[HISTORY: Adopted by the County Commissioners of Kent County 4-3-1990 as Ch. 5, Art. IV, of the 1989 Code.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 73.
[1]
Editor's Note: The title of this chapter was changed from “Fire Companies” 5-16-2006 by Bill No. 2-2006, passed at referendum 11-7-2006.
[Amended 4-17-2001 by Bill No. 5-2001; 5-16-2006 by Bill No. 2-2006[1]]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALS
Advance life support.
BLS
Basic life support.
BOARD
The Emergency Services Board as set forth in this section.
CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION
The organization known as "Kent County Chiefs Association of Kent County, Maryland," whose membership consists of the chief of each fire company and rescue squad located in Kent County, Maryland.
COUNTY
Kent County, Maryland.
DIRECTOR
The Director of the Kent County Office of Emergency Services.
EMS
Emergency medical services.
EMS COUNCIL
The organization known as "Kent County Emergency Medical Services Council," whose membership consists of a representative from each of the EMS services in Kent County and one from the County's EMS.
B. 
Emergency Services Board.
(1) 
The County Commissioners of Kent County shall establish an Emergency Services Board, which shall consist of five members:
(a) 
Membership.
[1] 
A representative from the Chief's Association, who shall be appointed by the Chief's Association and shall serve for a one-year term;
[2] 
A representative from the EMS Council, who shall be appointed by the EMS Council and shall serve for a one-year term;
[3] 
A citizen, who shall be appointed by the County Commissioners and shall act as Chairman of the Board. The citizen shall be a resident of Kent County, Maryland, shall have no current affiliation with a fire or EMS company, shall have leadership skills, and shall serve for a three-year term;
[4] 
A citizen attorney, who shall be appointed by the County Commissioners. The citizen attorney shall be a member of the bar of the State of Maryland; shall be a resident of Kent County, Maryland or shall maintain an active office in Kent County for the practice of law; shall have no current affiliation with a fire or EMS company; and shall serve for a three-year term; and
[5] 
The Director of the Kent County Office of Emergency Services, who shall serve as long as he or she is the Director.
(b) 
Notwithstanding the above, there shall not be more than one member from each respective fire company and rescue squad on the Board.
(c) 
A quorum of the Board shall be a majority of all members thereof.
(d) 
The Board, subject to the approval of the County Commissioners, may from time to time employ or contract with such personnel as the Board may consider necessary to properly administer the functions of the Board.
(2) 
All Board members may be reappointed to the Board after serving their term.
(3) 
The Board shall approve and enforce County-wide policies and standards for fire protection services and emergency medical services.
(4) 
The Board shall have authority to withhold funding from any fire or EMS company in order to ensure compliance with approved standards. The Board's authority in this regard shall be exercised as follows: From the date of the adoption of a policy or one or more standards by the Board, each fire and EMS company will have one year to come into reasonable compliance. If at the end of one year a company is not compliant with the Board's policies and/or standards, the Board shall withhold 5% of the noncompliant company's funds and will appoint a review committee to determine strategies to bring the company into compliance. If at the end of the second year the company is still not in compliance, the Board will withhold 10% of the company's funds and will appoint a review committee to provide an alternative recommendation to the Board in order to ensure compliance.
(5) 
The Board shall evaluate the EMS system annually, and shall make recommendations as appropriate to the County Commissioners regarding updates and improvements to the system. These recommendations may include, but are not limited to, staffing, priority dispatch, billing, evaluation of system progress, and the delivery of EMS Countywide.
(6) 
The Board may establish bylaws, procedures, and rules to facilitate carrying out its mission and responsibilities.
C. 
Authorization.
(1) 
The County Commissioners are hereby authorized and directed, each and every year, to appropriate .0322 per $100 of the value of the assessable real property as set by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (full-year levy) for the use and benefit of the fire companies, ambulance companies, rescue squads, and/or other public safety providers.
(2) 
The sum so appropriated shall be in lieu of any and all other funds to be paid by the County to or on behalf of the fire companies, ambulance companies, rescue squads, and/or other public safety providers.
D. 
Allocation of funds.
(1) 
All such funds appropriated by the County Commissioners pursuant to the above subsection shall be designated for the use of fire protection services, for the use of emergency medical services, and/or for both as determined by the Board.
(2) 
The Chief's Association shall allocate among the fire companies, rescue squads, and/or other public safety service providers all of those funds designated for the use of services relating to fire protection services. If the Chief's Association is unable to agree on an appropriate allocation in a timely manner, then the Board shall allocate the funds.
(3) 
The EMS Council shall allocate among the fire companies, rescue squads, and/or other public safety service providers all of those funds designated for the use of services related to the provision of emergency medical services. If the EMS Council is unable to agree on an appropriate allocation in a timely manner, then the Board shall allocate the funds.
(4) 
The Board shall allocate among the fire companies, rescue squads, and/or other public safety service providers all of those funds designated for the use of services related to the provision of both fire protection services and emergency medical services.
(5) 
In the event that the Board cannot agree on the appropriate allocation or distribution of funds, the County Commissioners may withhold funding.
[1]
Editor's Note: This bill passed at referendum 11-7-2006.
[Amended 12-6-1994 by Bill No. 6-94]
The Fire Chief, his two Chief Deputies or his designated fire police of each volunteer fire company in Kent County may have their vehicles equipped with amber lights or signal devices designed to emit an oscillating, rotating, blinking or other type of emission of light. The lights or signal devices may be flashed or oscillated or otherwise used only while en route to or at the scene of an accident, flood or other emergency to which the volunteer fire company is responding. In addition, the Fire Chief, his two Chief Deputies or his designated fire police may flash, oscillate or otherwise use blue lights only at the scene of an accident, flood or other emergency.