Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865

Establishment and Duties of Fire Brigade

4 Duty of Metropolitan Board in relation to Fires.

On and after the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six the Duty of extinguishing Fires and protecting Life and Property in case of Fire shall within the Metropolis be deemed for the Purposes of this Act to be entrusted to the Metropolitan Board of Works; and with a view to the Performance of that Duty it shall be lawful for them to provide and maintain an efficient Force of firemen, and to furnish them with all such Fire Engines, Horses, Accoutrements, Tools, and Implements as may be necessary for the complete Equipment of the Force, or conducive to the efficient Performance of their Duties.

5 Purchase of Buildings and Land.

The said Board, herein-after referred to as the Board, may-take on Lease, purchase, or otherwise acquire Stations for Engines, Stables, Houses for Firemen, and such other Houses, Buildings, or Land as they may think requisite for carrying into effect the Purposes of this Act, and may from Time to Time sell any Property acquired by or vested in them for the Purposes of this Act:

The Board may also contract with any Company or Persons authorized to establish the same for the Establishment of Telegraphic Communication between the several Stations in which their Fire Engines or Firemen are placed, and between any of such Stations and other Parts of the Metropolis.

6 Transfer of Plant of existing Fire Offices.

On and after the said First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six all Stations, Fire Engines, Fire Escapes, Plant, and other Property belonging to or used by the Fire Engine Establishment of the Insurance Companies in the Metropolis shall vest in or be conveyed or assigned to the Board for all the Estate and Interest of the said Companies therein, upon trust to be applied by the Board to the Purposes of this Act, but subject to all legal Liabilities and Obligations attaching thereto, including the Payment of all Pensions that have been, granted to the Members of the said Fire Engine Establishment, according to a List that has been furnished to the Chairman of the said Board by the Chief Officer of the said Fire Engine Establishment, and all Trustees for the same shall be indemnified against such Liabilities and Obligations. The Board may also, if they think fit, purchase the Stations, Fire Engines, and Plant belonging to any Parish, Place, or Body of Persons within their Jurisdiction.

7 Constitution of Fire Brigade.

The Force of Firemen established under this Act, herein-after called the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, shall be under the Command of an Officer, to be called the Chief Officer of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.

The Chief Officer and Men composing the said Fire Brigade shall be appointed and removed at the Pleasure of the Board.

8 Salaries of Fire Brigade.

The Board shall pay such Salaries as they think expedient to the said Fire Brigade. They may also make such Regulations as they think fit "with respect to the Compensation to be made to them in case of Accident, or to their Wives or Families in case of their Death; also with respect to the Pensions or Allowances to be paid to them in case of Retirement; also with respect to the Gratuities to be paid to Persons giving Notices of Fires; also with respect to Gratuities by way of a gross Sum or annual Payment to be from Time to Time awarded to any Member of the said Force, or to any other Person, for extraordinary Services performed in Gases of Fire; also with respect to Gratuities to Turncocks belonging to Waterworks from which a Supply of Water is quickly derived.

9 Power to make Regulations for Fire Brigade.

The Board may by Byelaws make Regulations for the Training, Discipline, and good Conduct of the Men belonging to the said Fire Brigade, for their speedy Attendance with Engines, Fire Escapes, and all necessary Implements on the Occasion of any Alarm of Fire, and generally for the Maintenance in a due State of Efficiency of the said Brigade, and may annex to any Breach of such Regulations Penalties not exceeding in Amount Forty Shillings, but no Byelaw under this Section shall be of any Validity unless it is made and confirmed in manner directed by the Metropolis Local Management Acts; and all the Provisions of the said Acts relating to Byelaws shall, with the necessary Variations, apply to any Byelaws made in pursuance of this Act.

10 Compensation to Parish Officers.

The Vestry of any Parish or Place in the Metropolis may allow such Compensation as they think just to any Engine Keeper or other Person employed in the Service of Fire Engines who has hitherto been paid but of any Rate raiseable in such Parish or Place, and who is deprived of his Employment by or in consequence of the passing of this Act, and any Compensation so allowed shall be paid out of the Rate out of which the Salary of the Officer so compensated was payable.

11 As to Purchase of Fire Escapes.

The Board may make such Arrangements as they think fit as to establishing Fire Escapes throughout the Metropolis. They may for that Purpose contribute to the Funds of the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, or of any existing Society that provides Fire Escapes, or may purchase or take by Agreement the Property of any existing Society in their Stations and Fire Escapes, and generally may maintain such Fire Escapes and do such Things as they think expedient towards aiding Persons to escape from Fire ; and any Expenses incurred by them in pursuance of this Section shall be deemed to be Expenses incurred in carrying into effect this Act.

12 As to Powers of Fire Brigade.

On the Occasion of a Fire the Chief or other Officer in charge of the Fire Brigade may, in his Discretion, take the Command of any Volunteer Fire Brigade or other Persons who voluntarily place their Services at his Disposal, and may remove, or order any Fireman to remove, any Persons who interfere by their Presence with the Operations of the Fire Brigade, and generally he may take any Measures that appear expedient for the Protection of Life and Property, with Power by himself or his Men to break into or through, or take possession of, or pull down any Premises for the Purpose of putting an end to a Fire, doing as little Damage as possible; he may also on any such Occasion cause the Water to be shut off from the Mains and Pipes of any District, in order to give a greater Supply and Pressure of Water in the District in which the Fire has occurred ; and no Water Company shall be liable to any Penalty or Claim by reason of any Interruption of the Supply of Water occasioned only by Compliance with the Provisions of this Section.

All Police Constables shall be authorized to aid the Fire Brigade in the Execution of their Duties. They may close any Street in or near which a Fire is burning, and they may of their own Motion, or on the Request of the Chief or other Officer of the Fire Brigade, remove any Persons who interfere by their Presence with the Operations of the Fire Brigade.

Any Damage occasioned by the Fire Brigade in the due Execution of their Duties shall be deemed to be Damage by Fire within the Meaning of any Policy of Insurance against Fire.