reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 24 - Firefighting Expenditures

Section 24. Money appropriated by a town under section eleven of chapter forty, for the prevention of forest fires, and all fines received under sections eleven, thirteen and twenty-six of this chapter and section nine of chapter two hundred and sixty-six shall be expended by the forest warden, under the supervision of the selectmen, in trimming brush out of wood roads, in preparing and preserving suitable lines for back fires, for fire patrols, or in other ways adapted to prevent or check the spread of fire; or such town may expend any portion of such money in taking by eminent domain such woodland as the selectmen, upon recommendation of the forest warden, consider expedient to prevent forest fires. Such taking and the payment of damages therefor or for injury to property, other than by fire or back fire, shall be governed by chapter seventy-nine. In the event of a forest fire getting beyond the control of a local forest warden, the forester or his assistant may take entire charge of the extinguishment of such fire and engage all help and equipment necessary therefor. All expenses thereby incurred in a town wherein a fire occurs after the forester has so taken charge shall be divided equally between such town and the commonwealth. The expenses aforesaid shall be paid by the commonwealth upon presentation of pay rolls and vouchers approved in such manner as the forester shall direct. One half of any sums so paid shall be assessed and collected as a part of the state tax of such town.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 25 - Duties; Extinguishment of Fires; Investigation of Causes; Posting of Warning Notices

Section 25. Except as provided in section twenty-four, every forest warden shall have sole charge of the extinguishment of forest fires in his city or town. He shall investigate the causes and extent of forest fires and the injury done thereby, and shall report thereon to the forester at such times and in such form as he requires. Every forest warden shall also post in suitable places in the town such warnings against the setting of forest fires and statements of law relating thereto as may be supplied to him by the forester. The engineers or other officers in charge of fire departments in cities, towns and fire districts which have so voted shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of forest wardens with respect to forest fires.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 27 - Liability for Trespass

Section 27. Forest wardens, their deputies and assistants, foresters, chief fire wardens, district fire wardens and forest fire patrolmen shall not be liable for trespass when engaged in the performance of their duties under this chapter or chapter one hundred and thirty-one, one hundred and thirty-two or one hundred and forty-eight.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 28 - State Fire Warden; Powers and Duties; Reports

Section 28. The state fire warden appointed under section five of chapter twenty-one shall aid and advise the forest wardens and their deputies in towns and the municipal officers exercising the functions of forest wardens in cities in preventing and extinguishing forest fires and in enforcing the laws relative thereto. The forester may designate not more than fifteen assistants to aid the warden. The state fire warden shall report annually to the forester upon his work and upon the forest fires occurring in the commonwealth. This report shall be included in the report of the commissioner of environmental management relative to the acts of the forester.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 28b - Fire Patrols in Dry Areas; Authorization; Payment of Costs

Section 28B. When the forest fire hazard, as determined by the director of the division of forestry, according to the United States Forest Service standard of classification of fire danger, or its equivalent in any future classification, shall reach a burning index of fifty or higher, the forest warden, within the limits of funds appropriated for such purposes, may, and upon the order of the forester shall cause the forests of such town to be patrolled for the prevention of such fires. The cost of such patrol, if ordered by the forester, shall be paid by said town, subject to reimbursement by the commonwealth, if the valuation of such town does not exceed one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, as if incurred for the extinguishment of forest fires as provided in section twenty-four.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 28c - Closing of Forest Lands During Dry Periods; Penalty for Trespassing

Section 28C. When, in the judgment of the director of the division of forests and parks, the forest fire hazard is such as to require the use of forest fire patrols in any town, all forest lands therein shall be closed to all persons except the owners thereof and the tenants of such owners or to the authorized agents of such owners and tenants and the director shall use all reasonable means to notify all persons of such closing. While such fire hazard exists, a duly authorized forest warden, deputy forest warden, chief fire warden and his assistants, environmental police officer or deputy environmental police officer may arrest without a warrant any person found within the forest lands of another without authorization from the owner or tenant thereof or without other legal authority if such person refuses to leave such forest lands upon request and such person shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 36 - Promotion of Call Men to Permanent Force; Conditions

