On Fire Safety

Law of Georgia

on Fire Safety

This Law establishes legal, economic and social grounds for ensuring fire safety, and regulates the relationship of state and local self-government and government bodies with natural and legal persons.

Chapter I -

General Provisions

Article 1 - Terms used in the Law

Definition of terms used in this Law:

a) fire safety - the protection of the life and health of natural persons and of private and state property from fire;

b) fire - an uncontrolled process of combustion that causes material loss, endangers human life and health, and damages public and state interests;

c) fire safety requirements - special conditions of a social and/or technical character established by the legislation of Georgia in order to ensure fire safety;

d) infringement of fire safety requirements – the non-fulfilment or improper fulfilment of fire safety requirements;

e) fire safety arrangements - the procedure defining the behaviour of citizens, and the organisation of the production and maintenance and care of premises (territory) which ensure fire suppression and the prevention of the infringement of fire safety requirements;

f) fire safety measures - actions carried out to ensure fire safety, including the fulfilment of fire safety requirements;

g) firefighting service - a set of firefighting formations (forces, means) created according to the established procedure in order to prevent and extinguish fire and carry out immediate emergency-rescue operations related to fire;
 

h) immediate emergency-rescue operations related to fire suppression - the fighting operations of a firefighting service directed at rescuing the life and and protecting the health of natural persons and private and state property, and providing first medical assistance to victims;

i) firefighting-technical products – special technical, scientific-technical and intellectual products intended to ensure fire safety, including fire-fighting machinery, devices and equipment, fire extinguishing and fire retardant substances, means of special communications and management, computer software and databases, as well as other means for the prevention and suppression of fire;

j) firefighting service garrison - a set of firefighting service units and other firefighting formations stationed in a specified area, regardless of their departmental subordination and form of ownership;

k) enterprise - an enterprise, institution or organisation, regardless of its organisational and legal form, which manufactures products, conducts activities and provides services independently or in an organised way;

l) facilities under state fire supervision - educational and childcare institutions, medical institutions, and concert and spectator facilities.

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005, Art. 266

Article 2 - Legislation of Georgia on fire safety

The legislation of Georgia on fire safety shall be based on the Constitution of Georgia and consists of this Law and other normative acts.

Article 3 - Fire safety system

1. The fire safety system is a combination of forces and means directed at fighting fire, as well as a set of measures of a legal, organisational, economic, social, scientific and technical character.

2. The main subjects of the fire safety system shall be:

a) state authorities;

b) local self-government and government bodies;

c) natural and legal persons involved in the provision of fire safety under the legislation of Georgia.

3. The main functions of the fire safety system shall be:

a) the legal regulation and implementation of state measures in the field of fire safety;

b) the creation of fire-fighting services and the organisation of their activities;

c) the development and implementation of fire safety measures;

d) the realisation of the rights and duties of the subjects of the system in the field of fire safety;

e) the creation of firefighting propaganda and the training of the population in fire safety rules;

f) the promotion of the activities of volunteer firefighters and firefig­hti­ng services, and the mobilisation of the population in order to ensur­e fire safety;

g) the provision of scientific and technical support for fire safety;

h) the provision of informational support for fire safety;

i) the exercise of state fire supervision in order to ensure fire safety;

j) the manufacturing of firefighting products;

k) the performance of works in the field of fire safety, the provision of services, the certification of products and services ('Certification');

l) the implementation of social and economic stimulation measures for ensuring fire safety;

m) the suppression of fire and the performance of immediate emergency-rescue operations related to it ('the Suppression of Fire');

n) the record-keeping of fires and their consequences.

Law of Georgia No 2027 of 28 May 1999 - LHG I, No 20(27), 9.6.1999, Art. 94

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005, Art. 266

Chapter II -

Firefighting Services

Article 4 - Types and main tasks of firefighting services

1. Firefighting services shall be divided into the following types:

a) the State Firefighting Service;

b) the firefigh­ting services of local self-government and government bodies;

c) the forest fire service;

d) departmental firefighting services;

e) voluntary firefighting services;

f) associations of firefighting services.

2. The main tasks of firefighting services in the field of fire safety shall be:

a) the organisation of the prevention of fire;

b) the suppression of fire.

