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Bill seeks to amend qualifications for Fire Dept workers
A bill has been introduced in the Legislature seeking to amend the qualifications of employees in the CNMI’s newly created Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
Rep. Angel Demapan (R-Saipan) introduced HB 19-16, which aims to amend certain provisions of Public Law 18-73 “to ensure public safety and employment equity.”
HB 19-16 seeks to amend provisions pertaining to duties, staff and the administrations’ responsibilities.
One proposed clarification is for “qualified staff” to mean “all such staff shall be subject to Civil Service regulations, before becoming civil service employees.”
H.B 19-16 also suggest the same amendments for Division of Emergency Services workers, calling for these employees to be subjected to Civil Services regulations.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services is now a reality after a bill separating the service from the Department of Public Safety, Senate Bill 18-057, became Public Law 18-73 in January.
The Legislature passed the bill after finding out that under the purview of DPS, the Fire Division received less than the required funds necessary to fully and properly operate the division.
The erstwhile Fire and EMS division currently has 96 personnel on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
