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 also 80 C. 386. Cited. 196 C. 192.

Section does not prohibit a municipal fire department established by a municipal charter from superseding volunteer fire companies because section pertains only to fire departments established by ordinance and not ones established by municipal charters. 159 CA 708.