Sec. 7-301. Establishment of fire department.
Sec. 7-301. Establishment of fire department. Any town may provide by ordinance for the protection of property within its limits from fire and for the establishment
of a town fire department and for the management, discipline and control thereof by the
board of selectmen or, if there is a town council, by the town council, or by a board of
fire commissioners of such number, chosen in such manner and for such terms as the
ordinance provides. The board of selectmen, town council or board of fire commissioners may make regulations for the conduct of the fire department and may appoint, discipline and remove for cause shown all employees of the department and purchase supplies
and equipment necessary for its operation; provided, if the ordinance so provides, the
board of selectmen, town council or board of fire commissioners shall enter into an
agreement with any volunteer fire company or companies within the town for the protection thereof from fire on such conditions as to financial assistance and the observance
of the regulations of the board of selectmen, town council or board of fire commissioners
as such ordinance prescribes; and provided no town fire department established under
the provisions of this section shall supersede any volunteer fire company which is the
owner of any building, fire apparatus or other property without having first come to an
agreement with such company with regard to the disposition of and compensation for
such building, apparatus or other property. Such town may, at any meeting specially
warned for the purpose, make appropriations and lay taxes for the support thereof; but
this section shall not be operative within the limits of any city, borough or incorporated
fire district which has an established fire department. Nothing in this section shall prevent any town, city, borough or incorporated fire district from appropriating funds to a
volunteer fire company or companies for services rendered or to be rendered within the
confines of such town, city, borough or district by such fire company or companies,
provided such town, city, borough or incorporated fire district shall deem it in the public
interest to do so.
(1949 Rev., S. 677; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 18; 1959, P.A. 606, S. 1.)
History: 1959 act added provision protecting town's, city's or borough's power to appropriate funds to volunteer fire
companies for services.
See Sec. 29-297 re appointment of local fire marshals and deputies.
Firemen perform governmental acts and municipality is not liable for their negligence. 38 C. 368. See 80 C. 386. Cited.
196 C. 192.