§ 153A-233 — Fire-fighting and prevention services

A county may establish, organize, equip, support, and maintain a fire department; may prescribe the duties of the fire department; may provide financial assistance to nonprofit volunteer fire departments; may contract for fire-fighting or prevention services with one or more counties, cities or other units of local government, nonprofit volunteer fire departments, or with an agency of the State government; and may for these purposes appropriate funds not otherwise limited as to use by law. A county shall ensure that any county, city or other unit of local government, or nonprofit volunteer fire department with whom the county contracts for fire-fighting or prevention services shall obtain a criminal history record check for an applicant over the age of 18 prior to offering that applicant a paid or volunteer position providing fire-fighting or prevention services. The criminal history record check shall be conducted and evaluated as provided in G.S. 143B-1209.23 [G.S. 143B-1209.24], or, if an applicant has been a resident of North Carolina for over five years and reports no charges or convictions on the application, the record check requirement of this section may be conducted through the county clerk of court or a third-party vendor. The county may also designate fire districts or parts of existing districts and prescribe the boundaries thereof for insurance grading purposes. (1945, c. 244; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1977, c. 158; 2022-8, s. 3(b); 2023-104, s. 2; 2023-134, s. 19F.4(v); 2024-29, s. 12.1.)