CHAPTER 134

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 27-1, 27-2 and 27-8 of the Code of Virginia,
relating to when firemen and equipment may go in emergencies beyond
territorial limits; contracts of cities or counties to provide fire proteéc-
tion without their territorial limits.

[H 426]

Approved March 10, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 27-1, 27-2 and 27-8 of the Code of Virginia be amended and
reenacted as follows:

§ 27-1. Whenever the necessity arises during any emergency result-
ing from fire or other public disaster, the firemen of any county, city or
town may, together with all necessary equipment, lawfully go or be sent
beyond the territorial limits of such county, city or town to any point
within or without the Commonwealth, to assist in meeting such emergency.

In such event the acts performed for such purpose by such firemen,
and the expenditures made for such purpose by such county, city or town,
shall be deemed conclusively to be for a public and governmental purpose
and all of the immunities from liability enjoyed by a county, city or town
when acting through its firemen for a public or governmental purpose
within its territorial limits shall be enjoyed by it to the same extent when
such county, city or town is so acting, under this section or under other
lawful authority, beyond its territorial limits.

The firemen of any county, city or town, when acting hereunder, or
under other lawful authority, beyond the territorial limits of such county,
city or town, shall have all the immunities from liability and exemptions
from laws, ordinances and regulations, and shall have all of the pension,
relief, disability, workmen’s compensation and other benefits, enjoyed by
them while performing their respective duties*.

§ 27-2. The governing body of any city or town may, in its discretion,
authorize or require the fire department thereof to render aid in cases
of fire occurring beyond their limits, and may prescribe the conditions on
which such aid may be rendered, and may enter into a contract, or contracts,
with adjacent or adjoining counties and cities, within or without the State,
for rendering aid in fire protection in such counties, cities, or any district,
or sanitary district thereof, on such terms as may be agreed upon by such
governing body and the governing body of such counties or cittes and/or
district, including sanitary districts, and when the fire department of any
city or town is operating under such permission or contract, or contracts,
on any call beyond the corporate limits of the city or town, it shall be
deemed to be operating in a governmental capacity, and subject only to
such liability for injuries as it would be if it were operating within the
corporate limits of such city or town.

§ 27-3. The governing body of any county adjoining or near any
city or county, within or without the State, having and maintaining fire-
fighting equipment may contract with any such city or county, upon such
terms as such governing body may deem proper, for fighting fires in such
county or city and may prescribe the terms and conditions upon which
fires may be fought on privately owned property in the county or ctty and
may raise funds with which to pay for such services, by levying and col-
lecting annually, at such rates as such governing body may deem sufficient,
a special tax upon the property in such county, or in any magisterial
district thereof, subject to local taxation.