we just don’t have that budget.”

AI overview...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn't usually cover volunteer firefighters unless they are paid and considered employees. However, new OSHA regulations are raising concerns for volunteer fire departments across Minnesota.

Explanation
The proposed changes to the Fire Brigade Standard are now called the Emergency Response Standard.
The new regulations are raising concerns about the ability of volunteer fire departments to comply with the strict requirements.
Some fire departments are worried that the mandates will cost money and manpower.
Some are concerned that the proposed regulations could force even smaller departments to shut down entirely.

ETA...Links to the 250 page OSHA document of concern. https://www.regulations.gov/document/OSHA-2007-0073-2883 file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/OSHA-2007-0073-2883_content.pdf