3. Firefighting services shall participate in measures aimed at suppressing and preventing mass riots only if their intervention is necessary for suppressing fire.

Article 5 - The State Firefighting Service

1. The State Firefighting Service is a structural unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
 Its status shall be defined by the statute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

2. The State Firefighting Service shall:

a) develop the main directions of state policy in the field of fire safety according to the established procedure and supervise their implementation;

b) develop legal acts regulating state fire supervision and submit them for approval to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia;

c) coordinate the activities of different firefighting services;

d) organise and carry out state fire supervision in Georgia;

e) develop, according to the established procedure, the acts necessary for ensuring fire safety and regulating the manufacturing and use of firefighting products;

f) develop and implement a single scientific and technical policy in the field of fire safety;

g) conduct training, retraining and advanced training for the staff of firefighting services;

h) organise the activities of different fierefighting services in the case of difficult [to contain] and large fires;

i) carry out the inspection of firefighting services and provide them with methodological assistance;

j) establish the grounds for organising the firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies in the area of fire prevention and firefighting and define the powers of such firefighting services;

k) (deleted);

l) draft standards, norms, rules and other normative acts that contain fire safety requirements;

m) draft, according to the established procedure, normative acts necessary for ensuring fire safety and regulating the manufacturing and use of firefighting products;

n) organise the creation of a unified state statistical system in the country for keeping record of fires and their consequences and of immediate emergency-rescue (technical) operations;

o) monitor the compliance with the procedures of service and the organisation and implementation of the suppression of fire in the firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies, and monitor the improvement of tactical and professional training.

3. The structure and powers of the State Firefighting Service shall be defined by the Minister of the Internal Affairs of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005, Art. 266

 Article 6 - Firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies

1. Local government bodies shall, and, where necessary, local self-government bodies may, create firefighting services in order to ensure fire safety and fire supervision over the administrative and territorial units of Georgia.

2. ₾ The Firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies shall:

a) organise and exercise fire supervision and fire suppression within the boundaries of the relevant administrative-territorial unit;

b) participate in the suppression of fire in the territory of Georgia and in planned fire and tactical drills;

c) ensure, on a contractual basis, the organisation of the prevention and suppression of fires at the facilities of the national economy , as well as the performance of other works and the provision of services in the field of fire safety.

3. In the case of fires and natural calamities, the involvement of the forces and means of the firefighting services of different administrative and territorial units of local government and self-government bodies shall be carried out according to a schedule developed by the State Firefighting Service or directly by order of the head or deputy head of the State Firefighting Service.

4. Any misuse of firefighting machinery and firefighting equipment shall be prohibited.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Article 7 - Forest fire service

A forest fire service shall be created within the system of the State Department of Forestry of Georgia and it shall be guided in its activities by relevant legislation.

Article 8 - Departmental firefighting services

1. Executive authorities and enterprises may create units of departmental firefigh­ting services in order to ensure fire safety.

2. The procedure for the organisation, reorganisation and liquidation of the units of a departmental firefighting service, and the conditions for the implementation of their activities and the fulfilment of duties by their personnel, shall be established by relevant regulations in agreement with the firefighting services of the state and local self­-government and government bodies.

3. The monitoring of the provision of fire safety on air, sea, river, road and railway transport, and on floating maritime equipment and structures during their operation, shall be carried out by the relevant body of the executive authority.

Article 9 - Voluntary firefighting services

1. Voluntary firefighting services shall participate, on a voluntary basis, in the prevention of the origination of fire spots in localities, enterprises or other places, and in the organisation of the suppression of fires.

2. Volunteer firefighters shall be citizens who voluntarily (without entering into a labour contract) directly take part in fire prevention and/or suppression activities.

3. The procedure for registering volunteer firefighters and creating units (brigades) shall be established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

4. Volunteer firefighters shall be provided with social safeguards established by the executive authorities of Georgia and local self-government and government bodies, and by enterprises registering volunteer firefighters.

5. Volunteer firefighters shall carry out their activities in accordance with the duty roster established by local self-government and government bodies and agreed with the firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Article 10 - Associations of firefighting services

Associations of firefighting services (public associations, unions, fire safety foundations, etc.) shall be created in accordance with the legis­lation of Georgia, in order to fulfil the tasks set in the area of fire safety, and to protect the rights and legal interests of the personnel of firefighting services. Such associations unions shall carry out their activities on the basis of a charter.