Section 36. Any town which has accepted chapter four hundred and eighty-seven of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen, and has a call or part call fire department which now is or may hereafter be subject to chapter thirty-one, may, on the recommendation of the board of engineers of the fire department or of the officer or board having charge of the fire department, promote to membership in the permanent full-time force, without civil service examination and without any probationary period of service required under said chapter thirty-one and the rules and regulations made thereunder, any persons then in the call or part call fire department who have served as call men or part call men or substitute call men for three or more successive years, and who are certified to be competent physically for the duty by the town physician, if any, otherwise by a physician designated therefor by the board of engineers or other authority, as aforesaid; provided, at the time of said promotion to the full-time force, the person so promoted is serving in the call department on a permanent basis after certification from an eligible list established in accordance with the provisions of chapter thirty-one.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 36a - Promotion of Call Men to Regular Force; Conditions; Qualifications

Section 36A. Any town which has not accepted chapter four hundred and eighty-seven of the acts of nineteen hundred and thirteen and shall accept this section by vote of the town at a town meeting, and has a call or part call fire force which now is or may hereafter be subject to chapter thirty-one, may, on the recommendation of the appointing officer of the fire department, promote to membership in the regular or permanent full-time force, without civil service examination and without any probationary period of service required under said chapter thirty-one and the rules made thereunder, any persons then in the call or part call fire force who have served as call men or part call men or substitute call men for three or more successive years, and who are certified to be competent physically for the duty by the town physician, if any, otherwise by a physician designated therefor by said appointing officer. Appointments from the call force to the regular or permanent force shall be made by the appointing officer upon certification by the personnel administrator from the list of members of the call force of firemen, in accordance with the rules of the civil service commission, except that the basis of certification shall be the order of appointment to the call force, or, if not ascertainable, the order of the respective ratings of such members obtained in the examination upon which the list of eligibles for appointment to such call force was based. No person who has passed his fiftieth birthday shall be appointed from such a call force to such a regular or permanent force.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 37 - Application of Sections Relating to Appointment of Call Men to Regular Force

Section 37. The provisions of section thirty-six or section thirty-six A shall not apply to any town in which the promotion of call men to the permanent or regular force is regulated by a special act relating to such town, nor to Boston.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 39 - Compensation of Persons Employed in Fire Department; Procedure for Acquisition

Section 39. The chief engineer or other officer in charge of a fire department, and the foreman or director of each company where no fire department is established by law, shall annually on or before May first certify to the assessors of their respective towns a list of all persons in their department or companies who during the preceding year have performed all the duties required by law. The assessors shall within ten days thereafter examine such lists and certify to the treasurers of their respective towns the amount to be paid to each person named therein. Each treasurer shall, after deducting all taxes due from the persons so named, pay the amount so certified to them, or, if minors, to their parents or guardians. Upon refusal of the treasurer to pay any sum so certified, the person entitled may recover such amount in contract.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 40 - Certificates of Employment; Penalty for Refusing to File

Section 40. If such chief engineer or other officer wilfully refuses to make such certificate, he shall forfeit for each person entitled to be so certified not more than five dollars, to the use of such person, or, on complaint, to the use of the town; and if such engineer or other officer makes a false certificate in such case, he shall forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $100.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 41 - Application of Sections Relating to Compensation for Enginemen and Fire Department Employees

Section 41. The three preceding sections shall be in force only in those towns which adopt the same by vote of their city council or at their annual town meeting, or which have so adopted corresponding provisions of earlier laws. If such adoption is revoked by the city council or by the town at an annual meeting, said sections shall cease to be in force.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 42 - Establishment of Fire Departments; Appointment of Fire Chief; Compensation; Removal; Powers and Duties

Section 42. Towns accepting the provisions of this section and sections forty-three and forty-four, or which have accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws may establish a fire department to be under the control of an officer to be known as the chief of the fire department. The chief shall be appointed by the selectmen, and shall receive such salary as the selectmen may from time to time determine, not exceeding in the aggregate the amount annually appropriated therefor. He may be removed for cause by the selectmen at any time after a hearing. He shall have charge of extinguishing fires in the town and the protection of life and property in case of fire. He shall purchase subject to the approval of the selectmen and keep in repair all property and apparatus used for and by the fire department. He shall have and exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties conferred or imposed by statute upon engineers in towns except as herein provided, and shall appoint a deputy chief and such officers and firemen as he may think necessary, and may remove the same at any time for cause and after a hearing. He shall have full and absolute authority in the administration of the department, shall make all rules and regulations for its operation, shall report to the selectmen from time to time as they may require, and shall annually report to the town the condition of the department with his recommendations thereon; he shall fix the compensation of the permanent and call members of the fire department subject to the approval of the selectmen. In the expenditure of money the chief shall be subject to such further limitations as the town may from time to time prescribe. The appointment of the chief of the fire department in any town or district having a population of five thousand or less may be for a period of three years.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 42a - Establishment in Towns Under Direction of Selectmen; Appointment of Fire Chief, Other Officers and Firemen; Compensation; Removal; Regulations; Control of Department

