ST. PAUL  (AP) -- Firefighters in full response gear will be roaming the halls of the State Capitol but it's not because of any emergency.

Thursday is Fire Service Day at the Capitol. Several unions and professional organizations that represent firefighters, fire chiefs and fire departments will be at the Capitol to meet with lawmakers and testify on several bills of interest to their members.

A group of firefighters in emergency gear will be testifying before the House Public Safety Committee on the state's Fire Safety Account. It was created in 2006 to fund the fire service through a surcharge on property insurance premiums, but fire protection organizations say it's now being improperly used primarily as a tool by lawmakers to fill budget holes in the state budget.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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