(a) The Fire Chief must draft a master fire, rescue, and emergency medical services plan and must propose any appropriate amendments to the Executive and Council. The master plan must include at least:
(1) a survey of the resources and personnel of existing fire, rescue, and emergency medical services, and an analysis of the effectiveness of the fire and building codes;
(2) an analysis of short- and long-term fire prevention and control needs and emergency medical services needs;
(3) a plan to meet the fire prevention and control and emergency medical services needs;
(4) an estimate of cost and realistic plans for financing the implementation and operation of the plan on a continuing basis, and a summary of problems anticipated in implementing the plan;
(5) a definition of the current and future fire protection and emergency medical environment by establishing and maintaining a comprehensive data base;
(6) a definition of goals and objectives for service levels;
(7) identification and justification of the resources and technology necessary to develop and operate the fire protection and emergency medical system as recommended by the plan;
(8) a detailed program of action to implement and maintain the system as recommended by the plan; and
(9) a program of action to coordinate with the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the County’s fire prevention and control and emergency services resources into County-wide, regional, State, and national emergency management plans.
(b) The Fire Chief must draft the master plan and any amendments in coordination with the Commission, the local fire and rescue departments, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the health systems planning agency, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, other County departments, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and any other interested parties. The County Council, the Commission, and any local fire and rescue department may ask the Fire Chief to consider an amendment to the plan at any time. The Fire Chief must conduct at least one public hearing before proposing any significant amendment. The County Executive must forward the master plan or any amendment proposed by the Fire Chief, along with any comments, to the County Council, which may approve the master plan as proposed or with amendments.
(c) The master plan must serve as a guideline for the Executive, Council, and Fire Chief in making decisions regarding delivery of fire and rescue services, does not have the force of law, and does not impose any legal obligation on any party. (1980 L.M.C., ch. 64, § 3; 1998 L.M.C., ch. 4, §1; 2004 L.M.C., ch. 5, § 1; 2004 L.M.C., ch. 25, § 1; 2008 L.M.C., ch. 5, § 1; 2009 L.M.C., ch. 5, § 1.)
Editor’s note—2008 L.M.C., ch. 5, § 3, states: Sec. 3. Any regulation in effect when this Act takes effect that implements a function transferred to another Department or Office under Section 1 of this Act continues in effect, but any reference in any regulation to the Department from which the function was transferred must be treated as referring to the Department to which the function is transferred. The transfer of a function under this Act does not affect any right of a party to any legal proceeding begun before this Act took effect.
Section 21-12, formerly § 21-4I, was renumbered, amended and retitled pursuant to 1998 L.M.C., ch. 4, § 1.