Indiana § 36-8-11-4 - Districts; establishment; authorized purposes

§ 36-8-11-4. Districts; establishment; authorized purposes

Sec. 4. (a) A county legislative body may establish fire protection districts for any of the following purposes:

(1) Fire protection, including the capability for extinguishing all fires that might be reasonably expected because of the types of improvements, personal property, and real property within the boundaries of the district.

(2) Fire prevention, including identification and elimination of all potential and actual sources of fire hazard.

(3) If the county legislative body establishes a fire protection district for either or both of the purposes under subdivision (1) or (2), in addition to those the fire protection district purposes may include the provision of emergency medical services (regulated under IC 16-31-3), basic life support, or advanced life support. However, this subdivision may not apply, and the purposes under this subdivision may not be included with regard to the fire protection district, if another local unit or organization is providing the services under this subdivision with public funds to the area served by the fire protection district.

(4) If the county legislative body establishes a fire protection district for either or both of the purposes under subdivision (1) or (2), in addition to those the fire protection district purposes may include the prevention of hazards that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.

(5) Other purposes or functions related to fire protection and fire prevention.

(b) Any area may be established as a fire protection district, but one (1) part of a district may not be completely separate from another part. A municipality may be included in a district, but only if it consents by ordinance, unless a majority of the freeholders of the municipality have petitioned to be included in the district.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), the territory of a district may consist of:

(1) one (1) or more townships and parts of one (1) or more townships in the same county; or

(2) all of the townships in the same county.

The boundaries of a district need not coincide with those of other political subdivisions.

(d) The territory of a district may consist of a municipality that is located in more than one (1) county.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citations: subsection (a) formerly 19-1-45-2; 19-1-45-10; subsection (b) formerly 19-1-45-4.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.63. Amended by P.L.36-2000, SEC.3; P.L.156-2025, SEC.1.