• Chapter I. General provisions
• Chapter 2. Fire protection
• Chapter 3. The authorities of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, State management and local self-governing bodies in the sphere of fire security ensuring
• Chapter 4. Fire Security Activities in the Settlement and Objects
• Chapter 5. The Rights and Obligations of Citizens and Organizations in the Sphere of Fire Security Provision
• Chapter 6. Concluding provisions

The present law defines the legislative, economical and organizational basis of the fire security ensuring in the Republic of Armenia.

Chapter I
General provisions

Article 1. Law regulation object

The present law regulates relations of the State bodies and local self-governing bodies of the Republic of Armenia, organizations, and citizens in fire security-ensuring sphere.

Article 2. Law objectives

The objectives of the present law:
a) definition of the basic ways of the State policy working out and implementation in fire security ensuring sphere.
b) definition of the regulation principles and mechanisms of their implementation in fire security ensuring sphere.
c) Republic of Armenia's population provision with qualitative and reliable fire protection.

Article 3. General concepts

In the present law are used the following general concepts:
a) fire security - person, property, society and State protection from fires.
b) fire - uncontrollable burning, which causes moral, physical, property damages
for the interests of person, society and State, and presents a danger for human health and life.
c) fire security requirements - special conditions of social and technical character in the sphere of fire security defined by the laws of the Republic of Armenia and other legislative acts.
d) accident-rescue activities related to the fire suppression - fire fighting protective activities in the sphere of persons property rescue, first medical aid provision to casualties during the fire.
e) fire protection - complexity of forces and means of the State bodies and local self-governing bodies established by the defined order, and of the organizations including anti-fire forces and means for the fire protection, fire prevention, fire suppression and also for accident-rescue operations conduct.
f) fire security means - activities aimed at fire security ensuring, also activities aimed to the implementation of the fire security normative documents requirements.
g) fire-technical products - special technical, scientific-technical and intellectual products, including fire techniques and vehicles, fire equipment, fire extinguisher, fire-protector and fire-resistant materials, communication and management special means, computer programs, information bank and also other means of fire prevention and fire suppression.
h) fire security ensuring system - complexity of fire fighting forces and means, also legislative, organizational, economical, social and scientific-technical activities.

Article 4. Fire security ensuring in the Republic of Armenia

The fire security of the population, settlements and objects is ensured by:
a) State bodies, local self-governing bodies, organizations, and authorities and by the citizens obligatory fulfillment of fire security requirements, defined by legislation of the Republic of Armenia and also by the other normative documents.
b) Working out and implementation of the all-Republican and local purposeful programs on fire prevention and fire suppression.

Article 5. Legislation of the Republic of Armenia on fire security

The legislation of the Republic of Armenia on fire security consists of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, international agreements of the Republic of Armenia, present law, other laws and legislative acts.

Article 6. Fire security ensuring bodies system

The State bodies, local self-governing bodies, organizations, which, by the order defined by law, participate in the fire security ensuring form the fire security ensuring bodies system.

Article 7. State management in the fire security-ensuring sphere

The State anti-Fire service is included in the structure of the Internal Affairs executive Republican body of the Republic of Armenia.

Article 8. Anti-fire normative documents

The anti-fire normative documents (technical regulations), also standards, defining fire-security requirements are obligatory for settlements and constructions projection, implementation and commissioning, basic repair and reconstruction, as well as for the period of equipment production and exploitation.
Fire security normative documents are preliminary agreed with State fire control bodies.
State Anti-fire Service gives conclusions on the fire security-ensuring tasks needing special solution and not defined by the fire security normative documents.

Article 9. Fire prevention Republican and local programs

Republican and local purposeful programs on fire prevention and fire suppression are worked out and implemented by the State management bodies on the basis of anti-fire situation analyses results, presented by the authorized body of the Government of the Republic of Armenia (henceforth the authorized body) and appropriate offers. Local purposeful programs are agreed with the local self-governing bodies.

Article 10. State inventory of fires and their impacts

The joint State inventory of fires and their impacts is carried out by the State fire control bodies according to the fire inventory orders agreed with the bodies authorized in that sphere.
State management bodies and organizations carry out fire inventory in the dependent objects.

Chapter II
Fire protection

Article 11. Fire protection objectives

The fire protection basic objectives are:
a) fire prevention organization
b) fire suppression
Fire protection may implement other objectives only in the cases, defined by law.

Article 12. Fire protection structure

In fire protection structure are included:
a) State Anti-Fire Service
b) Departmental Fire Protection
c) Fire Protection Public Formations.

Article 13. State Anti-fire Service

The State Anti-fire Service implements State control over the anti-fire normative documents perseverance, organizes and carries out fire suppression and accident-rescue operations with its own forces and means, works out fire-prevention measures for settlements and objects by the defined order.
The Government of the Republic of Armenia confirms the State fire control legislation and fire protection fighting and service legislation.
The authorized body in the sphere of fire security ensuring carries out general control of State Anti-fire Service.
The employees of the State Anti-fire Service authorized body carry distinguishing badges and uniform, defined by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

Article 14. State fire protection structure financing and logistics

The money satisfaction of the State Anti-fire Service subdivisions staff that renders services to the population, the expenses on fire techniques, equipment, fuel, firefighting measures, military uniform obtainment, exploitation, staff training, as well as other expenses are fulfilled from State budget.
The expenses on preserving the departmental fire protection subdivisions protecting the organizations, on providing them with inhabited areas as well as other expenses are carried out by the relevant organizations.

