Fire Mutual Aid Systems

V.S.A. tit. 20, ch. 175, subch. 3

in effect

20 V.S.A. § 2981 Mutual aid fire protection authorized by municipality

2981. Mutual aid fire protection authorized by municipality A municipality or fire district may vote to authorize its fire department, by its chief or chief engineer, to enter into agreements with such other duly authorized fire departments, or any private and volunteer fire department, as seem appropriate to provide mutual aid fire protection on a systematic basis. A municipal fire department so authorized may join in the formation or operation, or both, of a district fire mutual aid system, which shall be a public municipal corporation, as provided under sections 2986 through 2992 of this title. 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2982 Private and volunteer fire department may enter into mutual aid agreements

2982. Private and volunteer fire department may enter into mutual aid agreements A private and volunteer fire department may enter into a district fire mutual aid system, which shall be a public municipal corporation, as provided under sections 2986 through 2992 of this title. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2983 Voting qualifications

2983. Voting qualifications The qualifications for voting to authorize a municipal fire department to enter into mutual aid agreements shall be the same as those for the election of town officers. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2984 Vote on authorization

2984. Vote on authorization The vote on the question of authorizing a municipal fire department to enter into mutual aid agreements may be by voice vote or by ballot on a question substantially as follows: Article —. To see if the town will authorize its fire department, by its chief, to enter into agreements with such other duly authorized fire departments, or any private and volunteer fire department, as seem appropriate to provide mutual fire protection on a systematic basis. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2985 State aid in preparation

2985. State aid in preparation When requested to do so by any fire department, the State Fire Marshal shall aid and assist in the preparation and development of agreements. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2986 District fire mutual aid systems; formation of

2986. District fire mutual aid systems; formation of Whenever three or more municipalities within the State vote to authorize their respective fire departments to render outside aid as provided in sections 2981 through 2985 of this title, they may, if they so desire, form a district fire mutual aid system, which shall be a public municipal corporation. They may petition the State Fire Marshal in writing to call the organization meeting of the system. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 6, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2987 Organization

2987. Organization Upon receipt of a petition pursuant to section 2986 of this subchapter, the State Fire Marshal shall call the first or organization meeting of the system by giving written notice to the chief of each fire department in the system and may invite private fire departments within the designated area to join in the meeting by giving similar notice to them. Each fire department shall send one delegate to the organization and subsequent meetings and shall be entitled to one vote in all proceedings. The delegate shall be the chief of each fire department or his or her designee. At the organization meeting, the members of the system shall adopt articles of association and bylaws and rules for the future government and operation of the system that shall take effect upon submission to and approval by the Attorney General, who shall cause them to be recorded by the Secretary of State. The system shall be deemed to be formally established upon that recording. The organization meeting shall also elect a board of directors consisting of such number as the delegates determine. Delegates and directors need not be residents. The board of directors shall be the governing body of the system and shall serve for terms of one year and until their successors are elected and qualify. The delegates shall choose from their number the officers of the system, except that a secretary or a treasurer, or both, may be nondelegates. All officers shall have such duties and powers as the bylaws provide. Within the limits of available funds, the directors may employ and fix the compensation of agents and other necessary personnel who shall serve at their pleasure and have and exercise such powers and authority as they may delegate to them. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. Feb. 20, 1968; amended 1979, No. 31; 2021, No. 20, § 183.

20 V.S.A. § 2988 Powers and duties

2988. Powers and duties A district fire mutual aid system shall coordinate the services of all fire departments belonging to it so as to provide better and more efficient cooperation in the protection of life and property against fire and in the case of other accidental or natural emergency within the area that it comprises. It may establish an overall plan or plans for that coordination. Within the limits of available funds, it may acquire and operate property and equipment, including a dispatch center and a communications service, and may extend the advantages of group purchasing and benefits to departments in the system. It may provide and operate training programs for firefighters and others, or enter into agreements with other agencies or institutions to provide and operate those programs. It shall cooperate with other State agencies and with the civil defense authorities, State and local. The State Fire Marshal may give advice, recommendations, and assistance to the system on request. It may accept any and all donations, gifts, and grants of money, property, equipment, supplies, materials, and services from the federal or any State or local government, or any agency of federal, State, or local government and from any person, firm, or corporation, for any of its purposes and functions under this subchapter, and may receive and utilize the donations, gifts, and grants subject to the terms, conditions and rules governing the donations, gifts, and grants. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. Feb. 20, 1968; amended 2021, No. 20, § 184.

20 V.S.A. § 2989 Joining and withdrawal

2989. Joining and withdrawal Additional municipalities within the State may join the system, as provided in sections 2981 through 2985 of this title, and shall be received as members subject to the approval of the board of directors. Municipalities that do not have active fire departments may be admitted as members upon such conditions as the board of directors may fix. Private fire departments within the State may also be accepted by the board of directors as members, with equal voting rights under such arrangements as are mutually agreed upon. A municipality or private fire department may, by vote of its governing board, withdraw from the system, but the withdrawal shall not be effective until 90 days after written notice of the withdrawal shall have been delivered to one of the officers of the system. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2990 Limitation of liability

2990. Limitation of liability There shall be no liability imposed by law on the system or on any municipality, on the personnel of its fire department, nor on any private fire department or its personnel, belonging to such a system, for failure to respond or to respond reasonably for the purpose of extinguishing a fire or assisting in the case of other accidental or natural emergency. This immunity is not intended to be exclusive of other immunities existing by statute or at common law. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2991 Appropriations

2991. Appropriations Municipalities belonging to such a system may raise and appropriate money for the purposes of the system. The General Assembly may authorize and appropriate money for the purposes of the system. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. Feb. 20, 1968.

20 V.S.A. § 2992 Definition

2992. Definition The term “private fire department” includes fire protection organizations operated by industries, institutions, and establishments for self-protection and also nonprofit volunteer fire associations. Nothing contained in this subchapter shall be construed to interfere with the exclusive jurisdiction vested by law in the State Forester or the State Forest Fire Warden over forest fires as provided in 10 V.S.A. § 2603(d); 10 V.S.A. chapter 83, subchapter 4; or 10 V.S.A. chapter 81, nor to affect the laws governing prevention or extinguishment of forest fires. Nothing contained in this subchapter shall be construed to interfere with general authorization vested by law in a chief engineer of a fire district or chief of a volunteer fire department to give outside aid as provided in sections 2674 and 2961 of this title. Added 1967, No. 255 (Adj. Sess.), § 12, eff. Feb. 20, 1968; amended 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 395, eff. July 1, 2022; 2025, No. 162 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. July 1, 2026.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/20/175Fetched: 10/21/2026