Delaware State
Fire Prevention Commission

Fire Commissioners

In 1955, the legislature created the Fire Commission as an advisory board
to assist the Office of the State Fire Marshal. In 1958, that advisory role evolved into an
oversight capacity with regulatory authority. By 1964, Delaware established the State Fire
School and placed it under the authority of the Fire Commission.

Like most states, Delaware relies on a combination system of paid (“career”) and
volunteer firefighters. The Fire Commission is the state agency charged with protecting life and property from fire and overseeing its dedicated office staff and two other offices: the State Fire School and Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The state has placed more responsibilities under the Fire Commission throughout its almost
70 years of existence by expanding beyond fire service to include Basic Life Support
(“BLS”) services.

The Fire Commission, comprising of seven Governor-appointed members, holds monthly
meetings to discuss issues surrounding fire and BLS services. Six full-time employees
support the Fire Commission. Staff responsibilities include administrative duties for
commission meetings, inspections, issuing annual permits for all vehicles operating
as an ambulance, certification, and regulation for emergency medical technicians.

Additional statutory duties assigned but not yet implemented to commission staff include
certification and regulation for emergency medical responders, volunteer firefighters, and
volunteer fire companies. The Fire Commission collects annual financial review reports
(defined in code as annual audits) from 63 volunteer fire and ambulance companies in Delaware.

Governor Appointed Fire Commissioners