| Summary |
Wildfire Matters Review Committee. Section 1 of the bill
authorizes the Colorado cooperative extension service (extension) to
expand and implement outreach programs and initiatives recommended
by the Colorado forest health council for the purpose of increasing
awareness of and interest in areas of forestry, wildland fire, and natural
resources (forest health) in youth and young adults. The outreach
programs and initiatives may be implemented for the 2025-26 state fiscal
year through the 2027-28 state fiscal year and may include, in part:
•
The expansion of 4-H programs and curricula in forest
health;
•
Partnerships with the forest health industry, local school
districts, higher education institutions, conservation
districts, the Colorado state forest service, the division of
fire prevention and control in the department of public
safety (division), and others to facilitate career and
workforce readiness and entry into forest health careers;
•
Outreach and support to youth and young adults relating to
2- and 4-year programs and certificates in forest health;
•
Industry partnerships and scholarships for forest health
certifications, such as wildland fire or chain saw
certifications;
•
Paid natural resources summer internships focused on
forestry for high school students, including the potential to
earn high school credit for completing the internship; and
•
Paid internships in forest health careers offered by the
extension, with mentoring of young adults by the extension,
Colorado state university, the Colorado state forest service,
and the division.
The bill requires the extension to report annually to the department
of natural resources and the house of representatives agriculture, water,
and natural resources committee and the senate agriculture and natural
resources committee on the implementation and outcomes of the outreach
programs and initiatives.
Section 2 authorizes the division to use money in the local
firefighter safety and disease prevention fund to:
•
Provide need-based grants to fire service governing bodies
and volunteer fire departments for the cost of certain
firefighter certification courses, course materials,
textbooks, instructors, and written testing and to provide
fire instructor I or equivalent certification for instructors
who want to participate in a train-the-trainer program
created by the division;
•
Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a
train-the-trainer program to ensure that all instructors
providing grant-funded certification classes described in
the bill teach a consistent curriculum; and
•
Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a
statewide outreach program to promote fire service careers,
including marketing materials targeted to youth, an online
portal to access career pathways and resources, and
marketing materials that include social media.
|
