GA Code § 25-3-22 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 25 - Fire Protection and Safety|Chapter 3 - Local Fire Departments Generally|Article 2 - Minimum Requirements|§ 25-3-22. Notification and Documentation That Organization Meets Requirements; Issuance of Certificate of Compliance

  In order for a fire department employing full-time firefighters or part-time firefighters to be legally organized to operate in the State of Georgia, the chief administrative officer of the fire department shall notify and submit all required documentation to the executive director that demonstrates that the organization meets the minimum requirements specified in Code Section 25-3-23 and the rules and regulations of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council to function as a fire department. If the executive director is satisfied that the fire department meets the minimum requirements contained in Code Section 25-3-23 and the rules and regulations of the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council, he or she shall recommend to the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council that a certificate of compliance be issued by the council to the fire department. If the council issues such certificate of compliance, the fire department shall be authorized to exercise the general and emergency powers set forth in Code Sections 25-3-1 and 25-3-2.   In order for a volunteer fire department to be legally organized to operate in the State of Georgia, the chief administrative officer of the fire department shall notify and submit all required documentation to the executive director that demonstrates that the organization meets the minimum requirements specified in Code Section 25-3-23 and the rules and regulations of the Georgia Volunteer Fire Service Council to function as a volunteer fire department. If the executive director is satisfied that the volunteer fire department meets the minimum requirements contained in Code Section 25-3-23 and the rules and regulations of the Georgia Volunteer Fire Service Council, he or she shall recommend to the Georgia Volunteer Fire Service Council that a certificate of compliance be issued by such council to the volunteer fire department. If the Georgia Volunteer Fire Service Council issues such certificate of compliance, the fire department shall be authorized to exercise the general and emergency powers set forth in Code Sections 25-3-1 and 25-3-2.     (Code 1981, §25-3-22, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1000, § 3; Ga. L. 1995, p. 341, § 2; Ga. L. 1998, p. 560, § 1; Ga. L. 2003, p. 888, § 1; Ga. L. 2016, p. 64, § 1/HB 727; Ga. L. 2020, p. 515, § 1/SB 342.)    The 2016 amendment,  effective April 26, 2016, in the first sentence of this Code section, substituted "notify and submit all required documentation to the executive director that demonstrates that" for "notify the executive director that" near the middle, and substituted "executive director" for "council" at the beginning of the second sentence.    The 2020 amendment,  effective January 1, 2021, designated the existing provisions as subsection (a); inserted "employing full-time firefighters or part-time firefighters" in the first sentence of subsection (a); and added subsection (b).   Law reviews.   - For article on the 2016 amendment of this Code section, see 33 Georgia St. U.L. Rev. 55 (2016).