Senate File 2086 - Enrolled Senate File 2086 AN ACT AUTHORIZING SCHOOLS TO OFFER AN ELECTIVE JUNIOR FIRE FIGHTER PROGRAM TO STUDENTS ENROLLED IN GRADES ELEVEN AND TWELVE. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: Section 1. Section 100B.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraph: NEW PARAGRAPH . r. (1) Allow a student who has successfully completed the elective junior fire fighter program described in section 280.37, submitted all necessary certification registration and local verification forms, and paid all applicable registration fees to sit for certification testing for firefighter I certification.

Senate File 2086, p. 2 (2) If a student attains passing scores on all examinations necessary for firefighter I certification prior to the date the student becomes eighteen years of age, then the administrator shall not issue firefighter I certification to the student until the student becomes eighteen years of age. Sec. 2. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraph: NEW PARAGRAPH . 0w. Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering an elective junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades eleven and twelve in the same manner as a school district. Sec. 3. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraph: NEW PARAGRAPH . v. Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering an elective junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades eleven and twelve in the same manner as a school district. Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 280.37 Junior fire fighter program. 1. a. The board of directors of each school district and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school may offer to students enrolled in grades eleven and twelve an elective junior fire fighter program subject to the requirements established in this section. b. Prior to offering an elective junior fire fighter program, the board of directors of the school district or the authorities in charge of the accredited nonpublic school must enter into an agreement with the local fire department that will be responsible for providing students participating in the program with appropriate materials and skills training that describes all of the following: (1) How students participating in the program will be supervised. (2) Activities in which students participating in the program may participate. (3) Activities in which students participating in the program are prohibited from participating. (4) The school district’s or accredited nonpublic school’s responsibilities related to providing medical and liability insurance coverage for all students participating in the

Senate File 2086, p. 3 program. 2. a. The elective junior fire fighter program must be taught by fire service training bureau personnel, or an instructor who has been approved by the fire service training bureau, using curriculum that has been approved by the fire service training bureau. b. The procedure for background investigations and termination established in section 279.69 shall apply to fire service training bureau personnel, and instructors who have been approved by the fire service training bureau, who provide instruction as part of the elective junior fire fighter program. 3. If the board of directors of a school district or the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school offer the elective junior fire fighter program, then the board of directors of the school district or the authorities in charge of the accredited nonpublic school shall coordinate with a local fire department to ensure students are provided with the appropriate materials and training to successfully complete all components necessary for fire fighter I certification, including the written certification examination and the practical certification examination. 4. The elective junior fire fighter program must satisfy all of the following requirements: a. Be designed to prepare students to sit for certification testing from the fire service training bureau for fire fighter I certification. b. Allow students to learn more about the work performed by fire fighters and other emergency services providers in a safe and controlled environment. c. Provide students with valuable life skills, including teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and commitment. d. Foster relationships between students and fire fighters and other emergency services providers. e. Promote student participation in the fire services and other emergency services providers. 5. The elective junior fire fighter program must authorize students participating in the program who are younger than eighteen years of age to do all of the following between the

Senate File 2086, p. 4 hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight: a. Take part in supervised training. b. Fight grass fires, after receiving proper training. c. Perform search-and-rescue operations; provided, however, that a student who is younger than eighteen years of age shall not perform a search-and-rescue operation in a structure that is on fire. d. Enter a fire structure after the fire is out and the incident commander has declared the structure safe. e. Perform traffic control duties, after receiving proper training. f. Drive an emergency vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight of less than ten thousand pounds in nonemergency mode, after receiving proper training. g. Pick up hoses and clean up fire scenes after the incident commander has declared the area safe. h. Use pneumatic-driven or power-driven saws, shears, hydraulic rescue tools, and other power tools during training. i. Operate certain pumps at fire scenes, as determined by the incident commander. j. Handle charged hose lines with a diameter of not more than one and three-quarter inches. 6. The elective junior fire fighter program must prohibit students participating in the program who are younger than eighteen years of age from doing any of the following: a. Driving any fire department vehicle in an emergency. b. Performing interior fire suppression in structures, vehicles, or wildland fires; provided, however, that a student who is younger than eighteen years of age may perform interior fire suppression in grass fires. c. Entering a confined space as defined in 29 C.F.R. §1910.146(b). d. Responding to hazardous material fires, spills, or other events that may expose the student to hazardous material exceeding thresholds established in applicable federal regulations. e. Performing fire fighting overhaul duties, including any duties designed to determine whether a fire that appears to be under control has not spread.

Senate File 2086, p. 5 f. Operating a personal vehicle making use of a blue light pursuant to section 321.423. g. Performing ice rescue missions. h. Any activity that involves the risk of falling six feet or more. i. Using a self-contained breathing device; provided, however, that a student who is younger than eighteen years of age may use a self-contained breathing device if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) The student has received proper training to use the self-contained breathing device. (2) The student uses the self-contained breathing device under the supervision of an instructor who has been approved by the fire service training bureau. j. Using a cutting torch. k. Filling air bottles; provided, however, that a student who is younger than eighteen years of age may fill air bottles if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) The student has received proper training to fill air bottles. (2) The student fills the air bottles under the supervision of an instructor who has been approved by the fire service training bureau. l. Operating aerial ladders. m. (1) Performing any activity that involves hose lines with a diameter of greater than two and one-half inches; provided, however, that a student who is younger than eighteen years of age may perform an activity that involves hose lines with a diameter of greater than two and one-half inches if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (a) The student has received proper training to perform the activity. (b) The student performs the activity under the supervision of an instructor who has been approved by the fire service training bureau. (2) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), a student who is younger than eighteen years of age may perform an activity that involves drafting suction lines with a diameter between five inches and six inches.

Senate File 2086, p. 6 7. The elective junior fire fighter program must prohibit all students participating in the program from doing any of the following: a. Responding to emergencies. b. Being dispatched with a fire department. c. Performing fire suppression or emergency medical services at an active scene. 8. The board of directors of each school district and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school may offer the elective junior fire fighter program as an extracurricular activity or as part of the career and technical education curriculum under section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph “h” , subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (e). 9. To participate in the elective junior fire fighter program, the student must submit to the school district or accredited nonpublic school a waiver of liability on a form provided by the school district or accredited nonpublic school that has been executed by the student’s parent or guardian, if the student is a minor, or by the student, if the student is not a minor or is an emancipated minor. The form must acknowledge that the student is not an employee or fire fighter and is participating in the elective junior fire fighter program as a student in an extracurricular activity or educational program, as applicable. 10. A student participating in the elective junior fire fighter program shall not be considered an employee, volunteer fire fighter, or a member of a fire department for any purpose, including for purposes of Code chapter 85, 85A, 85B, or 87. 11. A student’s participation in the elective junior fire fighter program shall not create an employer-employee relationship between the student and a fire department or city. Any injuries sustained by a student as a result of the student’s participation in the elective junior fire fighter program shall not be compensable under chapter 85, 85A, 85B, or 87. 12. The board of directors of each school district and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school offering an elective junior fire fighter program shall be responsible for providing medical and liability insurance

Senate File 2086, p. 7 coverage for all students enrolled in the school district or accredited nonpublic school who are participating in the program for all program-related activities. ______________________________ AMY SINCLAIR President of the Senate ______________________________ PAT GRASSLEY Speaker of the House I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and is known as Senate File 2086, Ninety-first General Assembly. ______________________________ W. CHARLES SMITHSON Secretary of the Senate Approved _______________, 2026 ______________________________ KIM REYNOLDS Governor