Fire Police

You might have noticed that when the Elsmere Fire District is dispatched to an emergency, there are volunteers assigned to control traffic at some intersections and in the vicinity of the emergency location. These are members of the Fire District’s Fire Police Unit. Elsmere has a unit consisting of ten fire police members supervised by a Fire Police Lieutenant.

Their function is to protect firefighters and equipment operating at the emergency scene, secure emergency scenes from intrusion by unauthorized persons, ensure a safe and orderly flow of traffic around the emergency scene, and when necessary, close roads to ensure the safety of firefighters and the general public.

Fire police members are sworn peace officers and have certain authority at the scene of an emergency to which the fire department responds. If you encounter a member of the Fire Police Unit operating at the scene of an emergency, please drive carefully and follow his or her directions. They are there to help you reach your destination safely.

 

Section 209-c of NYS General Municipal Law

§  209-c. Fire police squads of fire departments and fire companies.The authorities having control of fire departments and fire companies may organize within such departments or companies fire police squads composed of volunteer firemen who are members of such departments or companies. Members of fire police squads, so organized, at such times as the fire department, fire company or an emergency rescue and first aid squad of the fire department or fire company are on duty, or when,  on orders of the chief of the fire department or fire company of which they are members, they are separately engaged in response to a call for assistance pursuant to the provisions of section two hundred nine of the general municipal law, shall have the powers of and render service as peace officers. A member of a fire police squad shall take an oath of office as a fire policeman in the following form: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution of the United States, and the constitution of the State of New York, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of fire policeman of the…................... fire company (or fire department), according to the best of my ability.” Such oath shall be filed in the office of the city clerk in the case of a fireman of a fire company or fire department in a city, in the office of the village clerk in the case of a fireman of a fire company or fire department in a village, and in the office of the town clerk in all other cases. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a member of a fire police squad shall have satisfied any requirement for training as provided by any general or local law if the person has satisfactorily completed a training course offered by the state office of fire prevention and control, or an equivalent course as approved by the state office of fire prevention and control.

The following links will provide more information about Fire Police:

Who Are the NYS Fire Police: A Brief History

Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York