5455
MONTGOMERY COUNTY

of the chief of each fire department and rescue squad
within the county and one elected delegate from each fire
department and each rescue squad, such delegate to be
elected annually in June from among the membership of the
respective departments and squads. Any vacancy occurring
among delegates shall be filled within thirty days by the
squad or department in the manner of the original
election or appointment. Such delegate shall serve until
the next annual election. The chiefs and elected
delegates will vote as individual representatives of
their respective departments and squads and shall not be
bound by their departments' or squads' decision in any
vote which they shall cast as members of the board. The
board shall have a fulltime executive assistant and, in
addition, shall have such other staff employees as may be
provided for in its approved budget as necessary to carry
out the functions of the board. The board shall elect
annually at its first meeting after the June election
from among its members a chairman and such other officers
as provided for in its bylaws. The selection of the
chairman shall be subject to approval by the county
executive and confirmation by the county council and if
not approved, another election shall be held. The
chairman shall serve until his successor has been elected
and approved.

(b)     Executive committee. 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 departments; one member shall be
from the rescue squads. The committee chairman 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 members 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:

(i) It shall approve the response areas
of the fire and rescue services after recommendation by
the executive committee.

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