Budget & Taxes (Public Safety)

This bill establishes the Louisiana Urban Search and Rescue Program within the Office of State Fire Marshal to coordinate disaster response efforts for locating and rescuing victims trapped by natural or man-made disasters. The program will be led by a director appointed by the state fire marshal, who will hire staff and develop policies for response teams, training, equipment, and operational procedures. Funding for the program comes from legislative appropriations placed in a dedicated state treasury fund, with unspent money carried over and invested annually. The bill does not replace existing emergency services but adds a specialized urban search and rescue component to complement current disaster response capabilities.