The fire marshal shall establish and conduct a training school for firemen, including volunteer firemen, of any political subdivision of the state, and for other persons interested in the vocation of firefighting and desiring to attend. The school shall be known as the Ohio fire academy.
The fire marshal shall establish the training program and all rules governing qualifications for admission to the academy. He may require competitive examinations to determine the fitness of prospective trainees so long as the examinations or other criteria for admission to the academy are not inconsistent with Chapter 124. of the Revised Code.
The fire marshal shall determine reasonable tuition costs and other fees which shall be charged for the courses of instruction or other programs offered by the academy. In determining these tuition costs and other fees, the fire marshal shall take into consideration any moneys received from the state fire marshal fund pursuant to section 3737.71 of the Revised Code. The costs of acquiring and equipping the academy shall be paid from appropriations made by the general assembly to the fire marshal for that purpose, or from gifts or grants received for that purpose.
The firemen, during the period of their training, shall receive compensation as determined by the political subdivision which sponsors them. Such political subdivisions may pay the tuition costs of the firemen they are sponsoring.
R.C. §3737.33