(a) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall (1) maintain and operate a state fire school that shall serve as the training and education facility for the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, and (2) provide training and educational services in accordance with the standards established pursuant to § 7-323l. The use of any hazardous material, as defined in § 29-307a, except a virgin fuel, is prohibited in the simulation of any fire. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, in consultation with the commission, fix fees for training and education programs and sessions and for such other purposes deemed necessary for the operation and support of the school. Such fees shall be used solely for training and education purposes.

(b) The department may establish and maintain a state fire school training and education extension account, which shall be a separate account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. The account shall be used for the operation of such training and education programs and sessions as said department may establish, for the purchase of such equipment as is required for use in the operation of such programs and sessions, and, within available funding, for (1) reimbursement to municipalities and municipal fire departments for one-half of the costs of Firefighter I certification and recruit training of municipal volunteer and paid fire service personnel, and (2) reimbursement to state agencies for one-half of the costs of Firefighter I certification and recruit training of state agency fire service personnel. All proceeds derived from the operation of the training and education programs and sessions shall be deposited in the General Fund and shall be credited to and become a part of the resources of the account. All direct expenses incurred in the conduct of the training, certification and education programs and sessions shall be charged, and any payments of interest and principal of bonds or any sums transferable to any fund for the payment of interest and principal of bonds and any cost of equipment for such operations may be charged, against the account on order of the State Comptroller. Any balance of receipts above expenditures shall remain in the account to be used by the department for training and education programs and sessions, and for the acquisition, as provided by § 4b-21, alteration and repairs of real property for educational facilities, except such sums as may be required to be transferred from time to time to any fund for the redemption of bonds and payment of interest on bonds, provided repairs, alterations or additions to educational facilities costing fifty thousand dollars or less shall require the approval of the Commissioner of Administrative Services, and capital projects costing over fifty thousand dollars shall require the approval of the General Assembly or, when the General Assembly is not in session, of the Finance Advisory Committee.

(c) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection may establish and maintain a state fire school auxiliary services account, which shall be a separate account within the General Fund. The account shall be used for the operation, maintenance and repair of auxiliary service facilities and for such other auxiliary activities of the state fire school as said department determines. The proceeds of such activities shall be deposited in the General Fund and shall be credited to and become a part of the resources of the account. All direct expenses of operation, maintenance and repair of facilities, food services and other auxiliary activities shall be charged, and any payments of interest and principal of bonds or any sums transferable to any fund for the payment of interest and principal of bonds and any cost of equipment for such operations may be charged, against the account on order of the State Comptroller. Any balance of receipts above expenditures shall remain in the account to be used for the improvement and extension of such activities, except such sums as may be required to be transferred from time to time to any fund for the redemption of bonds and payment of interest on bonds, provided repairs, alterations or additions to auxiliary service facilities costing fifty thousand dollars or less shall require the approval of the Commissioner of Administrative Services, and capital projects costing over fifty thousand dollars shall require the approval of the General Assembly or, when the General Assembly is not in session, of the Finance Advisory Committee. The department, with the approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the Finance Advisory Committee, may borrow from the resources of the General Fund at any time such sum or sums as it deems advisable, to establish or continue auxiliary services activities, such sums to be repaid in accordance with such schedule as the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall establish.