S.F. 2086 Section 1. Section 100B.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. (1) Allow a student who has successfully 3 completed the elective junior fire fighter program described 4 in section 280.37, submitted all necessary certification 5 registration and local verification forms, and paid all 6 applicable registration fees to sit for certification testing 7 for firefighter I certification. 8 (2) If a student attains passing scores on all examinations 9 necessary for firefighter I certification prior to the date the 10 student becomes eighteen years of age, then the administrator 11 shall not issue firefighter I certification to the student 12 until the student becomes eighteen years of age. 13 Sec. 2. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 14 by adding the following new paragraph: 15 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0w. Be subject to and comply with the 16 requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering an elective 17 junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades 18 eleven and twelve in the same manner as a school district. 19 Sec. 3. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 20 by adding the following new paragraph: 21 NEW PARAGRAPH . v. Be subject to and comply with the 22 requirements of section 280.37 relating to offering an elective 23 junior fire fighter program to students enrolled in grades 24 eleven and twelve in the same manner as a school district. 25 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 280.37 Junior fire fighter program. 26 1. a. The board of directors of each school district 27 and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic 28 school may offer to students enrolled in grades eleven and 29 twelve an elective junior fire fighter program subject to the 30 requirements established in this section. 31 b. Prior to offering an elective junior fire fighter 32 program, the board of directors of the school district or the 33 authorities in charge of the accredited nonpublic school must 34 enter into an agreement with the local fire department that 35 -1- SF 2086 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 1/ 6

S.F. 2086 will be responsible for providing students participating in the 1 program with appropriate materials and skills training that 2 describes all of the following: 3 (1) How students participating in the program will be 4 supervised. 5 (2) Activities in which students participating in the 6 program may participate. 7 (3) Activities in which students participating in the 8 program are prohibited from participating. 9 (4) The school district’s or accredited nonpublic school’s 10 responsibilities related to providing medical and liability 11 insurance coverage for all students participating in the 12 program. 13 2. a. The elective junior fire fighter program must 14 be taught by fire service training bureau personnel, or an 15 instructor who has been approved by the fire service training 16 bureau, using curriculum that has been approved by the fire 17 service training bureau. 18 b. The procedure for background investigations and 19 termination established in section 279.69 shall apply to 20 fire service training bureau personnel, and instructors who 21 have been approved by the fire service training bureau, who 22 provide instruction as part of the elective junior fire fighter 23 program. 24 3. If the board of directors of a school district or the 25 authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school offer 26 the elective junior fire fighter program, then the board of 27 directors of the school district or the authorities in charge 28 of the accredited nonpublic school shall coordinate with a 29 local fire department to ensure students are provided with the 30 appropriate materials and training to successfully complete 31 all components necessary for fire fighter I certification, 32 including the written certification examination and the 33 practical certification examination. 34 4. The elective junior fire fighter program must satisfy all 35 -2- SF 2086 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 2/ 6

S.F. 2086 of the following requirements: 1 a. Be designed to prepare students to sit for certification 2 testing from the fire service training bureau for fire fighter 3 I certification. 4 b. Allow students to learn more about the work performed by 5 fire fighters and other emergency services providers in a safe 6 and controlled environment. 7 c. Provide students with valuable life skills, including 8 teamwork, leadership, responsibility, and commitment. 9 d. Foster relationships between students and fire fighters 10 and other emergency services providers. 11 e. Promote student participation in the fire services and 12 other emergency services providers. 13 5. The elective junior fire fighter program must authorize 14 students participating in the program who are younger than 15 eighteen years of age to do all of the following between the 16 hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight: 17 a. Take part in supervised training. 18 b. Fight grass fires, after receiving proper training. 19 c. Perform search-and-rescue operations; provided, however, 20 that a student who is younger than eighteen years of age shall 21 not perform a search-and-rescue operation in a structure that 22 is on fire. 23 d. Enter a fire structure after the fire is out and the 24 incident commander has declared the structure safe. 25 e. Perform traffic control duties, after receiving proper 26 training. 27 f. Drive an emergency vehicle that has a gross vehicle 28 weight of less than ten thousand pounds in nonemergency mode, 29 after receiving proper training. 30 g. Pick up hoses and clean up fire scenes after the incident 31 commander has declared the area safe. 32 h. Use pneumatic-driven or power-driven saws, shears, 33 hydraulic rescue tools, and other power tools during training. 34 i. Operate certain pumps at fire scenes, as determined by 35 -3- SF 2086 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 3/ 6