Section 42A. In towns which accept this section or have accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws there shall be a fire department established under the direction of the selectmen, who shall appoint a chief of the fire department and such other officers and firemen as they deem necessary, and fix their compensation in an amount not in the aggregate exceeding the annual appropriation therefor. The selectmen may make suitable regulations governing the fire department and the officers and firemen thereof, and in towns which are not subject to chapter thirty-one may remove the chief and other officers and firemen at pleasure. The chief of the fire department shall be in immediate control of all town property used by the department, and of the officers and firemen, who shall obey his orders.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 43 - Duties of Fire Chief; Role of Forest Warden

Section 43. The chief of a fire department shall act as forest warden in all such towns which accept the provisions of either of the two preceding sections, and shall have authority to appoint deputy wardens and fix their compensation subject to the approval of the selectmen.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 44 - Application of Sections Establishing a Fire Department and Appointing and Defining Duties of Fire Chief

Section 44. The three preceding sections shall not affect the tenure of office nor apply to the removal of permanent and call members of fire departments in towns which have accepted chapter thirty-one or corresponding provisions of earlier laws. Said sections shall not apply to cities.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 44a - Private Fire Fighting Units; Contracts

Section 44A. No city or town or the Massachusetts Port Authority or the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency shall contract with a private for-profit firefighting unit to operate within said city or town or on property controlled by said authority or said agency, unless said unit has been certified by the department of fire services. Nothing in section shall prevent or preclude said Massachusetts Port Authority from the continuous operation of its airports in accordance with federal law.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 45 - Engineers; Appointments; Removals; Vacancies

Section 45. The selectmen, except as provided in the three preceding sections, may establish a fire department, and thereafter shall annually, in April, appoint a suitable number of engineers, not exceeding twelve, for one year from the following May first, and until others are appointed in their stead; may, for cause, remove an engineer, after seven days' notice to him and a hearing, and shall fill all vacancies.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 47 - Engineers; Powers and Duties

Section 47. The engineers, in the extinguishment of fires, shall exercise the powers of firewards and, in the nomination and appointment of such firefighters as necessary therefor, shall exercise the powers and perform the duties of selectmen. They may appoint such men to the engines, hose and hook and ladder carriages, and constitute such companies for securing property endangered by fire, as they deem expedient.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 48 - Organization of Firefighters

Section 48. Firefighters may organize companies, elect officers and establish such regulations and by-laws as the board of engineers approve; and may annex penalties for the violation thereof, not exceeding ten dollars for each offence, which may be recovered by the clerk to the use of the company.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 51a - Breathing Apparatus

Section 51A. Each city, town or district shall equip any fire apparatus operated by it with at least three self-contained breathing apparatus, so-called. Such breathing apparatus shall contain a minimum of 30 minutes of air or oxygen and shall be equipped with an audible alarm to indicate to the wearer thereof and to any other person in the area that there is a specific designated minimum supply of air or oxygen still present and that such wearer should leave a contaminated area. Any such breathing apparatus shall, in addition to the above, meet the requirements of the standards set up by the National Fire Protection Association for self-contained breathing apparatus. The provisions of this section shall not apply to fire apparatus designed solely for extinguishing woods or brush fires.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 52 - Board of Engineers; Duties

Section 52. The board of engineers shall have the care and superintendence of fire apparatus and related equipment, buildings, fixtures, and equipment and all pumps, reservoirs for water and apparatus owned by the town and used for extinguishing fires and shall cause the same to be kept in repair or renewed and shall make necessary alterations therein and additions thereto at an expense not exceeding $1,000 in any one year unless the town has authorized a larger appropriation.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 53 - Engineers; Promulgation of Rules and Regulations for Fire Prevention

