§ 54-55. Enforcement; establishment and duties of bureau of fire prevention; authority of fire marshal.

(a)

The state minimum fire safety standards shall be enforced by the fire marshal in the fire department of the county which is hereby established and which shall be operated under the supervision of the chief of the fire department. The fire marshal shall have the duties of the chief of the bureau of fire prevention.

(b)

The chief of the fire department may detail such members of the fire department, or other county employees, as shall from time to time be necessary.

(c)

A report of the bureau of fire prevention shall be made annually and transmitted to the chairman of the board of commissioners. Such report shall contain all proceedings under the adopted codes, with such statistics as the chief of the fire department may wish to include therein. The chief of the fire department shall also recommend any amendments to the fire prevention code which, in his judgment, shall be desirable.

(d)

The county fire marshal is hereby authorized to enforce the state minimum fire safety standards of the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw, and Powder Springs, being municipalities within this county, and to conduct fire inspections in accordance therewith; provided however, that citations for violations of such municipal codes shall be returnable to the appropriate courts of such municipalities; provided further, that the county fire marshal shall not enforce such municipal codes unless they are and remain substantially similar to the county's state minimum fire safety standards, as amended; and provided further, that the county fire marshal shall not enforce such codes in any of such municipalities unless and until the governing authority of such municipality shall have entered into a written contract with the county pursuant to Ga. Const. art. IX, § II, permitting the county fire marshal to enforce such municipal codes and to conduct fire inspections within such municipality; and to this end, the chairman of the board of commissioners is hereby authorized to affix his signature and seal to any such contract, and to do any and all acts necessary to carry out the intent of this subsection.

(Res. of 6-8-71, § 2; Res. of 9-23-75; Code 1977, § 3-13-32; Ord. of 1-24-06; Ord. of 7-25-06; Ord. of 2-27-07)