South Asheville News

U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) today addressed the House floor regarding a proposed rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The rule, known as the "Emergency Response Standard," would impose significant administrative and regulatory burdens on fire departments in North Carolina's 11th District and nationwide.

The proposed regulation is expected to particularly impact volunteer fire departments, which often operate with limited resources. Edwards emphasized that these departments play a crucial role in community safety but are already facing challenges such as declining recruitment, increasing call volumes, and outdated equipment.

Edwards' prepared remarks included: "When emergency strikes, who answers the call? The National Fire Protection Association says volunteers."

He continued, "It’s these unpaid brave men and women who save American lives every day, but volunteer departments are struggling to keep up. Recruitment is down, call volume is up, and there’s no money to replace old equipment."

Edwards criticized the proposed OSHA rule for adding complex operating and reporting requirements along with costly equipment replacement mandates. He argued that volunteer departments lack the resources for additional administrative tasks and emphasized their primary focus on saving lives.

"This OSHA rule would be detrimental to American public safety and the volunteer fire model," Edwards stated. "I urge the administration to reconsider its proposal."