Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 205-1-2-.02 - Minimum Requirements for Fire Departments
(1) Recognizing that fire departments operating in the State of Georgia cannot function effectively and efficiently as full-time fire departments without meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements established by Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Title 25, Chapter 3 - Article 2. It is the intent of these Rules & Regulations to establish the minimum requirements for all fire departments operating in this state in order to receive a Certificate of Compliance.
(a) Legally organized fire departments shall be established as an entity of the State of Georgia or a political sub-division of the State of Georgia (a city, county, board, etc.)
(b) Legally organized fire departments may exist as a private corporation incorporated either for-profit or not-for-profit through the State of Georgia Secretary of State and have a written contract to provide fire and emergency services with one or more local governments in Georgia.
(2) No fire department shall exercise the general and emergency powers set forth in O.C.G.A. §
25-3-1 and §
25-3-2without obtaining a Certificate of Compliance issued from the Georgia Firefighters Standards and Training Council.
(3) Fire departments operating in the State of Georgia shall be established to provide fire and other emergency and nonemergency services in accordance with the applicable state laws, local government ordinances, and the minimum standards specified by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council. These fire departments shall:
(a) Be capable of providing fire protection 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Understanding the nature of the fire service in the State of Georgia, this may be accomplished through the use of mutual-aid or automatic-aid agreements with neighboring fire departments.
(b) Be responsible for a defined area of operations depicted on a map located at the responding fire station(s). This area of operations as depicted on the map shall have been approved and designated by the governing authority of the applicable county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the case of any county, municipal, or private corporation fire department.
(c) Be Staffed with a minimum number of trained Volunteer Suppression or State Certified Firefighters who have successfully completed basic firefighter training as specified by the Council.
1. Minimum Staffing shall be four (4) Volunteer Suppression or State Certified Firefighters per station. An average of six (6) members per station, of which 2 of the 6 may be Volunteer Support Firefighters, is recommended. The minimum number of firefighters will be calculated as an aggregate total for the entire department.
2. Each firefighter must be at least 18 years of age.
3. Each firefighter must be duly appointed by a legally organized and compliant fire department.
(4) A legally organized fire department shall provide and maintain coverage in accordance with Code section 25-3-23(b). Upon cancellation or reinstatement of any policy for the coverage of each member of the fire department, the Executive Director of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council shall be notified immediately.
(a) ACCG members shall provide proof of insurance coverage for all personnel.
(b) GMA members shall provide proof of insurance coverage for all personnel.
(c) Departments using other insurance carriers or means of being self-insured shall provide a copy of the insurance policy, a council/commission resolution or other proof of coverage.
(5) The GFSTC Compliance Package must be submitted to GFSTC. In addition to the completed Compliance Application, the department shall include the following documentation:
(a) A defined area of operation for each station shall be depicted on a map not less than 8.5 x 11 shall be filed with the application for a Certificate of Compliance.
(b) A letter from the governing authority of the applicable county, municipality or other political subdivision in the case of any county, municipal or private corporation fire department approving the designated area of authority.
(c) An affidavit from the governing authority of the applicable county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the case of any county, municipal or volunteer fire department indicating the operation of the department's intent and purpose of carrying out the duties, functions, powers, and responsibilities normally associated with the operation of a fire department and the ability to provide fire protection for the area of operation filed with the application for Certificate of Compliance 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.
(d) A copy of the insurance certificate or proof otherwise of coverage that complies with Code Section 25-3-23(b). Upon cancellation or reinstatement of any policy for the insurance coverage of each member of the fire department, the executive director of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council shall be notified immediately but no less than two business days.
(6) Before a fire department may begin legal operations, an on-site review must be conducted by GFSTC Staff to confirm the information contained in the Compliance Package.
(7) Documentation from the Safety Fire Division of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner indicating that the fire department is, and remains, in compliance with the reporting requirements for fires by state law as specified in O.C.G.A. §
25-2-32(b) and provided for by §
25-3-24.
(8) The Executive Director of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council shall issue a Certificate of Compliance according to Rules & Regulations and Policy & Procedures of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council.
Notes
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