Article 11 - State fire supervision

1. State fire supervision is a special type of state supervisory activity, which shall be implemented by State Firefighting Service officials and officials of the firefighting service units of local self-government and government bodies, in order to ensure compliance with fire safety requirements and to monitor and eliminate violations.

2. The head of the State Firefighting Service shall be the Chief State Inspector of the Fire Supervision of Georgia.

3. The list of personnel positions of the firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies, as well as their rights and obligations in exercising state fire supervision, shall be established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

4. During the implementation of state fire supervision, the officials of the State Firefighting Service and of the firefighting service units of local self-government and government bodies may:

a) develop, in accordance with the established procedure, regulatory acts necessary for ensuring fire safety and for manufacturing and using firefighting products;

b) carry out state fire supervision over the compliance with fire safety requirements in public authorities and local self-government and government bodies, as well as in facilities under state fire supervision;

c) make proposals to the executive authorities and local self-government and government bodies on the fulfilment of fire safety measures;

d) conduct fire safety examination and inspection of facilities under state fire supervision in order to monitor the compliance with fire safety requirements and to eliminate violations;

e) in the manner established by the legislation of Georgia, enter into facilities that are under state fire supervision if there exists therein non-compliance with fire safety requirements that creates the risk of fire and/or endangers human safety;

f) participate in the work of a commission selecting construction sites and of a commission accepting completed (reconstructed) facilities into service;

g) in the case of justified deviation from fire safety requirements, or in the absence of such requirements, consider and approve design specifications and estimates of construction, capital repairs, re-construction, expansion or technical retrofitting of a facility under state fire supervision, as well as city planning design specifications and estimates in relation thereto;

h) conduct, in the context of conformity with fire safety requirements, random inspections of design specifications and estimates of a facility under state fire supervision in those enterprises that carry out design and design estimate works;

i) issue binding instructions to public authorities and local self-government and government bodies and facilities under state fire supervision in order to eliminate violations of fire safety rules;

j) fully or partially suspend the operations of a facility under state fire supervision if they identify violations of fire safety requirements or their non-fulfilment, which violations create a risk of fire and/or endanger human safety;

k) summon to the relevant firefighting service units the managers of enterprises and natural persons in connection with fire-related cases conducted by the firefighting service units, and receive from them necessary explanations, reports, documents and their copies;

l) impose, in accordance with the procedure established by legislation, administrative penalties for the violation of fire safety requirements, including for the failure to fulfil or to fulfil in a timely manner the instructions and orders of the officials of a firefighting service.

5. In exercising fire supervision, the officials of the firefighting services of state and local self-government and government bodies shall also enjoy the rights established by this article in relation to facilities owned by foreign legal persons.

6. Forest fire supervision shall be carried out by the bodies of the State Department of Forestry of Georgia, and in the case of underground facilities and at the time of an explosion at hazardous works, by the bodies of the State Inspection for Technical Supervision of Georgia.

7. The regulation of state fire supervision and other powers of a firefighting service on the facilities of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and the Special State Protection Service of Georgia, or on board a sea-, river-, or aircraft, as well as on railway and road transport, shall be conducted on the basis of an agreement between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and relevant governmental institutions.

8. During the implementation of state fire supervision, the instructions and orders of the managing officials of the State Firefighting Service and of the units of firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies shall be binding on their subordinates.

9. State fire supervision may not be conducted in facilities that, according to this Law, are not facilities under state fire supervision.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005, Art. 266

Article 12 - Firefighting service personnel

1. Citizens of Georgia shall be employed in the State Firefighting Service in the manner established by the legislation for employing persons at internal affairs bodies.

2. Service rules for the personnel of the firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies shall be established by the relevant local self-government and government bodies in agreement with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. At the time of performing their service duties they shall wear a standard uniform, with which they shall be provided free of charge, within the scope of the relevant standards.

3. (Deleted).

4. (Deleted).

5. The personnel of firefighting services may, in order to defend professional, social, and other legal rights and interests, join or voluntarily enter into relations with firefighting service trade-unions and associations.

