Section Six was just a general statement saying that any State laws on the books which conflict with any item in this bill are hereby deleted. Section Five stated that the State Fire Marshal shall have the power to appoint as his deputies only the fire chiefs of fire departments, who shall serve without compensation, and that the Fire Marshal and his deputies shall exercise the functions of police officers. The only thing that has been added to this section in the intervening years is that if the fire occurs where there is a regularly organized fire department, our investigation and report shall be made in conjunction with the local officials. Section Four is word for word the way our present Section 13107 is written pertaining to crime in connection with a fire and reports to the district attorney in the county where the fire occurred. Section Three was similar to our present Section 13106 concerning the protection of property affected by fire until the owner or claimant arrives. Section Two said the Fire Marshal should safeguard life and property from fire and see that all laws and ordinances relating to fires and fire protection are enforced and that he should attend, if possible, all fires other than forest, brush or grain, which occur outside of incorporate cities and take charge and protect all property imperiled. Section One said that the Governor had 30 days to appoint a qualified person as State Fire Marshal and that he would serve at the pleasure of the Governor and receive no compensation. The original act contained only six sections. This he agreed to do and on May 23, 1923, the bill was signed which became Chapter 188, Statutes of 1923, and the Office of State Fire Marshal was formed. The sponsoring fire chiefs agreed to the deletion of the appropriation, if the Governor would sign the bill. Governor Richardson, however, would not approve any legislation carrying an appropriation and has been quoted as saying “The people of California are over burdened with taxation now”. The original legislation included an appropriation to make the Office functional. It was at his request that on January 26, 1923, Assemblyman Harry Morrison, 29 th District, San Francisco, introduced Assembly Bill 409 to establish the Office of State Fire Marshal. Almost every session of the legislature has made changes and added further duties and responsibilities.Īpparently, more than any other person, Chief Murphy of San Francisco was responsible for getting introduction of legislation that created the Office. It is apparent the original sponsors did not visualize all of the functions, which are now a part of the Office. One reason that has been discussed was the Oakland Hills Fire of 1921 this may have been what was used to bring the fire service closer together and to demonstrate the need for a statewide fire authority. The records that are available from those days are rather sparse and it is difficult to determine the purpose and intent of the sponsors. The office was established by legislative act in 1923, although at that time not as a State Department. Until consolidation with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in 1995/1996, the Office of State Fire Marshal was one of the smallest independent departments in State Government.
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