Montgomery County                                  2621

(b)    Executive Committee Established and Membership.

There shall be established an executive committee of the fire board
to consist of seven members. The chairman of the fire board shall serve
as committee chairman. Six of the members shall be from the fire depart-
ments; one member shall be from the rescue squads. The committee chair-
man may be either a member of a fire department or be the rescue squad
member. The six members shall be elected annually by the board from
among its members at its first meeting after the June election. The mem-
bers shall be nominated and elected so that the committee membership
will fairly and broadly represent the interests of the entire fire and rescue
service and the county. Not more than one member shall be from any
one fire department.

(c)    Duties, responsibilities and authority.

(1) Fire Board. The fire board shall have the following duties,
responsibilities and authority:

(A)    It shall approve the response areas of the fire and rescue serv-
ices after recommendation by executive committee.

(B)    It shall prepare and maintain a map of the county showing
the fire, rescue, and ambulance service areas based on the closest companies.

(C)    It shall investigate, plan and approve new and relocated fire
and rescue station locations and make appropriate recommendations to
meet service needs; provided that final approval of locations shall be
subject to approval of the council in accordance with section 2-137 and
section 27-2 of this Code.

(D)    It shall establish minimum training standards for volunteer
and paid personnel.

(E)    It shall establish plans and procedures for the utilization of
facilities by the fire and rescue services at any fire training center.

(F)    It shall establish uniform operational procedures relating to
fire and rescue services communications.

(G)    It shall work with and coordinate with the Maryland Fire
Underwriters Rating Bureau in matters pertaining to the fire and rescue
services.

(H) It shall recommend by report to the council within one (1)
year from the effective date of this act procedures for centralized purchas-
ing for all departments and squads.

(I) It shall establish uniform budget procedures to be followed by
each department and squad.

(J) It shall make provision and have the authority to adopt ap-
propriate rules and regulations to enforce compliance with all standards
adopted by the board.

(K) It shall have the authority to adopt rules of procedure and
amendments to its bylaws and appoint such committees as may be necessary
for the carrying out of its duties and responsibilities. Except for the
executive committee, membership of committees is not limited to members
of the fire board.

(L) The fire board through its executive committee shall furnish
to the council semi-annually a report setting forth actions of the fire board