6. Employees of firefighting services shall wear the uniforms established through the relevant procedure.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art. 51

Article 13 - Social and legal safeguards of firefighting service personnel

1. The social and legal safeguards and benefits of the personnel of firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies shall be established by the local self-government and government bodies.

2.
 (Deleted).

3. The public authorities and local self-govern­ment and government bodies of Georgia may establish for firefighting service personnel social and legal safeguards other than those provided for by this Law.

4. The legal and social safeguards and benefits established by the legislation for employees of enterprises with harmful and/or dangerous labour conditions shall apply to firefighting service personnel protecting such enterprises from fire.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Article 14 - Mandatory insurance and compensation of damage in the case of death or injury (mutilation) of the employees and workers of the firefighting services of state and local self-government and government bodies

1. The life and health of the employees of the firefighting services of state and local self-government and government bodies shall be subject to mandatory insurance.

2. The mandatory insurance of State Firefighting Service employees shall be provided through the state budget.

3. The mandatory insurance of firefighting service employees of local self-government and government bodies shall be provided through the funds envisaged by the budget­ allocated for the maintenance of the firefigh­ting services of the relevant local self-government and government bodies and through the funds of those enterprises in which firefighting service units have been created.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Article 15 - Financial and logistical support in the field of fire safety

1. Financial support in the field of fire safety, including according to state targeted programmes, shall be planned and implemented by public authorities and local self-government and government bodies from relevant budgets, within the scope of their authority.

2. (Deleted).

3. The financing and logistical support of the firefight­ing service units of local self-government and government bodies shall be carried out through the local budget.

4. The firefight­ing units created on a contractual basis at enterprises shall function at the expense of the funds of the enterprises.

5. The logistical support of departmental and voluntary firefighting services shall be carried out by their owners.

6. (Deleted).

Law of Georgia No 895 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.44

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Article 16 - Property of firefighting services

1. Firefighting services shall have movable and immovable property, which is necessary to perform the tasks assigned to them.

2. The intended purpose of the property of firefighting services may not be changed without agreement with the relevant executive agency and the firefighting services of state and local self-government and government bodies.

3. Public authorities and local self-government and government bodies, as well as enterprises in which firefighting service units are created, shall, in a mandatory manner, allocate for their firefighting services buildings equipped with means of communication, structures, service premises and other necessary property in accordance with established standards.

Article 17 - Representation

Any representation in matters related to fire safety shall be carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia at international foundations, committees, associations, and other organisations.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19.1.2005, Art.51

Chapter III -

Rights and Obligations of Public Authorities and Local Self-Government and Government Bodies in the Field of Fire Safety

Article 18 - Rights and obligations of public authorities in the field of fire safety

1. The following shall fall within the powers of public authorities in the field of fire safety within the scope of authority defined by legislation:

a) the development and implementation of state policy, the adoption of normative acts and the monitoring of their fulfilment;

b) the development of targeted programmes, and the organisation and financing of their implementation;

c) the organisation of the development and approval of state standards, norms, rules and other normative acts;

d) the planning of a central budget and its implementation for fire safety, including the maintenance of firefighting services;

e) (deleted);

f) the organisation of state fire supervision;

g) the establishment of general principles for ensuring fire safety and the implementation of social and economic incentives for ensuring fire safety, the production and purchase of firefighting products, and the involvement of the population in fire-fighting;

h) (deleted);

i) the provision of firefighting services with necessary firefighting products;

j) the compilation of a list of enterprises, including those financed from the central budget, where it is necessary to create firefighting services;

k) the organisation of scientific and technical development, and the coordination of main scientific research and processing;

l) the determination of the nomenclature of firefighting products and their production volume for state needs, and the approval of the rules for their provision;

m) the creation of the state informational support system, as well as systems for keeping statistical records of fires and their consequences;

n) the determination of general principles for the organisation of civil defence firefighting formations and mobilisation tasks at firefighting service units;

o) the organisation of personnel training, retraining and advanced training for firefighting services;

p) the implementation of social and legal protection measures with respect to firefighting service personnel and their family members;

q) the promotion of the creation and functioning of fire safety foundations;

r) the establishment of insignia and uniforms for employees of firefighting services.

