TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 2: EXECUTIVE BRANCH
§ 28004. Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services: Duties; Divisions. (a) The Department of Fire and EMS shall be responsible for the following: (1) To provide effective fire prevention, fire protection, fire suppression, and special operations such as hazardous materials, search and rescue, wildland firefighting, to persons and property in the Commonwealth; (2) To provide emergency and non-emergency basic and advanced life support EMS to persons in the Commonwealth; (3) To prevent and reduce the risk of fire through effective public education and injury prevention, conduct fire safety code inspections and enforcement programs; (4) To conduct arson investigations and make arrests pertaining to such matters; (5) To enforce “CNMI Fire Safety Code Act of 1998” [2 CMC §§ 73017340], adopt the International Fire Code and National Fire Protection Association standards; (6) To ensure representation, active membership, and participation in the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Western Fire Chiefs Association, Western Pacific Islands Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Firefighters, National Association of State EMS Officials, National Association of EMTs, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, National Association of EMS Educators, National Association of EMS Physicians, International Association of Arson Investigators, National Association for Search and Rescue, International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, CNMI Fire and EMS Association; (7) To regulate and issue burning permits; (8) To establish and participate in training and certification, professional development, and educational programs relating to fire science, EMS, and other related matters; (9) To regulate educational or training institutions, non-profit organizations, businesses, and other government agencies conducting and performing life safety programs and functions; (10) To provide and receive mutual aid to and from the Commonwealth Ports Authority and Aircraft Rescue Firefighting inclusive of the seaport; and receive appropriate local and federal funding to provide for such aid; and (11) To provide these protections at acceptable and effective costs within available resources. (b) Establish and manage the Fire Safety Code Revolving Fund for each Senatorial District which shall be expended continuously without further appropriations for the specific purpose of regulating and enforcing the provisions of the Department of Fire and EMS to ensure uninterrupted emergency services to the community;
TITLE 1: GOVERNMENT
DIVISION 2: EXECUTIVE BRANCH
(c) Enforce and manage the “CNMI Ambulance Fee Act of 2000” [1 CMC § 2546], for each Senatorial·District which shall be expended continuously without further appropriations for the specific purpose of regulating and enforcing the provisions of the Department of Fire and EMS to ensure uninterrupted emergency services to the community; (d) The Department of Fire and EMS is considered essential services and in order to perform its mandate and uninterrupted emergency services to the community*; (e) The Department of Fire and EMS shall consist of five divisions as follows: Division of Emergency Services, Division of Fire Prevention and Arson Investigation, Division of Emergency Medical Services, Division of Logistics and Support, and the Division of Administration. * So in original. Source: PL 18-73 § 3(104) (Jan. 25, 2015). Commission Comment: The Commission corrected a semicolon to a comma and inserted a comma after the word “membership” in subsection (a)(6) pursuant to 1 CMC § 3806(g).