{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-75.440","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 75.440","heading":"Funds available to recognized and certified fire department -- Rights and","body":"responsibilities of department -- Fire chief.\n(1) Only fire departments recognized and certified by the commission shall be eligible\nto receive volunteer fire department aid pursuant to KRS 95A.262(2), to receive low\ninterest loans pursuant to KRS 95A.262(14), or to participate in the Professional\nFirefighters Foundation Program, pursuant to KRS 95A.200 to 95A.290.\n(2) A fire department created pursuant to KRS Chapter 273 which ha s been recognized\nand certified by the commission shall have the following rights and responsibilities:\n(a) Designation as the only fire department authorized to protect property within\nits geographic area as filed with the commission and the county clerk,  but the\ndepartment may seek the assistance of other departments, and may make\nreciprocal aid contracts pursuant to KRS 75.050;\n(b) Authority to secure water immediately for purposes of fighting a fire from any\nsource, public or private. Upon request, the department shall compensate the\nowner in a reasonable amount for water used within six (6) months of use; and\n(c) All rights identified in the Kentucky Revised Statutes for fire departments.\n(3) The officers and firefighters, whether paid or unpaid, of eac h fire department\ncreated pursuant to KRS Chapter 273 and recognized and certified by the\ncommission shall select a chief. The appointment of the chief shall be subject to the\napproval of the governing board of the department. The chief shall establish a c hain\nof command within the department. The chief, or the highest person available in the\nchain of command if the chief cannot be present, shall, subject to all state statutes as\napplicable, have the following rights and responsibilities:\n(a) Authority to o rder the immediate evacuation of areas endangered by fire, a\nhazardous materials incident, or other impending disaster that constitutes a\nthreat to life or property;\n(b) Authority to be in charge of all fire ground operations at the scene of a fire or\nother emergency;\n(c) Control of all department personnel while on duty; and\n(d) Control of all equipment of the department.\n(4) The chief of each fire department created pursuant to KRS Chapter 273 and\nrecognized and certified by the commission shall perform n ecessary actions to\nmaintain recognition and certification of the department by the commission.","path":["KRS Chapter 75"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=24468","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:49:35Z","sha256":"6b5ac5a33d9d46d55e066fa235d1f391ca52db65a3788e75eeaf0ae0579a2070","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-75.430","next":"us-ky/krs-75.450"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}