Section 53. They may make regulations as to the carrying of fire, firebrands, lighted matches or other ignited materials openly in the streets or thoroughfares of their town, or of such parts thereof as they may designate, or as to prohibiting owners or occupants of buildings within their town, or such part thereof as they may designate, from maintaining any defective chimney, hearth, oven, stove or stove pipe, fire frame or other fixture, deposit of ashes or whatever may give just cause of alarm or be the means of kindling or spreading fire. Whoever violates any such rule or regulation shall forfeit not more than $200.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 54 - Engineers; Promulgation of Rules and Regulations Relating to Conduct at Fires; Penalty for Noncompliance

Section 54. They may make regulations, consistent with law, for their own government and for the conduct of citizens at fires, and annex penalties for violation thereof not exceeding $200 for each offence, to be recovered by the chief engineer and appropriated to the improvement of the fire apparatus of the town; but such regulations shall be approved by the town and published as it may direct.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 55 - Tenure of Members

Section 55. A town which has established a fire department may vote to fix the term of office for the members of such department at one year from a designated day, and may at the same time determine the then current term of office of members of fire departments; but no term shall be made shorter than six or longer than eighteen months, and the incumbents shall hold office until others are appointed in their stead. In such cases all provisions of this chapter referring to the month of May shall be construed to refer to the first month of the year thus designated.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57 - Days Off; Vacations

Section 57. Subject to section fifty-nine, members of the fire department of every city which accepted chapter five hundred and forty-six of the acts of nineteen hundred and twelve or chapter ninety-seven of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and fifteen, shall be excused from duty for one day out of every five days, without loss of pay. The time and manner of so excusing members shall be determined by the chief, or other officer or board at the head of the fire department, who shall have authority, in case of any public emergency, to prevent any member of the department from taking the day off herein provided for at the time when he is entitled thereto or at the time assigned therefor; but such day off shall be granted to him as soon thereafter as practicable, and such days shall be in addition to any annual vacation allowed to the members of said departments, and such annual vacation shall not be diminished on account of the days off herein provided for.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57a - Days Off for Working on Holidays

Section 57A. If any permanent member of the fire fighting force or fire alarm division of a fire department of a city or town is required to serve a tour of duty during the twenty-four hour period commencing at eight o'clock in the morning of January the first, July the fourth or Christmas day, or the day following when any of said days occurs on Sunday, or the third Monday in February, the third Monday in April, the last Monday in May, the first Monday in September, the second or fourth Monday in October or Thanksgiving day, he shall be given an additional day off, or, if such additional day off cannot be given because of personnel shortage or other cause, he shall be entitled to an additional day's pay; provided, that any such member who, through a rotation of shifts, works different days in successive weeks shall be granted, in each year in which the number of holidays falling on his regular days off is in excess of the number of holidays in such year falling on Saturday, additional days off equal to the excess, and, if any such additional day off cannot be given because of personnel shortage or other cause, an additional day's pay shall be allowed in lieu thereof. This section shall take effect in a city having a Plan E charter when accepted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the city council, and in the case of other cities by vote of the city council, subject to the provisions of its charter, and in a town by a majority vote at an annual town meeting, but not otherwise.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57b - Fire Fighters; Attendance of Afl&ndash;cio&ndash;clc Convention

Section 57B. Members of the fire department in any city, town, or fire district adopting this section may be excused from duty for not more than four days in any year without loss of pay while in attendance as an official delegate to the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, AFL–CIO–CLC convention held within the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57c - Fire Fighters; Attendance of Massachusetts Permanent Firemen's Association or Massachusetts State Firemen's Association Conventions

Section 57C. Members of the fire department in any city or town accepting the provisions of this section may be excused from duty for not more than two days in any year without loss of pay while in attendance as an official delegate to the convention of the Massachusetts Permanent Firemen's Association or the Massachusetts State Firemen's Association held within the commonwealth; provided, however, that any such member who attends both such conventions as an official delegate may be excused from duty for not more than four days in any year.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57d - Fire Fighters; Working on Holidays; Additional Pay or Day Off

