PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

H.B. 433

(2)     Accidents;

(3)     Floods;

(4)     Other emergencies; or

(5)     Other functions conducted by a volunteer fire company.

52.

In case of the death, resignation, dismissal, inability or refusal to serve of any
member of a fire company designated and appointed as hereinbefore provided, the
captain, chief or other commanding officer of the fire company to which said member
belongs or did belong may designate another member to be appointed in his stead; and it
shall be the duty of the sheriffs of the several counties to appoint him as deputy sheriff in
the same manner and upon the same conditions as provided in § 51; and the powers of a
member of a fire company so appointed shall be the same and subject to the same
limitations as provided in § 51.

53.

(a)     The provisions of the foregoing sections in this subtitle shall only apply to
Allegany, Baltimore, Cecil, [Harford,] Queen Anne's and Washington Counties, but the
powers conferred by virtue hereof upon members of fire companies shall not apply or be
exercised in incorporated cities, towns or villages which maintain an organized or regular
police force.

(b)     (1) The provisions of this subtitle are applicable in Carroll County, Cecil
County, Frederick County, HARFORD COUNTY, Kent County, Somerset County,
Wicomico County, and Worcester County, respectively, except as modified in this section.
Twelve members of each fire company may be designated by the captain, chief, or other
commanding officer of the fire companies of these counties, respectively, and
recommended to be appointed deputy sheriffs by the sheriffs of the several counties. The
powers of the deputies are limited to those necessary to perform their duties when
functioning as fire police at parades, accidents, floods or other emergencies, or at any
public function conducted by, or under the auspices of, any volunteer fire company, or by
the sheriff's department. Such powers may be exercised in incorporated cities, towns.
counties, or on State roadways but only under the discretion and control of the chief of
the police force of the city, town, or Department of State Police. All fire police, when on
such duty, and when wearing a badge of authority, shall be deemed to be performing the
duties of their office. In Frederick County, [and] Carroll County, AND HARFORD
COUNTY, fire police may also perform traffic control for public functions held by any
municipality, town, group, or committee upon request for and approval of such services by
the sheriff.

(2)     At no time shall any fire police use any weapon in the performance of
his duties as described in this section.

(3)     Any duly authorized fire police performing his duties in an emergency
situation to which a fire company or ambulance company has been dispatched by the
Frederick County Central Alarm Board in Frederick County or the Carroll County
Communications Control Center in Carroll County, shall be subject to the authority of the

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