Section 6-305 - General powers and duties of State Fire Marshal. - Maryland Statutes

§ 6-305. General powers and duties of State Fire Marshal.
 

(a)  Enforcement of laws and regulations.- The State Fire Marshal shall enforce: 

(1) all laws of the State that relate to: 

(i) the prevention of fire; 

(ii) the storage, sale, and use of explosives, combustibles, or other dangerous articles, in solid, liquid, or gaseous form; 

(iii) the installation and maintenance of all kinds of equipment intended to control, detect, or extinguish fire; 

(iv) the means and adequacy of exit, in case of fire, from buildings and all other places in which individuals work, live, or congregate, except buildings that are used solely as dwelling houses for no more than two families; and 

(v) the suppression of arson; and 

(2) the regulations adopted by the Commission under Subtitle 2 of this title. 

(b)  Implementation of fire safety programs.- By delegation of authority vested in the Commission and within policy established by the Commission, the State Fire Marshal shall implement fire safety programs in the State to minimize fire hazards and disasters and loss of life and property from these causes, including: 

(1) the establishment and enforcement of fire safety practices throughout the State; 

(2) preventive inspection and correction activities; 

(3) coordination of fire safety programs with volunteer and career fire companies and other State agencies and political subdivisions exercising enforcement aspects; and 

(4) critical analysis and evaluation of State fire loss statistics to determine problems and solutions. 

(c)  Assistance in fire prevention matters.- On request, the State Fire Marshal shall assist in fire prevention matters: 

(1) a chief of a fire company or department; 

(2) a legally designated fire marshal of a county or municipal corporation; or 

(3) a unit or agency of the State or a county or municipal corporation. 

(d)  Fire safety and emergency evacuation procedures for State property.-  

(1) The State Fire Marshal, assistant State fire marshals, and special assistant State fire marshals shall develop for each property owned or leased by the State: 

(i) fire safety procedures, including fire drills at least quarterly; and 

(ii) emergency evacuation procedures. 

(2) Information about fire safety and emergency evacuation procedures shall be available to all State employees on request. 

(3) The State Fire Marshal shall require the State unit exercising control over the property owned or leased by the State to keep records of fire drills or other exercises that relate to fire safety and emergency evacuation procedures conducted in the property. 

(e)  Issuance of permits and licenses.- The State Fire Marshal may issue permits and licenses as required under this article. 

(f)  Disposal of hazardous devices and substances.- On request, the State Fire Marshal may assist police and fire authorities to dispose of hazardous devices and substances. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 38A, §§ 7(b), 8(a)-(c), (k), (n), 33; 2003, ch. 5, § 2.]