Title 27, Title 27. Fire Protection

A. The fire marshal shall have the right, if authorized by the governing body of the county, city, or town appointing the fire marshal, to enter upon any property from which a release of any hazardous material, hazardous waste, or regulated substance, as defined in § 10.1-1400 or…

Any county, city or town which operates fire-fighting equipment may provide for the relief of (1) any children and surviving spouse of any fire fighter who dies (2) and on or before July 1, 1977, shall provide for the relief of any fire fighter who is disabled by injury or illnes…

The governing bodies of cities of the first class may, by ordinance adopted by a recorded vote of a majority of the members elected to each branch, if there be more than one branch, appropriate money out of the public funds to aid in the support of dependent children of members o…

The death of, or any condition or impairment of health of salaried or volunteer fire fighters caused by respiratory diseases, hypertension or heart disease resulting in total or partial disability shall be presumed to have been suffered in the line of duty unless the contrary be …

Any county, city or town providing death, retirement, sickness or other benefits pursuant to the authority granted by § 27-39, or pursuant to any other provision of law or the charter of any city or town, or otherwise, shall do so exclusive of, and without regard to, any such ben…

Such presumption, subject to the provisions of § 27-40.1, shall be employed in determining eligibility for death, retirement, sickness and other benefits provided pursuant to the authority granted by §§ 27-39, 27-40, or pursuant to any other provision of law or the charter of any…

For the purposes of this article the term "volunteer fire fighters" shall be defined as in § 27-42.

If any person is entitled to and receives pensions and benefits under this article and subsequently becomes employed, whether full-time or part-time, the pensions and benefits received shall be reduced by the amount of income received which exceeds the difference between the bene…

Financial relief shall be extended by the counties, cities and towns of Virginia to volunteer fire fighters who are killed or injured while engaged in fighting fire or while responding to an alarm or returning from the scene of a fire, such relief to be paid in amounts and manner…

For the purposes of this article, the term "volunteer fire fighters" shall include only members of any organized fire-fighting company which has in its possession and operates fire-fighting apparatus and equipment, whose members serve without pay and whose names are maintained on…

Should any volunteer fire fighter be killed while actually engaged in fighting fire, or while going to a fire in answer to an alarm or returning therefrom, the governing body of the county, city or town in which his company is located shall pay to his personal representative, for…

Should any volunteer fire fighter be injured under circumstances set forth in § 27-43, so as to be totally and permanently disabled from making a livelihood, he shall be paid in like manner the sum of twenty-five dollars per week for forty weeks. 1928, p. 1002; Michie Code 1942, …

Should a volunteer fire fighter be injured under circumstances set forth in § 27-43, so as to be prevented from attending to his usual occupation for a period greater than two weeks, but not permanently and totally disabled, he shall be paid in like manner the sum of twenty-five …

In addition to the relief set forth in §§ 27-43 through 27-45, all necessary hospital charges and all necessary and proper medical, surgical, laboratory and operating room charges for any volunteer fire fighter arising out of any injury set forth in such sections shall be paid by…

All funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this article shall be raised in the case of a city by a general levy on all property therein subject to taxation for local purposes; and in the case of a county one-half thereof shall be raised by a general levy throughout the co…

Any disputed question of fact arising under the operation of this article shall be triable before the governing body of such county or city having jurisdiction of the company involved, and from the decision of such governing body the petitioner and the county or city, as the case…

This article shall not be construed to repeal any special act now in force in any county or city for the relief of volunteer fire fighters or to limit the enactment of further special and local laws for such purpose. 1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144i; 1977, c. 326.

This article shall not become effective in any county, city or town until the governing body thereof shall adopt and approve the same by resolution duly passed and spread on its minutes. 1928, p. 1003; Michie Code 1942, § 3144j.

All owners or lessees of public halls, theaters or opera houses situated in any city or town, or in any county which has elected to come under the provisions of Article 1 (§ 27-6.01 et seq.) of Chapter 2 of this title, shall provide suitable and sufficient exits from such buildin…

In cities and towns having police and fire departments or having a fire inspector employed by such city or town, the respective heads of such departments and the mayor of such city or town shall, as a committee of three, or the fire inspector of such city or town, inspect at leas…

Any owner or lessee of any such building, who shall violate any of the provisions of § 27-51, shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, or by confinement in jail not less than 6 nor more than 12 months, or by both. The continuation of any failure to …

The governing body of any city or town, or of any such county, shall make such further provisions insuring the safety of the public using such buildings as is mentioned in § 27-51 as such governing body may see proper to make, not in conflict with such section.

