MS HB1449

Fire apparatus (fire trucks) cannot be required to be retired or replaced based solely on age if the equipment passes all safety inspections, pump and ladder testing per NFPA standards, has documented maintenance records per manufacturer specifications, and has no structural, mechanical, or operational defects

Mississippi State Rating Bureau recommendations for fire apparatus replacement must be based on objective test results, engineering analyses, or documented mechanical failure rather than chronological age

Response distance from a fire station used by the Rating Bureau for grading municipalities and fire districts must be no less than 7.5 road miles, regardless of whether the property is inside municipal or fire district boundaries

Municipal Fire Protection Fund receives $4,850,000 annually from insurance premium taxes, with each municipality receiving $6,000 base payment plus additional funds distributed by population

County Volunteer Fire Department Fund receives $4,850,000 annually, with each county receiving $30,000 base payment plus additional funds distributed by population excluding municipal residents