(a) The Office of Fire Protection Services shall facilitate and coordinate, with the cooperation and assistance of the fire services agencies listed in ยง 20-22-1004(c), the development and formulation of a comprehensive program for the orderly coordination, cooperation, and development of resources of the State of Arkansas and its local governments, to be referred to as the "Arkansas Fire Protection Services Resources Plan". The plan shall include plans:
(1) For providing fire services in the various rural areas of this state which do not have available the benefits or services of an organized or voluntary firefighting program;
(2) For updating and improving fire services in urban, suburban, and rural areas which have fire services but which need improvements and for assisting existing organized or volunteer firefighting services in making those improvements;
(3) On the type, needs, and means to procure firefighting vehicles and equipment for fire services agencies of local governments;
(4) On developing training programs designed to instruct and train firefighters at the Arkansas Fire Training Academy to be employed or used by both urban and rural organized and volunteer fire services agencies;
(5) To coordinate the efforts of all state and local government fire services agencies for the purpose of making maximum use of the services and resources for the prevention and mitigation of injury and damage caused by fire and other hazards;
(6) To measure the prompt and effective response to fires and other hazards and disasters;
(7) To identify areas particularly vulnerable to fire and hazards and other disasters; and
(8) To make recommendations for improvements in the firefighting, prevention, training, mitigation, and adjunct services for state and local fire services agencies.
(b) In coordinating the preparation and revision of the plan, the office shall seek the advice and assistance of and cooperate with state agencies, including the State Fire Marshal, the Arkansas Fire Training Academy, and the Rural Fire Protection Service, with all fire services agencies of local governments, with business, labor, industry, agriculture, civic and volunteer organizations, and with community leaders.
(c) The plan or any part thereof may be incorporated into regulations of the office, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, or executive orders which have the force and effect of law.
Section: Previous 20-22-1002 20-22-1003 20-22-1004 20-22-1006 20-22-1007 20-22-1008 NextLast modified: November 15, 2016