Section 57D. If any permanent member of the fire fighting force or fire alarm division of a fire department of a city or town which accepts this section is required to be on duty at any time on January the first, July the fourth or Christmas day, or the day following when any of said days occurs on Sunday, or the third Monday in February, the third Monday in April, the last Monday in May, the first Monday in September, the second or fourth Monday in October or Thanksgiving day, he shall be given an additional day off, or, if such additional day off cannot be given because of personnel shortage or other cause, he shall be entitled to an additional day's pay; provided, that in the case of any such member whose regular day off or vacation day or a day on which he is absent from duty because of injuries received in the performance of his duties falls on any of the aforementioned holidays, an additional day off shall be allowed, or payments in lieu of one day shall be allowed. Such day's pay shall be one fifth of his regular weekly salary. Section fifty-seven A shall not apply in any such city or town.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57e - Fire Chiefs; Working on Holidays; Additional Pay

Section 57E. If the chief of a fire department of a city or town or the chief, chief engineer or head of a fire department of a fire district is on duty at any time on January the first, July the fourth or Christmas day, or the day following when any of said days occurs on Sunday, or the third Monday in February, the third Monday in April, the last Monday in May, the first Monday in September, the second or fourth Monday in October or Thanksgiving day, he shall be granted an additional day's pay.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57g - Compensation of Certain Heads of Fire and Police Departments

Section 57G. The permanent, full-time fire chief or chief engineer of a fire department in any city, other than Boston, or town or fire district, and the permanent, full-time chief of police or superintendent of police, or city marshall, in any city, other than Boston, or town shall receive an annual base rate of compensation which shall not be less than the following ratios of the highest annual rate of compensation of a permanent, full-time firefighter, or a permanent, full-time police officer or patrolman, as the case may be:
1. In departments having less than twelve permanent, full-time police officers or firefighters, the ratio shall be: 1.5.
2. In departments having not less than twelve nor more than twenty-nine permanent, full-time police officers or firefighters, the ratio shall be: 1.8.
3. In departments having thirty or more permanent, full-time police officers or firefighters, the ratio shall be: 2.0.
The provisions of this section relative to a city, town or fire district shall be in effect only in a city, town or fire district which accepts this section.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57h - Union Officers; Leave to Perform Elected Responsibilities

Section 57H. The elected officers of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, AFL–CIO–CLC shall be granted leave, if on duty, by the municipal employer for those regularly scheduled work hours spent in the performance of their elected responsibilities in such organization.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 57i - Officers of Professional Organization; Leave Without Loss of Pay or Benefits

Section 57I. In any city, town or district which accepts the provisions of this section, elected officers of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, AFL–CIO–CLC, shall be granted leave, without loss of pay or benefits and without being required to make up lost time, if on duty, by the municipal employer for regularly scheduled work hours spent in the performance of their elected responsibilities in such organization.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 58 - Fire Chiefs; Tenure; Removal; Conditions

Section 58. In every town which accepted chapter two hundred and ninety-one of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and sixteen or chapter one hundred and forty of the General Acts of nineteen hundred and seventeen, or in which the provisions of chapter thirty-one were, on April third, nineteen hundred and seventeen, applicable to the chief of the fire department thereof, such chief shall hold his office continuously during good behavior unless incapacitated by physical or mental disability to perform the duties of his position; provided, that in every such city the official having the power of appointment, with the consent of the confirming board, if any, and in every such town, the selectmen, may, for just cause and for reasons specifically assigned by said official or selectmen, remove such chief, first giving him a copy of such reasons and allowing him a reasonable time to answer them in writing. A copy of the reasons, notice and answer, and of the order of removal, shall be filed with the town clerk.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 58a - Hours of Duty of Permanent Firemen; Application of Sections Relating to Hours of Duty

Section 58A. The hours of duty of the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in every city in which this section is accepted by the mayor and by the city council and in every town in which it is accepted by vote of the town at an annual town meeting shall be so established by the fire commissioner, board of fire commissioners, chief engineer, board of engineers, or other officers having charge of fire fighting that the average weekly hours of duty in any year, other than hours during which such members may be summoned and kept on duty because of conflagrations, shall not exceed seventy in number; provided that any such city by ordinance and any such town by by-law may establish such weekly hours of duty at less than seventy. Sections fifty-six, fifty-seven and fifty-nine shall not apply to the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in any such city or town.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 58b - Hours of Duty of Permanent Firemen; Limitations; Application of Other Sections Relating to Hours of Duty; Acceptance of Provision by Electorate