S.F. 2086 the incident commander. 1 j. Handle charged hose lines with a diameter of not more 2 than one and three-quarter inches. 3 6. The elective junior fire fighter program must prohibit 4 students participating in the program who are younger than 5 eighteen years of age from doing any of the following: 6 a. Driving any fire department vehicle in an emergency. 7 b. Performing interior fire suppression in structures, 8 vehicles, or wildland fires; provided, however, that a student 9 who is younger than eighteen years of age may perform interior 10 fire suppression in grass fires. 11 c. Entering a confined space as defined in 29 C.F.R. 12 §1910.146(b). 13 d. Responding to hazardous material fires, spills, or 14 other events that may expose the student to hazardous material 15 exceeding thresholds established in applicable federal 16 regulations. 17 e. Performing fire fighting overhaul duties, including any 18 duties designed to determine whether a fire that appears to be 19 under control has not spread. 20 f. Operating a personal vehicle making use of a blue light 21 pursuant to section 321.423. 22 g. Performing ice rescue missions. 23 h. Any activity that involves the risk of falling six feet 24 or more. 25 i. Using a self-contained breathing device; provided, 26 however, that a student who is younger than eighteen years of 27 age may use a self-contained breathing device if all of the 28 following requirements are satisfied: 29 (1) The student has received proper training to use the 30 self-contained breathing device. 31 (2) The student uses the self-contained breathing device 32 under the supervision of an instructor who has been approved by 33 the fire service training bureau. 34 j. Using a cutting torch. 35 -4- SF 2086 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 4/ 6

S.F. 2086 k. Filling air bottles; provided, however, that a student 1 who is younger than eighteen years of age may fill air bottles 2 if all of the following requirements are satisfied: 3 (1) The student has received proper training to fill air 4 bottles. 5 (2) The student fills the air bottles under the supervision 6 of an instructor who has been approved by the fire service 7 training bureau. 8 l. Operating aerial ladders. 9 m. (1) Performing any activity that involves hose lines 10 with a diameter of greater than two and one-half inches; 11 provided, however, that a student who is younger than eighteen 12 years of age may perform an activity that involves hose lines 13 with a diameter of greater than two and one-half inches if all 14 of the following requirements are satisfied: 15 (a) The student has received proper training to perform the 16 activity. 17 (b) The student performs the activity under the supervision 18 of an instructor who has been approved by the fire service 19 training bureau. 20 (2) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), a student who is 21 younger than eighteen years of age may perform an activity that 22 involves drafting suction lines with a diameter between five 23 inches and six inches. 24 7. The elective junior fire fighter program must prohibit 25 all students participating in the program from doing any of the 26 following: 27 a. Responding to emergencies. 28 b. Being dispatched with a fire department. 29 c. Performing fire suppression or emergency medical services 30 at an active scene. 31 8. The board of directors of each school district and the 32 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school 33 may offer the elective junior fire fighter program as an 34 extracurricular activity or as part of the career and technical 35 -5- SF 2086 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 5/ 6

S.F. 2086 education curriculum under section 256.11, subsection 5, 1 paragraph “h” , subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (e). 2 9. To participate in the elective junior fire fighter 3 program, the student must submit to the school district or 4 accredited nonpublic school a waiver of liability on a form 5 provided by the school district or accredited nonpublic school 6 that has been executed by the student’s parent or guardian, if 7 the student is a minor, or by the student, if the student is not 8 a minor or is an emancipated minor. The form must acknowledge 9 that the student is not an employee or fire fighter and is 10 participating in the elective junior fire fighter program as a 11 student in an extracurricular activity or educational program, 12 as applicable. 13 10. A student participating in the elective junior fire 14 fighter program shall not be considered an employee, volunteer 15 fire fighter, or a member of a fire department for any purpose, 16 including for purposes of Code chapter 85, 85A, 85B, or 87. 17 11. A student’s participation in the elective junior 18 fire fighter program shall not create an employer-employee 19 relationship between the student and a fire department or 20 city. Any injuries sustained by a student as a result of the 21 student’s participation in the elective junior fire fighter 22 program shall not be compensable under chapter 85, 85A, 85B, 23 or 87. 24 12. The board of directors of each school district and 25 the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school 26 offering an elective junior fire fighter program shall be 27 responsible for providing medical and liability insurance 28 coverage for all students enrolled in the school district 29 or accredited nonpublic school who are participating in the 30 program for all program-related activities. 31 -6- SF 2086 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 6/ 6