Upon receipt of a written complaint from any person alleging that a local fire marshal, deputy fire marshal or fire inspector has performed the duties of his office in an incompetent or negligent manner, the State Fire Marshal shall investigate such complaint and if he determines that probable cause exists, shall hold a hearing on the complaint. The State Fire Marshal shall provide such local fire official with written notice of the date, time and place of a public hearing on the complaint to be held before the State Fire Marshal or the deputy fire marshal not less than ten nor more than twenty days after such notice, the specific grounds for revocation of such local fire official's certificate and a copy of the written complaint or complaints concerning him. Such local fire official shall have the opportunity to be heard in his own defense, personally or by counsel, at such public hearing. Following such hearing, the State Fire Marshal shall make a finding as to whether or not the certificate of such local fire official should be revoked. If the State Fire Marshal finds that such local official's certificate should be revoked, he shall revoke the certification and immediately notify the appointing authority of the municipality in which the local fire official serves that such certification has been revoked. Any local fire official whose certification is revoked may appeal in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183.

(P.A. 86-327, S. 5; P.A. 87-59; P.A. 88-317, S. 37, 107.)

History: P.A. 87-59 required state fire marshal to investigate complaints and hold hearings thereon if he determines probable cause exists, and made several technical amendments to section; P.A. 88-317 repealed provision requiring that an appeal by a local fire official whose certification is revoked be made within 30 days following such revocation, effective July 1, 1989, and applicable to all agency proceedings commencing on or after that date.