U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Chris Coons have urged Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su to exempt volunteer fire departments from certain aspects of a proposed rule that could impose strict regulations on them nationwide. Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a new rule mandating that fire departments provide additional reports, training, equipment, and health services.

“Volunteer firefighters have indicated they lack the financial resources and personnel to comply with this rule,” the senators wrote. “For many departments, implementation of this rule would render significant shares of their equipment non-compliant. The financial burden associated with replacing that equipment and furnishing the reports, assessments, trainings, and health services required by the rule would be prohibitive for volunteer departments, whose budgets are already strained.” 

“It is our intention to insulate our volunteers and the communities they serve from the negative impacts of a regulation that could jeopardize their fire services,” the senators continued. “The rule must provide volunteer departments with the flexibility to perform their duties unencumbered by impracticable requirements.”

You can read the full letter here.