§ 204-b. Youth programs. 1. Volunteer fire departments and fire
companies may establish, operate and maintain youth programs to provide
participants with the opportunity to become familiar with the programs
and operations of fire departments, to provide programs in community
fire safety, fire prevention, and public fire prevention education, and
to curtail false fire alarms by developing community wide respect for
the fire service.

2. Volunteer fire departments and fire companies shall establish rules
and regulations governing youth programs established pursuant to
subdivision one hereof, which shall include the minimum and maximum age
for participation, the procedure for participation, removal or
expulsion, residence, and provision for adequate supervision of such
programs.

3. It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any volunteer
fire department or fire company, any member or members thereof,
officers, board of fire commissioners or other body or office having
authority to determine eligibility for participation in such programs
pursuant to this section, to exclude or expel from participation in such
programs any individual because of race, creed, color, sex or national
origin, or to discriminate against any participant because of race,
creed, color or national origin.

4. No person shall participate in such program without the written
consent of his or her parent or guardian. Such consent shall continue
until withdrawn. If withdrawn, participation in such program shall
automatically terminate.

5. All activities of participants in such program shall be approved in
advance by the chief, or his designee. No activities may include
emergency duties in connection with fire department or fire company
operations or any other hazardous activity.

6. Participants in such programs shall not be eligible for any benefit
provided by the volunteer firefighters' benefit law.

7. Volunteer fire departments and fire companies may purchase accident
insurance to insure participants in such programs against injury or
death resulting from bodily injuries sustained in performance of
approved activities. In addition, they may purchase insurance to protect
against liability arising from approved activities. The insurance
purchased pursuant to this subdivision may include medical and hospital
coverage.

8. No youth program shall be established pursuant to subdivision one
of this section unless authorized as follows: in a city the youth
program must be authorized by the board of fire commissioners or other
body or officer having control of fire department; in a village the
program must be approved by the board of fire commissioners or, if there
is no board of fire commissioners, the village board of trustees; in a
fire district the program must be authorized by the board of fire
commissioners; in a town outside a village or a fire district the
program must be authorized by the town board.