§ 2-11-2 - Designation of fire chief, senior officer, and forest fire district.
SECTION 2-11-2
§ 2-11-2 Designation of fire chief, seniorofficer, and forest fire district. – The local chief shall be elected, appointed or designated by the procedureestablished and within the framework spelled out in the fire company or firedistrict, city or town charter, by-laws, constitution or any other existingformat for appointment of a fire chief. The fire chief's term of office isrecognized as that which is spelled out in the fire company or fire district,city or town charter, by-laws, constitution or any other existing format forsuch term of appointment. The fire chief elected, appointed or designated shallforthwith notify the director of the department of enviromental management ofthe election, appointment, or designation and shall further notify the directorof his or her specific forest fire district and jurisdiction, and the directormay then enter into agreements with each fire chief and fire company to provideassistance and to accept assistance in the prevention and control of forestfires and enforcement of forest fire laws which may include training ofpersonnel. It is the responsibility of the city or town council to appoint aqualified resident to forest fire chief and to designate a forest fire companyfor any portion of the city or town not protected by an existing fire chief andfire company. If the city or town council of any city or town shall fail toappoint a fire chief as required by this section, the director of thedepartment of environmental management shall appoint some qualified resident ofthe city or town to act as fire chief until an appointment shall be made by thecity or town council, as provided in this section. In any fire company or firedistrict, the fire chief shall establish and define his or her forest firedistrict and jurisdiction and shall designate a qualified resident of eachdistrict to serve as authorized senior officer. Any designated senior officershall serve during the pleasure of the fire chief by whom he or she wasdesignated. A fire chief shall notify the director of the department ofenvironmental management of each authorized senior officer designated by him orher, and of each removal from designation by him or her, forthwith upon thedesignation or removal.