§7-17-3. County fire association creation; prohibiting entrance by a municipality maintaining a full time paid fire department.

The fire departments within each county are hereby authorized to create and establish a county fire association, hereinafter referred to as “fire association.” The county fire association is created to discuss fire protection services to address fire protection problems at the county level.

Upon the creation of a fire association, any full-time paid fire department located in a municipality, as defined in §8-15-9 of this code is excluded from the provisions of this article.

However, this provision shall not prohibit the county commission or the fire board with the approval of the county commission from contracting with the fire department of any political subdivision for fire protection services rendered to the county.