2052                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH, 887

TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO EACH DEPARTMENT SHALL BE
DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF FIRE AND RESCUE COM-
MISSIONERS, WHICH IS HEREBY CREATED AND WHICH
SHALL BE COMPOSED OF FIVE MEMBERS, ONE OF WHOM
SHALL BE A COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF CHARLES COUN-
TY, ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE
CHARLES COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION,
AND THREE OF WHOM SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE
GOVERNOR. THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL SERVE
WITHOUT COMPENSATION FOR TERMS OF FOUR YEARS
EACH WITH VACANCIES TO BE FILLED IN THE SAME
MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL MEMBERSHIP WAS FILLED.

THE BOARD SHALL REVIEW THE FINANCING OF THE
FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND RESCUE SQUADS IN CHARLES
COUNTY INCLUDING THE CHARLES COUNTY RESCUE
SQUAD AND MAKE APPROPRIATE BIENNIAL RECOMMEN-
DATIONS WITH RESPECT TO SUCH PROBLEMS. DISTRIBU-
TION OF FUNDS, CONSTITUTING THE PROCEEDS OF THE
FIRE TAX, SHALL BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF THE AREA
SERVED BY EACH DEPARTMENT, THE NUMBER OF CALLS
ANSWERED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND ANY SIMILAR
STANDARDS THAT MAY BE SUGGESTED BY THE CHARLES
COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION; PRO-
VIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NO VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPART-
MENT SHALL RECEIVE LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND DOL-
LARS ($5,000) PER YEAR.

121.

The funds received by the respective Fire Departments under this
act shall be used for the purpose of purchasing, repairing, replacing,
operating and maintaining their fire fighting equipment and appa-
ratus and the housing of the same. The amount and type of equip-
ment of said Fire Departments shall conform to the standards pre-
scribed by the Charles County Volunteer Firemen's Association; and
no resolution, regulation or bylaw shall be passed by said Fire De-
partments limiting or restricting the territory within the area cov-
ered by this Fire Tax within which it will respond to emergency
calls.

121A.

The Charles County Volunteer Firemen's Association shall, at least
once each calendar year, conduct an inspection by a duly appointed
committee of said Association to ascertain whether each and every
Departments equipment and apparatus complies with the standards
of said Association and the said Association shall, on or before the
first day of December of each year, submit a report in writing to the
County Commissioner COMMISSIONERS stating whether each De-
partment above listed does or does not meet the standards of said
Association.

121B.

Each of the respective Departments receiving benefits from this
Fire Tax shall, on or before the 15th day of February of each year,
submit to the County Commissioners of Charles County a financial
report showing its receipts of Fire Tax monies and disbursements