BLAIR LEE III, Acting Governor

2065

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 48 — Inspections

181.

(a) The members of the board of fire commissioners
and the chief of the fire department and his assistants, and
any other officer or officers or member or members of the
fire department acting under the direction of such board or
chief of each of the cities of this State, and the chief,
chief engineer, captain or lieutenant of any volunteer fire
company, fire district or any other organization created for
the purpose of and engaged in the work of extinguishing
fires in any town or county of this State, whether
incorporated or not, exclusive of Baltimore County are
hereby severally authorized and empowered to inspect all
buildings, structures or other places in their respective
city, town or county, excepting, however, the interior of a
private dwelling, where any combustible material, including
waste paper, rags, shavings, waste, leather, rubber, crates,
boxes, barrels, rubbish or other combustible material that
is or may become dangerous as a fire menace to such building
or buildings, structure or other places has been allowed to
accumulate, or where such board or members thereof, chief
assistants, or other officer aforesaid, has reason to
believe that such material of a combustible nature has
accumulated or is liable to be accumulated. In all
jurisdictions the officials shall have the authority without
liability for trespass at any time of the day or night:

(1)    To enter at their own risk any building,
including private dwellings, or upon any premises where a
fire is in progress, or where there is reasonable cause to
believe a fire is in progress, for the purpose of
extinguishing the fire; and

(2)    To enter at their own risk any building,
including private dwellings, or premises near the scene of
the fire for the purpose of protecting the building or
premises or for the purpose of extinguishing the fire which
is in progress in another building or premises; and

(3)    To maintain order [at the fire or its
vicinity] IN THE VICINITY OF A FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY,
direct the actions of the firemen at the fire OR OTHER
EMERGENCY, keep bystanders or other persons at a safe
distance from the fire [and] OR OTHER EMERGENCY AND FROM
fire DEPARTMENT equipment, facilitate the speedy movement
and operation of fire-fighting equipment and firemen, and
until the arrival of sufficient police officers direct and
control traffic in person or by any subordinate and
facilitate the movement of traffic. THE AUTHORITY GRANTED
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH MAY NOT BE EXERCISED