(a) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in consultation with the Commissioner of Administrative Services, the State Fire Marshal, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the chairman of the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, shall, within available appropriations, establish and administer a pilot program for the purpose of implementing a data collection system related to fire and rescue service delivery in the state. For a period of three years commencing from July 1, 2022, the commissioner shall administer such pilot program in any local or regional fire department or district that has self-identified as challenged or in crisis regarding the delivery of fire and rescue services.

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(b) Any local or regional fire department or district may apply for participation in the data collection program. Any application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall include a written statement by the fire department or district that it is currently challenged or in crisis regarding the delivery of fire and rescue services.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the Tolland County Mutual Aid Emergency Communications Center, the Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications Center, the Litchfield County Dispatch, the Valley Shore Emergency Communications Center and the Northwest Connecticut Public Safety Communications Center may elect to participate in the data collection program upon request.

(d) Not later than sixty days after the commissioner approves the application of any local or regional fire department or district pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the commissioner shall admit such fire department or district to the data collection program.

(e) For the purposes of data collection pursuant to such pilot program, the commissioner shall either utilize the National Fire Operations Reporting System or develop a data collection system capable of real-time tracking information relevant to fire and rescue responses, including, but not limited to (1) call processing time, (2) alarm handling, and (3) turnout time. The commissioner shall provide to any fire department or district participating in the program monthly reports of the data collected for such fire department or district pursuant to the program.

(f) On or before July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall conduct an evaluation of the fire and rescue data collection pilot program. Such evaluation shall address the overall effectiveness of the pilot program in collecting the relevant data. The commissioner shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, such evaluation and any recommendations for legislation to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public safety and planning and development.