2. Public authorities shall, within their authority:

a) ensure the implementation of fire safety measures at enterprises under their supervision and in relevant territories;

b) create and maintain, according to the established norms, firefighting service units financed from the expenses of relevant budgets;

c) render necessary assistance to firefighting services in order for them to fulfil the set objectives;

d) create conditions for involving the population in fire prevention and suppression activities;

e) organise firefighting propaganda and train the population in firefighting safety rules;

f) finance scientific and technical works in the field of fire safety.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Article 19 - Rights and obligations of local self-government and government bodies in the field of fire safety

1. The following shall fall within the rights and obligations of local self-government and government bodies in the field of fire safety:

a) the implementation of fire safety measures and the organisation of their fulfilment;

b) participation in the implementation of state and local targeted programmes;

c) the inclusion of funds for fire safety in local budgets, including for the maintenance of firefighting services;

d) the promotion of the creation and functioning of fire safety foundations;

e) the provision of economic and social incentives for fire safety, within the scope of their authority;

f) training the population in fire safety rules and involving them in fire prevention and suppression activities;

g) the promotion of the activities of firefighting services and volunteer firefighters;

h) the organisation of public control to ensure fire safety;

i) the creation, reorganisation and liquidation of firefighting service units financed from the local budget.

2. Local self-government and government bodies, within the scope of their authority, shall, in the relevant territories:

a) ensure compliance with fire safety rules;

b) receive firefighting service property in the case of the refusal of the property owner to maintain such property and use it for its intended purpose;

c) create and maintain, according to the established standards, firefighting service units financed from the expenses of local budgets;

d) organise the training of the population in fire safety rules;

e) support the activities of volunteer firefighters.

Chapter IV -

Ensuring Fire safety

Article 20 - Development and implementation of fire safety measures

1. Fire safety measures shall be developed in accordance with the legisl­ation of Georgia and normative acts adopted on fire safety, and on the basis of experience in firefighting and the evaluation of the fire hazards posed by substances, materials, technological processes, products, constructions, buildings and structures.

2. Manufacturers (suppliers) of substances, materials, products and equipment shall include in the relevant technical documentation the fire-hazard indicators of these materials, products and equipment, as well as the necessary fire safety requirements for handling them.

3. Measures for evacuating people in the case of fire shall be envisaged during the development, implementation and design of fire safety measures for enterprises, buildings, structures and other facilities.

4. It shall be mandatory to develop fire suppression plans for enterprises and such plans shall provide solutions to ensure human safety.

5. The development and implementation of the fire safety measures of autonomous republics, cities and regions shall be carried out by executive authori­ties, and relevant local self-government and government bodies.

6. With respect to fire safety requirements, investment projects developed in accordance with the decisions of state authorities shall be agreed with the bodies of the State Firefighting Service.

7. Normative acts adopted by executive authorities with respect to standardisation, which establish or are to establish fire safety requirements, shall be agreed with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Article 21 - Suppression of fire

1. The suppression of fire is an action that is conducted in order to save human lives, and protect health and private and state property, and extinguish the fire.

2. The procedure for the organisation of the suppression of fire at firefighting service garrisons shall be established by the firefighting services of state and local self-government and government bodies and shall be approved by relevant executive authorities and local self-government and government bodies.

3. Firefighting service forces and equipment shall be called where there is an emergency and for the liquidation of its consequences in the manner established by the legislation of Georgia.

4. A single number shall be established in the telephone networks of cities and localities for calling firefighting service units.

5. The chief operating officer of a firefighting service of a local self-government or government body, being the fire suppression manager who is present at the site of a fire, shall directly lead the suppression of the fire (unless the legislation of Georgia provides otherwise); he/she shall manage, under the principle of unity of command, the personnel of the firefighting services participating in the process of the suppression of the fire and other forces involved in the suppression of the fire.

6. The instructions of the fire suppression manager shall be binding on all officials and citizens in the territory where a fire-fighting operation is being carried out.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Article 22 - Production of firefighting products

1. Firefighting products shall be produced according to a state order, in the manner established by legislation.

2. The State shall regulate and support the production of firefighting products.

3. The placement of a state order for and the distribution of firefighting products shall be carried out on the basis of targeted programmes in the field of fire safety.

