Section 72-G. Expenses of volunteer firefighters attending training schools and instruction courses

1. The chief officer of the fire department  of  a  municipal  corporation  or  fire  district,  subject  to any rules or
  regulations governing  such  department,  may  authorize  the  volunteer
  members  of  the  department  to  attend  training schools or courses of
  instruction for firefighters.
    a. If any such school is located, or any such course is given, outside
  the county or outside  one  of  the  counties  in  which  the  municipal
  corporation  or  fire  district  is located, such authorization shall be
  subject to the prior approval of the governing board  of  the  municipal
  corporation or fire district.
    b. If any such school is located, or any such course is given, outside
  the  state,  in addition to the approval required in paragraph a of this
  subdivision, such authorization shall be subject to a finding  from  the
  governing  board  that  such training course or school of instruction is
  necessary and in the public interest  and  is  not  available  within  a
  reasonable distance and time period in the state.
    c.  Notification  and proof of attendance of any out-of-state training
  school from the chief officer shall be provided to the state  office  of
  fire prevention and control.
    2.  The  governing board by resolution may provide for the payment, in
  the same manner as other claims against  the  municipal  corporation  or
  fire district are audited, allowed and paid, of all actual and necessary
  registration  fees  not  in  excess  of fifty dollars and all actual and
  necessary expenses of  travel,  meals  and  lodging  and  all  necessary
  tuition  fees  incurred  by  such  volunteer members in attending such a
  training school, or course of instruction, in this country or in Canada.
    3. If such travel is by car owned by the volunteer firefighter, he  or
  she  may  be  paid a reasonable mileage allowance for each mile actually
  and necessarily traveled by him or  her  in  attending  such  school  or
  course  of  instruction.  Such  mileage  allowance  shall not exceed the
  standard travel allowance for mileage adopted or prescribed for  federal
  income  tax purposes. Any claim for such expenses or reimbursement shall
  have endorsed thereon, or attached thereto, a  statement  by  the  chief
  officer  of  the  fire  department  that  the  attendance  had been duly
  authorized by him or her. The provisions of this section  shall  not  be
  deemed  to have amended the provisions of subdivision one of section two
  hundred nine of this  chapter  in  relation  to  participation  in  fire
  training programs which are not conducted as training schools or regular
  or special courses of instruction for firefighters.