1. The Department of Public Safety shall strengthen the Office of the State Fire Marshal by accomplishing the following:

A. Provide additional fire investigators to ensure timely and comprehensive fire investigations;

B. Provide additional public fire safety education resources to target citizens at greatest risk of injury and death by fire;

C. Enhance educational opportunities in code management for local public officials and private sector professionals;

D. Develop a statewide fire data information system to clearly document the fire problems in every community; and

E. Promote the application of the latest investigative technologies.

2. The Maine State Retirement System shall recognize the contributions of volunteer and call firefighters in local communities, provide incentives for more citizens to join and remain active in volunteer and call fire departments and encourage volunteer and call firefighters to become better trained and maintain higher levels of life-saving skills by establishing a length of service incentive program for the State's volunteer and call firefighters.

3. The State Employee Health Commission shall enhance the safety and reduce health risks of career firefighters, provide insurance coverage for retired firefighters' health care costs, create opportunities for communities to hire younger firefighters and provide a mechanism to lower firefighter injury rates and benefit costs to local communities by establishing a health coverage "bridge" for retired career firefighters.

4. The Maine Technical College System, the Maine Fire Training and Education Program shall strengthen firefighter training and education in Maine communities by accomplishing the following: