7-33-2313. Powers and duties of chief -- request for assistance -- definitions. (1) The chief of every fire department shall inquire into the cause of every fire occurring in the town in which the chief serves as the chief and must keep a record of every fire. The chief must aid in the enforcement of all fire ordinances, examine buildings in the process of erection, report violations of ordinances relating to prevention or extinguishment of fires and, when directed by the proper authorities, institute prosecutions for the violation of those ordinances, and perform other duties as may be imposed upon the chief by proper authority. The chief's compensation, if any, must be fixed and paid by the city or town authorities. The chief must attend all fires, with the chief's badge of office conspicuously displayed. The chief shall prevent injury to, take charge of, and preserve all property rescued from fires and return it to the owner on the payment of the expenses incurred in saving and keeping it. The amount of the expenses, when not agreed to, must be fixed by a justice of the peace.
     (2) The chief shall devise and formulate or cause to be devised and formulated a course or plan of instruction or training program making available to each regular member of the chief's department not less than 30 hours of instruction per year in matters pertaining to firefighting, and the chief shall supervise the operation of the plan or program.
     (3) If the county commissioners, trustees of a fire district, or governing body of a fire service area have not concluded a mutual aid agreement to protect an unincorporated town or village against natural incidents, emergencies, or disasters or incidents, emergencies, or disasters caused by persons, the chief may request assistance pursuant to 10-3-209.
     (4) As used in this section, "incidents", "disasters", or "emergencies" has the meaning ascribed to the term in 10-3-103.

     History: En. Sec. 3236, Pol. C. 1895; re-en. Sec. 2080, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 5147, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 5147, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 118, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 18, Ch. 157, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 11-2007; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 46, L. 1997.