A. Any county, city, or town may provide firefighting services to its citizens by (i) establishing a fire department as a department of government pursuant to § 27-6.1 or (ii) contracting with or providing for the provision of firefighting services by a fire company established pursuant to § 27-8.
B. In cases in which a county, city, or town elects to contract with or provide for the provision of firefighting services by a fire company pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection A, the fire company shall be deemed to be an instrumentality of the county, city, or town and, as such, exempt from suit for damages done incident to fighting fires therein. The county, city, or town may elect to provide for the matters authorized in §§ 27-4 and 27-39.
As used in this section, "provide firefighting services" includes travel while performing fire, rescue, or other emergency operations in emergency vehicles or fire apparatus as described in §§ 46.2-920 and 46.2-1023, respectively.
2015, cc. 502, 503.
Structure Code of Virginia
Chapter 2 - Fire/EMS Departments and Fire/EMS Companies
§ 27-6.02. Provision of firefighting services
§ 27-6.1. Establishment of fire department; chiefs, officers, and employees
§ 27-6.2. Applicant preemployment information with fire departments
§ 27-8. Who may form a fire company; limit on number of persons in combined companies
§ 27-9. Organization of fire company
§ 27-10. Dissolution of fire company
§ 27-11. Duty of members on alarm of fire or call of a medical emergency
§ 27-13. Appointment of chief and other officers
§ 27-14. Ordinances as to fire departments and fire companies
§ 27-15.1:1. Penalty for refusing or neglecting to obey order of chief or other officer in command
§ 27-15.2. Purchase, maintenance, etc., of equipment; donated equipment
§ 27-15.3. Purchase of service-issued boots or helmet by certain firefighters
§ 27-17. Entry of buildings on fire and premises adjoining
§ 27-17.1. Remaining on premises after fire extinguished
§ 27-20. Destruction of property to prevent spread of fire
§ 27-21. Owner may recover amount of actual damage
§ 27-22. But not for property which would have been destroyed by the fire
§ 27-23.1. Establishment of fire zones or districts; tax levies
§ 27-23.2. Advances by city or county to fire zone or district
§ 27-23.3. Reimbursement for advances
§ 27-23.4. Validation of prior advances
§ 27-23.7. Special levy for fire protection in certain counties
§ 27-23.8. Trial board for members of fire departments in certain counties
§ 27-23.9. Supervision and control of joint services of fire companies or departments