Instructions to Update Your Annual Volunteer Fire Company Registration Compliance with California Assembly Bill 283 (Jefferies) and California Health & Safety Code, Section

Prior to 2007, California law permitted a fire company in an unincorporated town to be organized by recording with the county recorder a certificate signed by the presiding officer and by the secretary of the fire company. That law required the certificate to include specified information, including, but not limited to, the date of organization, he name of the fire company, the names of the officers of the fire company, and the roll of active and honorary members of the fire Company. This previous law also required the fire company to renew and record the certificate with the county recorder every 6 months. Early in 2007 as a result of California State Assembly Bill 283, “Fire Companies, Certificate of Organization” authored by the Honorable Kevin Jefferies, California Health and Safety Code Sections became law. This legislation now permits and requires that a fire company in an unincorporated town wishing to be organized file a certificate with the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA; formerly the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services) and requires that the fire company renew that certificate annually.

In order to comply with California Assembly Bill 283 (Jefferies) and California Health & Safety Code, Section , Cal EMA has developed an electronic registration process via a link available off of the FIRESCOPE Website for the new and/or continued certification of volunteer fire companies within California….the following slides outline this registration process. Instructions to Update Your Annual Volunteer Fire Company Registration

To Access the FIRESCOPE Website, Type in into your Web Browser

Once you’ve Accessed the FIRESCOPE Home page, Place your Cursor in the Upper Right Corner and Click on to the “Login” Tab, then at the Drop-Down, Click on to the “Login to Applications”.

At the “Login” Page Enter your FIRESCOPE ID and Password If you do not have a FIRESCOPE ID and password, click here to obtain one.

Prior to Accessing the your Volunteer Registration record, FIRST Access the CFRIS Tab and Follow the Instructions to either Initially Create or Update your Company’s CFRIS Information. Create or Update your CFRIS Record FIRST before Accessing your Volunteer Registration Form After your CFRIS Record is Created or Updated, Click on the “Volunteer Fire Co.” Tab

Once on the “Volunteer Fire Company Records Application Menu”, Click on the “Create a Record” Link.

Complete your VFC Record in its entirety, recognizing the mandatory fields. Your Company’s CFRIS Information will Automatically Propagate Over to your VFC Record and fill in the Volunteer Company’s Name, Address, etc. at the Time of Submission. Link to CA AB 283 and CA H&S Code, Section , “Fire Companies Certificate of Organization”

After you have Completed the VFC Registration Record, Click on the “Submit Document” Tab to record it into the Cal EMA Fire and Rescue Electronic Database.

After the VFC Record is Submitted, Return to the “VFC Records Applications Menu” and Select the “Read a Record” Tab

At the “Read a Volunteer Department’s Record” Page Use the Drop- Down Menu to Locate your Newly Created VFC Registration Record and Once Found, Print Two Hard Copies; Keep One for your Records and Sign and Date the Other and Mail to your Cal EMA Fire and Rescue Operational Area Coordinator.

If you have Followed the Preceding Instructions you have Completed the Annual VFC Registration Process in Compliance with California Assembly Bill 283 (Jefferies) and California Health & Safety Code, Section On Behalf of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System Thank You Congratulations! As a Reminder your VFC MUST Update it’s Registration by the 15th of January each Calendar Year.