The Department of State Police or its successor agency shall keep in its office a record of all fires occurring in the Commonwealth, investigation of which is provided for in this article, together with all facts, statistics and circumstances concerning the same, including the or…

The Department shall examine, or cause examination to be made, into the origin and circumstances of all fires occurring in this Commonwealth, which may be brought to its attention by official report, or otherwise, and for that purpose shall have authority to call for and demand o…

When such examination is made on the application of any fire insurance company, the necessary expenses attending the same shall be paid by such company.

The Department, and such person or persons as it may appoint, shall have authority at all times of the day, in the performance of the duties imposed by the provisions of § 27-56, to enter upon and examine any building or premises where any fire has occurred, and any other buildin…

If the Department shall be of opinion, after investigation as to the cause or origin of any fire, that there is sufficient evidence to charge any person with the crime of arson, or with incendiary burning of property, it shall furnish to the attorney for the Commonwealth of the c…

The Department may petition an appropriate judicial officer to summons and compel the attendance of witnesses to testify in relation to any matter which is, by the provisions of this chapter, a subject of inquiry and investigation. It may also administer oaths and affirmations to…

The Department of Fire Programs, by its representative, or the chief or other head of the fire department of any county, city or town or district thereof, shall have the right, at all reasonable hours, for the purpose of examination, to enter into and upon any public school build…

Any city, town or county officer referred to in this article who willfully neglects or refuses to comply with any of the requirements of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $5, nor more than $10…

This article shall be known as the Arson Reporting Immunity Act.

For the purposes of this article: "Action" includes nonaction or the failure to take action. "Authorized agencies" means: i. The chief or director of any municipal or county fire or police department or the sheriff of any county; ii. The arson investigator of the State Police Dep…

A. Any authorized agency may, in writing, require an insurance company to release to the requesting agency any or all relevant information or evidence deemed material by the requesting agency in the insurance company's possession relating to the fire loss in question. Relevant in…

Any authorized agency and insurance company described in § 27-85.4 or § 27-85.5 who receives any information furnished pursuant to this article, shall hold the information in confidence until such time as its release is required pursuant to a criminal or civil proceeding, except …

It shall be unlawful for any owner or any other person, firm, or corporation, on or after the effective date of any Code provisions, to violate any provisions of the Fire Prevention Code. Any such violation shall be deemed a Class 1 misdemeanor, and any owner, or any other person…

Any law-enforcement officer arresting any person for a violation of this chapter related to fireworks shall seize any article of fireworks in the possession or under the control of the person so arrested and shall hold the same until final disposition of any criminal proceedings …

Every court having jurisdiction under existing or any future law is empowered to and shall, upon the application of the local enforcing agency or State Fire Marshal, issue either a mandatory or restraining injunction in aid of the enforcement of, or in prevention of the violation…

This chapter may be cited as the "Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code Act."

As used in this chapter, unless the context or subject matter requires otherwise, the following words or terms shall have the meaning herein ascribed to them: "Board" means the Board of Housing and Community Development. "Code provisions" means the provisions of the Fire Preventi…

The purposes of this chapter are to provide for statewide standards for optional local enforcement to safeguard life and property from the hazards of fire or explosion arising from the improper maintenance of life safety and fire prevention and protection materials, devices, syst…

Unless prohibited by a local ordinance, the provisions of this chapter pertaining to fireworks shall not apply to the sale of or to any person using, igniting or exploding permissible fireworks on private property with the consent of the owner of such property.

The provisions of this chapter concerning fireworks shall have no application to any officer or member of the armed forces of this Commonwealth, or of the United States, while acting within the scope of his authority and duties as such, nor to any offer of sale or sale of firewor…

The Board of Housing and Community Development is hereby empowered to adopt and promulgate a Statewide Fire Prevention Code which shall be cooperatively developed with the Fire Services Board pursuant to procedures agreed to by the two Boards. The Fire Prevention Code shall presc…

Any person holding a permit for the manufacture, storage, handling, use or sale of explosives issued in accordance with the provisions of the Code shall report to the office of the chief arson investigator for the Commonwealth as well as the chief local law-enforcement official a…

A. The State Fire Marshal or other issuing authority shall consider all permit applications for manufacturing, storage, handling, use or sales of explosives and applications for certification as a blaster or as a fireworks operator or pyrotechnician, and may grant a valid permit …

Any local government may enforce the Fire Prevention Code in its entirety or with respect only to those provisions of the Fire Prevention Code relating to open burning, fire lanes, fireworks, and hazardous materials. If a local governing body elects to enforce only those provisio…