Section 58B. The hours of duty of the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in every city and town in which this section is accepted as hereinafter provided shall be so established by the fire commissioner, board of fire commissioners, chief engineer, board of engineers, or other officers having charge of fire fighting that the average weekly hours of duty in any year, other than hours during which such members may be summoned and kept on duty because of conflagrations, shall not exceed forty-eight in number; provided that any such city by ordinance and any such town by by-law may establish such weekly hours of duty at less than forty-eight. Sections fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight A and fifty-nine shall not apply to the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in any such city or town.
Upon petition of not less than ten per cent of the registered voters in any city or town, duly certified by the registrars of voters and filed with the state secretary not less than sixty days before a state election, or filed with a city or town clerk not less than sixty days before a municipal election, the state secretary, or the city or town clerk shall cause to be printed upon the official ballot to be used in such city or town at such state or municipal election the following question:—''Shall section fifty-eight B of chapter forty-eight of the General Laws, providing for a forty-eight hour week for permanent members of fire departments, be accepted?'' If a majority of the votes cast on said question in any city or town are in the affirmative, this section shall take effect in such city or town ninety days thereafter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 58c - Overtime; Compensation

Section 58C. If an officer or member, other than the chief, of the fire fighting force of the fire department of a city, town or fire district shall be required to be on duty for any period in excess of his regular hours of duty as from time to time established, he may be given time off equal to such period of overtime duty or, if time off cannot be given by reason of a personnel shortage or other cause, he may be paid for such period of overtime duty at such an hourly rate as may be determined by the authority in charge of a fire department, which rate shall in no event be less than one and one half of the basic hourly rate of his regular compensation for his average weekly hours of regular duty.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 58d - Hours of Duty of Permanent Firemen; Application of Sections Relating to Hours of Duty; Acceptance of Provisions

Section 58D. The hours of duty of the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in every city and town in which this section is accepted as hereinafter provided shall be so established by the fire commissioner, board of fire commissioners, chief engineer, board of engineers, or other officers having charge of fire fighting that the average weekly hours of duty in any year, other than hours during which such members may be summoned and kept on duty because of conflagrations, shall not exceed forty-two in number; provided, that any such city by ordinance and any such town by by-law may establish such weekly hours of duty at less than forty-two. Sections fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight A, fifty-eight B and fifty-nine shall not apply to the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in any such city or town.
This section shall become effective in a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter when accepted by a majority of the members of the city council, and, in the case of other cities, by vote of the city council and the approval of the mayor, and in a town by a majority vote at the annual town meeting, or in any city or town in which the question of adopting this section is placed before the voters thereof, in the manner set forth in the following paragraph, and a majority of the voters voting at such election vote in the affirmative on such question.
Upon petition of not less than five per cent of the registered voters in any city or town, duly certified by the registrars of voters and filed with the state secretary not less than sixty days before a state election, or filed with a city or town clerk not less than sixty days before a municipal election, the state secretary, or the city or town clerk, as the case may be, shall cause to be printed upon the official ballot to be used in such city or town at such state or municipal election the following question:—''Shall section fifty-eight D of chapter forty-eight of the General Laws, providing for a forty-two hour work week for permanent members of fire departments, be accepted?'' If a majority of the votes cast on said question in any city or town are in the affirmative, this section shall take effect in such city or town ninety days thereafter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 58e - Fire Fighters; Residence

Section 58E. In any city or town which accepts this section, applicants for positions in and members of the regular fire department of said city or town may reside outside said city or town; provided, they reside within the commonwealth and within ten miles of the limits of said city or town.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 59 - Platoon System; Submission to Electorate