4. The organisation of the placement of a state order shall be carried out in accordance with legislation.

Article 23 - Performance of works and provision of services in the field of fire safety

1. The works and services in the field of fire safety shall be performed for the implementation of fire safety requirements, and for the prevention and suppression of fire.

2. Works and services in the field of fire safety shall include:

a) the protection of enterprises and settlements from fire on a contractual basis;

b) the development of measures for ensuring fire safety, and the provision of scientific and technical consultations on fire safety issues;

c) the expert examination of organisational and technical solutions adopted for ensuring fire safety;

d) the testing of substances, materials, products, equipment and constructions in terms of their compliance with fire safety requirements;

e) the implementation of departmental control over the provision of fire safety;

f) the production, testing, procurement and provision of firefighting products;

g) the installation, adjustment, repair and maintenance of fire fighting equipment and systems;

h) the organisation of the activities of the firefighting services of localities, ministries, agencies and enterprises;

i) the performance of design and survey works;

j) the implementation of firefighting propaganda, and the issuance of special literature and promotional products;

k) the performance of fire-protection and furnace works;

l) the repair of firefighting machinery, equipment and primary means of fire suppre­ssion;

m) the construction, reconstruction and repair of buildings, structures and premises of firefighting service units;

n) training in fire safety rules;

o) other fire safety works and services, the list of which shall be drawn up by a firefighting service department.

Article 24 - Firefighting propaganda, training in fire safety rules and informational support in the field of fire safety

1. Firefighting propaganda is the provision of information to the public on fire safety issues through mass media, publications, special literature and promotional products, and through thematic exhibitions, shows, conferences and other forms permitted by the legislation of Georgia for informing the public.

2. Firefighting propaganda shall be carried out by executive authorities and local self-government and government bodies, and by firefighting services and enterprises.

3. The training of the employees of an enterprise in fire safety rules shall be conducted by the administration of the enterprise concerned according to fire safety rules applicable in Georgia.

4. Mandatory training in fire safety rules for children, or for pupils of pre-school childcare and educational institutions, shall be carried out by relevant agencies under the programmes agreed with the State Firefighting Service.

[4. Mandatory training in fire safety rules for children, for pupils of early learning and preschool childcare and educational institutions shall be carried out by relevant agencies under the programmes agreed upon with the State Firefighting Service. (Shall become effective from 1 April 2017)]

5. Bodies in the education system and the bodies of firefighting services may create volunteer fire squads from teenagers.

6. Informational support in the field of fire safety shall be carried out through the creation and use of a data bank of those fire safety special information systems ('the Information Systems') that are necessary for the performance of the set objectives.

7. The grounds and procedure for entering fire safety information in the Information Systems, as well as the conditions and procedure for the use of this information by citizens and officials, shall be established by legislation.

8. The mass media shall, at the request of firefighting services, publish the latest information on fire safety issues.

9. Public authorities and local self-government and government bodies shall inform the population about any decisions made for ensuring fire safety and support the dissemination of technical knowledge relating to fire .

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Law of Georgia No 5373 of 8 June 2016 – website, 24.6.2016

Article 25 - Keeping records of fires and their consequences

1. A unified state system for keeping records of fires and their consequences is operating in Georgia.

2. Official statistical record-keeping and state statistical reporting on fires and their consequences shall be carried out by the firefighting services of public authorities and of local self-government and government bodies.

3. The procedure for keeping records of fires and their consequences shall be established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in agreement with the Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia and other interested executive agencies.

4. Compliance with the established procedure for keeping records of fires and their consequences shall be binding on public authorities and on local self-government and government bodies, and on natural and legal persons who carry out business activities.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Article 26 - Fire insurance

Fire insurance shall be voluntary and shall be carried out according to the Civil Code of Georgia and the Law of Georgia on Insurance.

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005 Art. 266

Article 27 - Scientific and technical support for fire safety

1. (Deleted).

2. Scientific and technical works in the field of fire safety shall be financed from central and local budgets and other sources of finance, in the manner established by legislation.

3. The coordination of scientific research in the field of fire safety shall be carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

4. Executive authorities and enterprises shall organise the conduct of necessary scientific and technical works during the creation of new technologies and production in the field of fire safety in order to support the legitimate interests of individuals, of the public and the State.

