Section 25-3-23. General requirements; equipment and clothing; insurance

   (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, in order to be legally organized:

   (1) A fire department shall comply with the following requirements:

      (A) Be established to provide fire and other emergency and nonemergency services in accordance with standards specified solely by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council and the applicable local government;

      (B) Be capable of providing fire protection 24 hours a day, 365 days per year;

      (C) Be responsible for a defined area of operations depicted on a map located at the fire station, which area of operations 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 volunteer fire department; and

      (D) Be staffed with a sufficient number of full-time, part-time, or volunteer firefighters who have successfully completed basic firefighter training as specified by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council; and

   (2) A fire department shall possess the following items of approved equipment and protective clothing:

      (A) A minimum of one fully equipped, operable pumper with a capacity of at least 750 GPM at 150 PSI and a tank capacity of a minimum of 250 gallons; provided, however, that previously approved fire apparatus which does not meet such minimum standards may be used in lieu of the minimum required pumper until replaced by the local authority;

      (B) A minimum of equipment, appliances, adapters, and accessories necessary to perform and carry out the duties and responsibilities of a fire department set forth in Code Sections 25-3-1 and 25-3-2 as approved by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council;

      (C) A minimum of two approved self-contained breathing apparatus for each pumping apparatus as approved by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council; and

      (D) A minimum issue of sufficient personal protective clothing to permit each member to perform safely the duties of a firefighter.

(b) A legally organized fire department shall purchase and maintain sufficient insurance coverage on each member of the fire department to pay claims for injuries sustained en route to, during, and returning from fire calls or other emergencies and disasters and scheduled training sessions.

(c) On and after July 1, 1998, the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council shall be authorized, by rules and regulations, to establish and modify minimum requirements for all fire departments operating in this state, provided that such requirements are equal to or exceed the requirements provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section.

Code 1981, § 25-3-23, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1000, § 3; Ga. L. 1985, p. 149, § 25; Ga. L. 1990, p. 354, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 341, § 3; Ga. L. 1998, p. 560, § 2; Ga. L. 2003, p. 888, § 2; Ga. L. 2005, p. 60, § 25/HB 95.