9.1-203 - Powers and duties of Virginia Fire Services Board; limitation. - Virginia Statutes

§ 9.1-203. Powers and duties of Virginia Fire Services Board; limitation.

A. The Board shall have the responsibility for promoting the coordination ofthe efforts of fire service organizations at the state and local levels. Tothese ends, it shall have the following powers and duties to:

1. Establish a process, involving state and local agencies, public andprivate, for setting priorities for implementing the Virginia Fire Preventionand Control Plan and coordinating the activities of state and local agencies,public and private, in implementing the Plan;

2. Develop a five-year statewide plan for fire education and training;

3. Establish criteria for the disbursement of any grant funds received fromthe federal government and any agencies thereof and any other source and todisburse such funds in accordance therewith;

4. Provide technical assistance and advice to local fire departments, otherfire services organizations, and local governments;

5. Develop and recommend personnel standards for fire services personnel;

6. Develop and implement a statewide plan for the collection, analysis andreporting of data relating to fires in the Commonwealth, utilizingappropriate resources of other state agencies when deemed proper by the Board;

7. Make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly concerninglegislation affecting fire prevention and protection and fire servicesorganizations in Virginia;

8. Evaluate all state programs or functions which have a bearing on fireprevention and protection and to make to the appropriate government officialsany recommendations deemed necessary to improve the level of fire preventionand protection in the Commonwealth;

9. Provide training and information to localities relative to the StatewideFire Prevention Code;

10. Study and develop alternative means of providing financial support forvolunteer fire departments and to make appropriate recommendations regardingthe implementation of such alternatives;

11. Conduct training schools for fire service personnel in various areas ofthe Commonwealth; and

12. Render assistance to local fire departments and volunteer fire companiesin training firefighters.

B. Except for those policies established in § 38.2-401, compliance with theprovisions of § 9.1-201 and this section and any policies or guidelinesenacted pursuant thereto shall be optional with, and at the full discretionof, any local governing body and any volunteer fire department or volunteerfire departments operating under the same corporate charters.

(1978, c. 606, § 9-155; 1981, c. 154; 1984, c. 734; 1986, c. 60; 1988, c.133; 1997, c. 791; 2001, c. 844.)