§ 5-401Title 5

Area of service; division of District into fire companies; pre-hospital care and services; approval required for major changes in manner of fire protection.

The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (“Department”) shall provide fire prevention and fire protection within the geographical boundaries of the District of Columbia. The District shall be divided into such fire companies, and other units as the Council of the District of Columbia may from time to time direct. Major changes in the manner the Department provides fire protection and fire prevention shall be approved by resolution of the Council. The Department shall provide pre-hospital medical care and transport within the geographical boundaries of the District of Columbia. Major changes in the manner the Department provides emergency medical services shall be approved by resolution of the Council. The Department shall provide oversight to ensure the safety and security of DC Streetcar operations as provided in § 5-401.01. “(b) The Mayor shall direct the Department Chief to deploy 2 Advanced Life Support Paramedics on 4 engine companies in the Department’s fleet. The Mayor shall direct the Chief to utilize existing or overtime funds to implement this project. The Mayor shall direct the Department Chief to consult with the Council before he determines which 4 engine companies will participate in the pilot program.” “(a) The Mayor shall direct the Chief of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (’Department’) to establish as a funding priority for the Department, the purchase of equipment, including state of the art air masks and radios, and other articles identified in the Reconstruction Committee Report on the October 24, 1997, fire that resulted in the death of Sergeant Carter; and to implement a dual role/cross trained/firefighter/paramedic pilot program within the Department, using existing and other funds which may become available, including overtime funds, during Fiscal Year 2000. Section 1012 of D.C. Law 13-38 provided: Section 1001 of D.C. Law 11-198 provided that titles I, II, III, V, and VI and §§ 405 and 406 of the act shall apply after September 30, 1996. Section 406 of D.C. Law 11-198 repealed § 201 of D.C. Act 11-279. Section 405 of D.C. Law 11-198 repealed § 802(2) of D.C. Law 11-52. Section 404 of D.C. Law 11-198 provided that “notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department shall discontinue the rotational closing of any fire or rescue company after September 30, 1996.” Section 201 of D.C. Law 11-152, provided that pursuant to § 5-401, the Council approves the change in the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department to allow it to rotate the closing of no more than 8 companies on a daily basis. (2) The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department may rotate the closing of no more than 5 companies on a daily basis. (1) The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department may permanently close Rescue Squad 4, located at 4930 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., and Truck Company 1, located at 500 F Street, N.W. Section 802 of D.C. Law 11-52 provided that, pursuant to D.C. Law 1-111, the Council approved the following changes in the Fire and Emergency Services Department: Closing of companies: For temporary changes in Fire and Emergency Services Department, see § 502 of the Omnibus Budget Support Emergency Act of 1995 (D.C. Act 11-44, April 28, 1995, 42 DCR 2217), and § 802 of the Omnibus Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 1995 (D.C. Act 11-124, July 27, 1995, 42 DCR 4160). Relocation of Engine Company No. 24 Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Resolution 10-247, effective January 14, 1994, the Council authorized the relocation of Engine Company No. 24 of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Relocation of Engine Company No. 3: Pursuant to Resolution 5-407, the “Relocation of Engine Company No. 3 Resolution of 1983,” effective November 1, 1983, the Council authorized the relocation of Engine Company No. 3.

Annotations

June 20, 1906, 34 Stat. 314, ch. 3443, § 1
Apr. 7, 1977, D.C. Law 1-111,§ 2, 23 DCR 9384
Apr. 15, 2008, D.C. Law 17-147, § 2(a), 55 DCR 2558
Mar. 25, 2009, D.C. Law 17-353, § 232, 56 DCR 1117
Sept. 20, 2012, D.C. Law 19-168, § 6012(a), 59 DCR 8025
Sept. 26, 2012, D.C. Law 19-171, § 38, 59 DCR 6190
Redesignation of fire department: See Mayor’s Order 90-147, October 31, 1990.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of the Emergency Medical Services Contract Authority Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-282, Jan. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 1181).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of the Emergency Medical Services Contract Authority Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-154, Oct. 16, 2015, 62 DCR 13701).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Major Changes Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-150, August 5, 2013, 60 DCR 11817, 20 DCSTAT 2002).
For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 3002 of Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-187, August 26, 2009, 56 DCR 7374).
For temporary (90-day) implementation of management reforms involving safety equipment and personnel, see § 1012 of the Service Improvement and Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Support Emergency Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-110, July 28, 1999, 46 DCR 6320).
For temporary change in the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department to allow it to rotate the closing of no more than 8 companies on a daily basis, see § 202 of the Fiscal Year 1996 Budget Support Emergency Act of 1996 (D.C. Act 11-264, April 26, 1996, 43 DCR 2412).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of the Emergency Medical Services Contract Authority Temporary Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Law 21-55, Jan. 30, 2016, 62 DCR 15597).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2 of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Major Changes Temporary Amendment Act of 2013 (D.C. Law 20-42, Dec. 21, 2013, 60 DCR 14716).
The 2012 amendment by D.C. Law 19-171 made a technical amendment to D.C. Law 17-147, § 2(a)(2), that did not change the text of this section.
The 2012 amendment by D.C. Law 19-168 added (c).
D.C. Law 17-353 validated a previously made technical correction in subsec. (a); and, in subsec. (b), deleted “Fire and Emergency Medical Services” preceding “Department”.
D.C. Law 17-147 designated the existing text as subsec. (a); in subsec. (a), substituted “Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (’Department’)” for “Fire Department”; and added subsec. (b).
1973 Ed., § 4-401.
1981 Ed., § 4-301.
This section is referenced in § 5-401.01, § 7-2341.03, § 7-2341.07, and § 7-2341.23.
District of Columbia, territorial area, see § 1-101.
District of Columbia Residential, Commercial, and Institutional Structures Fire Protection Study Commission, see § 3-1101 et seq.

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