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Article 28 - (Deleted)

Law of Georgia No 2027 of 28 May 1999 - LHG I, No 20(27), 9.6.1999, Art. 94

Article 29 - (Deleted)

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005 Art. 266

Chapter V -

Rights, Obligations and Responsibilities in the Field of Fire Safety

Article 30 - Rights and obligations of citizens in the field of fire safety

1. Citizens may:

a) in the case of fire, protect their life, health and property;

b) receive compensation, in the manner established by legislation, for damage incurred as a result of fire;

c) take part in establishing the causes of a fire that has damaged their health and property;

d) receive information on fire safety issues, including from firefighting service units;

e) take part in ensuring fire safety, including the activities of voluntary firefighting services.

2. Citizens shall:

a) comply with fire safety requirements;

b) (deleted);

c) immediately inform firefighting services in the case of fire;

d) take measures, to the extent possible, for protecting human life, health, and private and state property, and for suppressing fire before the arrival of firefighting service units;

e) assist firefighting service units in the suppression of fire;

f) (deleted);

g) (deleted).

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005 Art. 266

Article 31 - Rights and obligations of enterprises and facilities under state fire supervision in the field of fire safety

1. Enterprises may:

a) create, in the established manner, units of firefighting services of local self-government and government bodies financed by them (contractual) or units of departmental firefighting services, and carry out their reorganisation and liquidation;

b) make proposals to the executive authorities and to local self-government and government bodies in relation to the provision of fire safety;

c) carry out works to determine the circumstances and causes of fires that have occurred in enterprises;

d) establish social and economic incentive measures to ensure fire safety;

e) receive information, in the established manner, on fire safety issues from firefighting service units.

2. Enterprises shall:

a) comply with fire safety requirements;

b) (deleted);

c) organise firefighting propaganda and provide employees with fire safety training;

d) enter fire safety issues in collective contracts (agreements);

e) maintain firefighting equipment and systems in operating condition , including the primary means of suppressing fire, and prevent their misuse;

f) (deleted);

g) support firefighting services in the suppression of fire, and in the establishment of the causes and conditions of its spread and break-out, as well as in the identification of individuals responsible for the violation of fire safety requirements and the break- out of fire;
 

h) allocate necessary forces and means during the suppression of fire in their territory;

i) (deleted);

j) (deleted);

k) immediately inform firefighting services about the break-out of a fire, the malfunctioning of fire-protection systems and equipment and changes in roads and exits;

l) support the activities of volunteer firefighters.

3. The rights and obligations provided for by this article with respect to enterprises shall apply to facilities under state fire supervision. In addition, the administration of facilities that are under state fire supervision shall:

a) ensure the entry of officials of firefighting services, in order for them to perform their official duties, to the territories, buildings, constructions and other premises of a facility under state fire supervision;

b) in cases provided for by legislation, present data and documents, at the request of the officials of firefighting services, on the fire safety status of a facility under state fire supervision, including information on fires that have occurred in their territory and their consequences.
 

Law of Georgia No 953 of 29 December 2004 - LHG I, No 6, 19. 1. 2005 Art. 51

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005 Art. 266

Article 32 - Liability for the infringement of fire safety requirements

Liability for the infringement of fire safety requirements shall be defined under the legislation of Georgia.

Chapter VI -

Transitional Provisions

Article 33 - Normative acts to be adopted in connection with this Law

In order to make this Law fully operational, the following normative acts shall be adopted within one year after its entry into force.

a) (deleted);

b) the Law of Georgia on Amendments to the Tax Code of Georgia;

c) the Law of Georgia on Amendments to the Law of Georgia on Customs Duties;

d) the Regulations on the Organisation of State Fire Supervision in Georgia;

e) the charter of a firefighting service organisation;

f) the fire suppression field manual;

g) Regulations on State Statistical Record-keeping of Fires and their Consequences in Georgia;

h) Regulations on Volunteer Firefighting Squads.

Law of Georgia No 1777 of 24 June 2005 - LHG I, No 40, 18. 7. 2005 Art. 266

Chapter VII -

Final Provision

Article 34 - Entry into force

This Law shall enter into force upon promulgation.

President of Georgia                                                                                                                                Eduard Shevardnadze

Tbilisi,

12 May 1998

No 1377 - IIს