Creation; purposes

There is created the Georgia Fire Academy, the purposes of which shall be, through training and research: (1) To reduce the costs in suffering and property loss resulting from fire; (2) To provide professional training to paid, volunteer, and other publicly or privately employed firefighters at a minimal cost to them and their employers; (3) To assist the state and its counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions and the officers thereof in the investigation and determination of the causes of fires; (4) To develop new methods of fire prevention and fire fighting; (5) To provide facilities for testing fire-fighting and prevention equipment; and (6) To assist the state and its counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions in the training and operations of fire department-related emergency medical services and rescue services. 109 25-7-5 History. Ga. L. 1976, p. 1725, § 2; Ga. L. 2002, p. 660, § 4; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1259, § 11. 25-7-3. “Board” defined. As used in this chapter, “board” means the Board of Public Safety. History. Ga. L. 1976, p. 1725, § 3; Ga. L. 1980, p. 431, § 1. Editor’s notes. Ga. L. 1980, p. 431, § 1, effective July 1, 1980, abolished the Georgia Fire Academy Board. By the same law the General Assembly decreed that the Board of Public Safety replace any reference to the Georgia Fire Academy Board. 25-7-4. Power and duties of Board of Public Safety; creation of advisory council. (a) The Board of Public Safety is authorized and empowered to establish, operate, and maintain the Georgia Fire Academy for the purposes enumerated in Code Section 25-7-2. The board is authorized and empowered to do all things and to take whatever action is necessary to accomplish these purposes, including, but not limited to, the establishment and conduct of training programs and the promulgation of rules and regulations relative thereto. The board shall select the superintendent of the academy and shall fix the compensation for the superintendent. (b) The board is authorized and directed to create an advisory council to advise and assist it in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under this chapter. The membership of the advisory council shall be as the board determines, except that such membership shall include at least one representative from each of the following organizations: the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, the Georgia Municipal Association, and the Insurance Services Office. The director of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council shall also be a member of the advisory council. The members of the advisory council shall serve without compensation, but they may be reimbursed in the same manner as state officials and employees for travel and other expenses actually incurred by them in carrying out their duties as members of the council. History. Ga. L. 1976, p. 1725, § 4; Ga. L. 1980, p. 431, § 2. 25-7-5. Responsibilities of superintendent of academy.