Section 59. The permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in every town which accepts this section or has accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws shall be divided by the fire commissioner, board of fire commissioners, chief engineer, board of engineers, or other officers having charge of the fire fighting force into two bodies or platoons, which shall be designated as a day force and a night force, and shall alternate on tours of duty every third day.
The hours of duty of the day force shall be from eight o'clock in the forenoon to six o'clock in the afternoon, and the hours of duty of the night force shall be from six o'clock in the afternoon to eight o'clock in the forenoon; provided, that on every third day, for the purpose of alternating the day force with the night force and vice versa, the number of hours of duty herein stated may be exceeded, but one force shall be at liberty at all times, except that in case of a conflagration the officer or board having charge of the fire fighting force shall have full authority to summon and keep on duty all members of the fire fighting force while the conflagration continues.
This section shall not affect any law, ordinance or by-law relative to salary, pensions, annual vacations or sick or disability leave of absence of the members of the fire fighting force in any town subject to this section. Sections fifty-six and fifty-seven shall not apply to the permanent members of the uniformed fire fighting force in any such town.
All ordinances or by-laws, or parts thereof, affecting the number that may be appointed as members of a fire fighting force, or the meal hours or days off of the members of the fire department of any such town, shall have no force after its acceptance becomes effective.
Upon petition of not less than ten per cent of the registered voters in any town, duly certified by the registrars of voters and filed with the town clerk not less than sixty days before any annual town meeting, the town clerk shall cause to be printed upon the official ballot used for the election of town officers at such annual town meeting the following question: ''Shall section fifty-nine of chapter forty-eight of the General Laws, providing for the division into day and night forces of permanent members of fire departments, known as the two platoon system, be accepted?'' If a majority of the votes cast on the said question in any town are in the affirmative, this section shall take effect in such town ninety days thereafter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 59a - Aid to Other Municipalities; Authorization; Fire Departments Defined; Payment for Damages

Section 59A. Cities, towns and fire districts may, by ordinance or by-law, or by vote of the board of aldermen, selectmen or of the prudential committee or board exercising similar powers, authorize their respective fire departments to go to aid another city, town, fire district or area under federal jurisdiction in this commonwealth or in any adjoining state in extinguishing fires therein, or rendering any other emergency aid or performing any detail as ordered by the head of the fire department, or the Joint Base Cape Cod fire district and while in the performance of their duties in extending such aid the members of such departments shall have the same immunities and privileges as if performing the same within their respective cities, towns or districts. Any such ordinance, by-law or vote may authorize the head of the fire department to extend such aid, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed therein. The words ''fire departments'' as used in this section shall mean lawfully organized fire fighting forces, however constituted.
During the course of rendering such aid to another municipality, the municipality rendering aid shall be responsible for the operation of its equipment and for any damage thereto, and, subject to the limitations of municipal liability, for personal injury sustained or caused by a member of its fire department, and for any payments which it is required to make to a member of said department or to his widow or other dependents on account of injuries or death, notwithstanding paragraph (b) of subdivision (4) of section seven of chapter thirty-two, unless such municipalities have a written agreement to the contrary.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 59b - Establishment of Reserve Force of Firemen; Conditions

Section 59B. Any city, except Boston, in which the city council, with the approval of the mayor, accepts this and the two following sections, may establish a reserve force of firemen in its fire department; and appointments thereto and removals therefrom shall, subject to chapter thirty-one, be made in the same manner as appointments to the regular or permanent force of the fire department of said city.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 59c - Membership

Section 59C. The number of members of such reserve force shall not exceed five in cities in which the number of members of the regular force does not exceed fifteen. If the number of members of the regular force exceeds fifteen, one member may be added to the reserve force for every three of the regular force above fifteen and not above thirty; one for every five of the regular force above thirty and not above eighty; and one for every ten of the regular force above eighty.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 59d - Duties; Compensation

Section 59D. The mayor, chief of the fire department or the officer or board having charge of the said department in a city wherein such reserve force is established may assign the members thereof to duty in the said department whenever and for such length of time as he or it may deem necessary. The compensation of the members of said reserve force shall be fixed by the city council. Except as provided in this and the two preceding sections, no provision of law applicable to the regular or permanent fire force of the fire department of a city shall apply to such reserve force or the members thereof except when assigned to duty as aforesaid.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 48 - Fires, Fire Departments and Fire Districts › Section 59e - Appointments From Civil Service Eligible List

Section 59E. In any city which has accepted sections fifty-nine B to fifty-nine D, inclusive, and accepts this section, and in any city or town which has a reserve force of firemen under authority of special law and accepts this section, no person shall, after the date of acceptance of this section, be appointed to the reserve force of firemen thereof unless appointments to such force are subject to chapter thirty-one and the name of such person shall have been placed, on or before said date, on an eligible list established under said chapter and the rules made thereunder for such appointments.