Ch 3. Types of Fire Departments Flashcards
4 basic ways fire service entities can be distinguished (45)
1) The type of entity
2) The type of fire department organization
3) the source of funding from which the department sustains itself
4) The employment status of personnel
6 types of entities (45)
1) State or federal government
2) Municipal corporation
3) Quasi-municipal corporation
4) For-profit corporation
5) Nonprofit corporation
6) Association
7 types of fire department organizations (45)
1) Agency of municipality or county fire district or fire protection district
2) Regional fire department
3) State or federal fire department
4) Quasi-governmental authority
5) Volunteer fire company
6) Industrial fire company
7) Fire brigade
8 Sources of Revenue (45)
1) Tax from federal or state government
2) Tax from municipal government
3) Tax from county
4) Ability to tax (fire tax)
5) Agreement with local community
6) Fundraising
7) Subscription
8) Business enterprise
4 Types of personnel [employment status] (45)
1) Career
2) Part-time (call)
3) Volunteer
4) Combination
____ entities are agencies and instrumentalities of the federal, state, or local government. (47)
Public sector
____ entities are privately owned, operated, and managed. These entities are not part of the government. (48)
Private sector
___ is a legally created entity that is accepted, approved, and recognized by a state through a formalized process. (48)
A corporation
4 types of corporations (48)
1) municipal (public sector)
2) Quasi-municipal (public sector)
3) for-profit (private sector)
4) not-for-profit (private sector)
___ are corporations created by the state, usually at the request of the inhabitants or at least with the approval of the inhabitants through a referendum vote in an effort to govern or address local needs. They are always considered to be part of the public sector. (48)
Municipal corporation
___ are corporations created by the state legislature, but not always at the request of the local inhabitants. (48)
Quasi-municipal corporations (AKA quasi-public corporations)
Typical municipalities- cities and towns, whose purpose is to provide self-governance for their populations- are usually ____. (49)
municipal corporations
Special entities, such as transit authorities and school districts, are often classified as ____. (49)
quasi-municipalities
Both municipal and quasi-municipal corporations are considered part of the public sector, but ___ are generally less subject to state control and regulation than the other. (49)
municipal corporations
____ are corporations owned by stakeholders with the goal of making money. These are also known as business corporations. (49)
For-profit corporations
____ are corporations formed for a charitable, benevolent, or some other purpose that will not make profits that benefit its organizers or members. (49)
Nonprofit corporations
Corporations are overseen by a state agency, typically ___. (49)
the secretary of state
Municipal corporation {created by} [purpose]
Quasi-municipal corporation {created by} [purpose]
For-profit corporation {created by} [purpose]
nonprofit corporation {created by} [purpose]
(50)
Municipal {State legislature} [Self-governance by local inhabitants]
Quasi {State legislature} [Assist with some administrative functions]
For-profit {Individuals, approved by state} [Make money for stockholders]
nonprofit {Individuals, approved by state} [Charitable, benevolent, or nonprofit purposes]
A corporation is the functional equivalent of ___ (50)
a person
Most states require all corporations to file ____. This provides updated information about the corporation, and may require the payment of an annual fee. (51)
an annual report
Whenever a group of individuals acts together for a common purpose without incorporating, they have formed ____. (51)
an association
Associations become formalized when ___. (51)
their members adopt formal rules, regulations, or bylaws
___ exist merely in the minds and actions of their members.
Informal associations
When individuals engage in ____ all members may be held liable for the acts of any one member who was acting within the scope of the enterprise; also any member may bind the it to a contract. (51)
a joint enterprise
Unincorporated associations can be construed as ___. (51)
joint enterprises
Probably the most important benefit of doing business as a corporation is ___. (52)
the liability protection afforded to the shareholders, members, and officers of a corporation
The critical factor determining a fire department as a municipal fire department is if the fire department is ___. (54)
an agency of the municipality
Usually ___ will establish the fire department as an agency of the municipality. (54)
the municipal charter or ordinances
The term ___ refers to a political subdivision that has the authority to impose taxes and organize fire and emergency services. They have limited powers of self-government and usually exist separate and apart from local municipal government. (55)
fire district
___ are political subdivisions of the state. (56)
Fire districts
Fire districts are managed by ___. (56)
officials who are elected by the voters in the district
Fire districts are LIMITED municipal corporations insofar as their purpose is not ___. (56)
to provide general self-governance to the local population
___ may be established to ensure fire protection in rural or suburban areas that do not have a fire department. It has the authority to collect and utilize taxes to contract with a nearby fire department to provide fire protection but does NOT DIRECTLY PROVIDE THE SERVICE ITSELF. (56)
fire protection district
Some fire districts exist to organize, oversee, and fund ____ that operate within their jurisdiction. (57)
volunteer fire companies
Where several communities can agree upon the need to consolidate their fire departments, ___ can be created. (58)
a regional fire department
Fire districts are not limited by city, town, or county boundaries but must be created by ___. (58)
the state legislature or through a procedure that the legislature has established
Many wildland firefighters are ___ or ___ employees. (59)
state or federal
___ are private sector entities established as either corporations or associations that provide fire and emergency services that is not an agency or part of local government. It must retain its own autonomy. (60)
Volunteer fire companies
Volunteer fire companies are private sector entities that deliver ___ (60)
a public service
Volunteer fire company is a type of fire department organization, and not a statement about ____. (60)
the employment status of the company’s personnel
One of the most important reasons for understanding the distinction between public and private sector entities: (60)
governmental immunity
Volunteer fire company oversight boards may be established by ___. (66)
the municipal charter or by ordinance
As a general rule, members of a volunteer fire company have no statutory or constitutional right to a ____ before being disciplined or terminated. (68)
hearing
____ are private corporations or associations that charge people a fee for responding to their emergencies. (68)
Subscription fire departments
Subscription fire departments are ordinarily organized as ___. (68)
private nonprofit corporations
___ are fire departments that are owned and operated by the owner of an industrial site that lacks adequate municipal fire protection. (69)
Industrial fire departments
___ are not true fire departments. They are emergency response teams set up at manufacturing facilities, and are designed to provide an initial response to fires at the facility. (69)
Fire brigades
Members of fire brigades are employees of ___ where the have a specific full-time job, but are pulled away to help mitigate an emergency when needed. (69)
the facility that they protect
Ultimately it is the state that has the inherent authority to address fire protection by virtue of its ___. (69)
police powers
The 4 primary organizations providing fire protection services are: (72)
1) municipal fire departments
2) county fire department
3) fire districts
4) volunteer fire companies
