52:14E-13 Definitions relative to coordination of fire service resources in emergencies.

3. As used in this act:

"County fire coordinator" means the individual appointed by the State fire coordinator pursuant to subsection a. of section 5 of this act.

"County fire mutual aid plan" means a plan, prepared and adopted by a county in accordance with subsection c. of section 5 of this act, which sets forth the measures that are to be implemented in those instances where the fire service resources of an individual municipality within the county are unable to respond adequately to an emergency incident or a local fire emergency disaster and, therefore, it is necessary for the county to coordinate the delivery of fire service resources and assistance to that municipality from other municipalities in the county.

"Deputy county fire coordinator" means an individual appointed by the county fire coordinator pursuant to subsection a. of section 5 of this act to assist the county fire coordinator with the duties and responsibilities of his position and to serve as the county fire coordinator in his absence.

"Deputy State fire coordinator" means an individual appointed by the State fire coordinator from the employees of the Division of Fire Safety to assist the State fire coordinator with the duties and responsibilities of his position and to serve as the State fire coordinator in his absence.

"Division" means the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs.

"Emergency incident" means any situation to which a unit of the fire service responds to deliver emergency services including, but not limited to, rescue, fire suppression, special operations and other forms of hazard control and mitigation.

"Fire service resources" means fire fighters and other personnel utilized by a unit of the fire service to provide rescue, fire suppression and related activities whether those fire fighters and personnel are volunteer or career; trucks, rescue vehicles and other vehicles used for fire fighting and emergency purposes; and fire fighting and rescue equipment used for fire or emergency purposes, including communications and protective equipment. Fire service resources shall not include emergency medical service providers and personnel, except that any unit or personnel that provides both fire and emergency medical services shall be subject to this act while performing fire suppression and related activities.

"Forest fire service" means the agency within the Department of Environmental Protection that is responsible for the protection of life, property and natural resources from wildfire.

"Incident commander" means the individual in overall command or control of the fire service personnel, and associated emergency equipment and emergency vehicles, at the site of an emergency incident.

"Local fire emergency disaster" means an emergency incident which, in the judgment of the incident commander, is of such severe degree and nature that it presents a significant threat to the health, safety and welfare of a municipality and its residents and, therefore, may warrant the implementation of the municipality's municipal emergency operations plan.

"Local fire mutual aid plan" means a plan, prepared and adopted by a municipality or fire district in accordance with section 4 of this act, which sets forth the measures that are to be implemented in those instances when the fire service resources of the municipality or fire district cannot adequately respond to an emergency incident or a local fire emergency disaster and, as a consequence, it is necessary for the municipality or fire district to request assistance and fire service resources from contiguous municipalities.

"Order of deployment" means an order issued by the State fire coordinator pursuant to this act to a unit of the fire service requiring the immediate response, recall or standby of that unit's fire service personnel, emergency equipment or emergency vehicles, or any part thereof.

"State fire coordinator" means the Director of the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, or his designee.

"State firewarden" means the chief of the forest fire service in the Department of Environmental Protection or his designee.

"Unit of the fire service" means a department or force, be it paid, part-paid or volunteer, established and maintained by the State or any of its instrumentalities, any local governmental unit or any of its instrumentalities, any State or local authority, fire district or non-profit corporation, association or organization for the purposes of fire suppression, rescue and related activities.

L.2003,c.28,s.3.