Introduction to Fire Safety Management

15.7.9 Section 43: Notice of works affecting 
water supply and fi re hydrants
This section places a duty on any person proposing 
to carry out any work relating to the provision of water 
to any part of the area of a fi re and rescue authority to 
give at least six weeks’ written notice to the authority. A 
person proposing to carry out any works affecting a fi re 
hydrant is required to give at least seven days’ notice in 
writing.
15.7.10 Section 44: Powers of fi re fi ghters, etc. in 
an emergency, etc.
This section of the Act gives certain powers to an 
employee of the fi re and rescue authority (provided that 
they are authorised in writing) to deal with emergencies; 
specifi cally an authorised employee may do anything he 
reasonably believes to be necessary:
➤
If he believes a fi re may have broken out (or to be 
about to break out), for the purpose of extinguishing 
or preventing the fi re or protecting life or property 
and preventing or limiting damage to property
➤
If he believes a road traffi 
c accident to have 
occurred, for the purpose of rescuing people or 
protecting them from serious harm and preventing 
or limiting damage to property
➤
If he believes an emergency of another kind to have 
occurred, for the purpose of discharging any func-
tion conferred on the fi re and rescue authority in 
relation to the emergency and preventing or limiting 
damage to property.
In addition to the general power to ‘do anything’ an 
authorised employee has got specifi c powers to:
➤
Enter premises or a place, by force if necessary, 
without the consent of the owner or occupier of the 
premises or place
➤
Move or break into a vehicle without the consent of 
its owner
➤
Close a highway
➤
Stop and regulate traffi c
➤
Restrict the access of persons to premises or a 
place.
It is an offence to obstruct or interfere with an authorised 
offi cer of a fi re and rescue authority without reasonable 
cause. A person guilty of an offence is liable on sum-
mary conviction to a fi ne not exceeding level 3 on the 
standard scale.