Firewards, fire engineers, fire chiefs, and local fire chiefs/subordinates are given authority over firefighting resources, fire safety enforcement, inspections, and inspection warrants; local fire chiefs and subordinates must also provide appeals and variance information after plan review and violation notice.
I. Except as provided in RSA 227-L and this chapter, the firewards, fire engineers, and fire chiefs shall have the authority and the control of all firefighters and officers and all fire apparatus and other equipment designed or used for the extinguishment of fire or the control of other emergencies in the town or city, and of all persons whose duty it is to aid in extinguishing fires. II. (a) The fire chief shall have the authority to enforce any local or state laws or rules pertaining to the control of combustible or hazardous materials, or both, the design of exits, and any other fire safety measures including the state fire code enacted pursuant to RSA 153:5. (b) All local fire chiefs and duly authorized subordinates shall provide information on the local appeals process for local fire code ordinances and the variance process for the state fire code upon review of plans and notice of violations. III. The fire chief and duly authorized subordinates shall have the authority to inspect all buildings, structures, or other places in the fire chief's fire district or under the fire chief's jurisdiction, including but not limited to any place where any combustible or hazardous 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 buildings, structures or other places has been allowed to accumulate or where such chief or designated representative has reason to believe that such material of a combustible or hazardous nature has accumulated or is liable to be accumulated. If consent for such inspection is denied or not reasonably obtainable, the fire chief may obtain an administrative inspection warrant under RSA 595-B. Source: Source. RS 111:3. CS 114:8. GS 96:2. GL 106:2. PS 115:2. PL 146:2. RL 175:2. RSA 154:2. 1975, 443:2. 1977, 361:5. 1991, 231:6. 1992, 154:3. 1995, 299:8. 1998, 318:13. 2012, 225:2, eff. Aug. 14, 2012.