Relating to periodic health screenings for firefighters.

Contracts

• Medical Service Agreements (MSAs): Existing contracts with occupational health providers likely fail compliance. You must amend Scopes of Work (SOW) to explicitly include the seven statutory requirements: blood analysis, urine analysis, ECG, pulmonary function tests, infectious disease screening, breast cancer screening, and chest x-rays (5-year cycle).
• Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs): Review "duty time" provisions. Time spent undergoing these mandatory screenings is compensable. Ensure shift coverage protocols account for these medical appointments.

Hiring/Training

• HRIS Configuration: Update Human Resources Information Systems to trigger an automatic alert when a firefighter approaches their fifth anniversary of employment.
• Tenure Audits: You must audit current personnel files immediately. There is no phase-in period; any firefighter with 5+ years of tenure on June 1, 2026, is immediately eligible.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Confidentiality Firewall: Establish a strict separation between medical results and general personnel files. Management is entitled only to "Fit for Duty" status, not diagnostic data.
• Alternative Plan Filing: If opting out of the statutory test list in favor of an NFPA-compliant plan (Section 2(f)), you must file this plan with TCFP annually by February 1.
• Refusal Documentation: Create a standardized waiver form. If a firefighter refuses screening, you must document the offer and the refusal to insulate the subdivision from future liability.

Fees & Costs

• 100% Employer Funded: The statute explicitly prohibits passing costs to the employee. You cannot use deductibles or co-pays.
• Budget Forecasting: Project costs based on: (Cost of 7-point Screen) x (Number of Firefighters with >5 Years Tenure). Anticipate a High fiscal impact for FY 2026 budgets.