Article 15. Fire protection property

The fire protection property is the property necessary for the implementation of fire protection structure objectives the list of which is defined by State Anti-fire Service.
Fire protection bodies property, irrespective of its belonging, may be used only according to the purpose of the property.
Only the fire control bodies may allow non-purposeful use of the property in the emergency situations.

Article 16. Militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service

By the presentation of the State management relevant regional bodies the Government of the Republic of Armenia establishes the militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service, protecting the settlements.
The authorized body forms the militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service protecting the organizations by the presentation of those organizations. The number of the mentioned subdivision staff is determined by the contract order, according to the normative, confirmed by the authorized body.

Article 17. Non-militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service

The non-militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service protecting the settlements are created by the order defined by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.
The non-militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service protecting the organizations are created by the contract order, according to the order defined by the legislation.

Article 18. Departmental Anti-Fire Service

For the purpose of the fire security ensuring the State management bodies and organizations can form the Departmental Anti-Fire Service subdivisions.
The Departmental Anti-Fire Service subdivisions, which have the fire techniques to be sent abroad, are inventoried in the State Anti-Fire Service of the authorized body and are included in the fire suppression and accident-rescue operations, according to the order defined by the legislation.
In the spheres of fire suppression organization and readiness of the Staff the Departmental Anti-Fire Service subdivisions are guided by the normative acts, which regulate the State Anti-Fire Service activities.

Article 19. Public formations of fire protection

The public formations of fire protection may be established by the order defined by law and they support the State management bodies, organizations, citizens in the sphere of fire prevention and fire suppression in the settlements as well as in the objects.

Article 20. State fire control

State Anti-Fire Service authorities carry out the State fire control for the implementation of requirements of the documents on fire security and for their breach prevention.
The Head of the State Anti-Fire Service management Republican body ex-officio is also the General State Inspector of the Fire Control of the Republic of Armenia.
While implementing the State fire control the State Anti-Fire Service authorities have the right:
a) individually or in cooperation with the State management Republican bodies to organize the working out of the normative documents in the sphere of fire security defining the fire techniques production, working out and exploitation order
b) to implement State fire control over the implementation of the fire security normative documents requirements by the State management and local self-governing bodies, organizations, as well as by the authorities and citizens
c) to present suggestions to the State management and local self-governing bodies on the implementation of the fire security activities
d) according to the order defined by legislation to carry out researches and control of the areas, buildings, structures, constructions, and other objects for the realization of control over the implementation of the fire security documents requirements
e) to participate in choosing of the areas (roads) for the construction as well as in the works of the committees accepting the exploitation of the reconstructed objects of the completed constructions
f) in the case of absence of the requirements of the fire security documents to work out and present supplementary anti-fire measures for the buildings, constructions, structures modernization, reconstruction, repair and reinforcement for the implementation of the fire security requirements
g) for the implementation of the fire security requirements to give the obligatory regulations to the heads of the organizations, authorities and citizens on the elimination of the breaches of the documents requirements, products (activities, services) fire security ensuring, extraction of products from production, their production forbidding and stopping their realization
h) completely or partially to stop functioning of the productive districts, separate aggregates, the works of constructions and buildings construction, reconstruction, repair, reinforcement , modernization as well as to stop buildings and constructions commissioning in the case of breaches, that are direct danger to fire appearance and (or) human security
i) according to the acting law to bring citizens and authorities to the administrative responsibility for the breach of the fire security normative documents requirements. The relevant Ministry, Administration and Department carries out State control over the perseverance of the normative documents fire security in forests, underground mines, railway and air transport.
Those Ministries in the order agreed with authorized body carry out the State fire control in the objects of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Armenia.
State fire control in the objects of the diplomatic and consular bodies is carried out only by the request of the authorized representatives of the mentioned institutions and by their written permission.
The instructions and orders of the superior authorities of the State Fire Service management bodies and subdivisions are binding for the Fire Service Subdivisions dependent authorities, while implementing State fire control. The interference of other authorities in their activities is not allowed.

Article 21. Fire-fighting

The firefighting is the military actions which purpose is to save people and property as well as fire extinguishing.
During the fire-fighting the Anti-Fire Service employees may carry out the necessary activities for the ensuring of the people security and saving the property, as well as:
a) at any time of the day to enter the organizations, as well as the citizens dwelling houses and other constructions where the fire has developed or could develop, also, if necessary to open the shut doors and windows as well as fences to save people and to extinguish fire,
b) temporarily to limit or forbid the traffic and the movement of pedestrians in the streets as well as the access of the citizens to the separate objects and sections of the area, to make citizens to leave the areas of fire-fighting and accident-rescue operations,
c) during the fire-fighting and accident-rescue operations implementation for the service purposes to use freely the communication means of the organizations and citizens (except the transport means of the special importance, diplomatic, consular and means belonging to the representatives of the foreign States and international organizations), water resources under the condition of damages reimbursement,
d) while going to the area of fire to use all the types of transport means, to obtain traffic arrangements out of order and to enjoy the right of hotel accommodation by the service certificate.
All fire-protection forces and means, located at the fire area are submitting to the fire-fighting leader. The authorities and citizens cannot interfere his actions or not to fulfill his instructions, concerning the fire fighting.
The requirements presented by the firefighting leader within his authority are binding on all authorities and citizens to whom they are directed. The leader has the competence to make obligatory instructions to stop the works of objects, separate productive areas, and aggregates and to switch off the devices. He receives the relevant information from the authorities of the objects in fire on the existence of dangerous materials and on other specifications for the organization of firefighting.
The general provisions of the fire fighting organization and fulfillment are defined by the military code of fire protection.
According to the order defined by law the employees of the State Anti-Fire Service are responsible for the faults committed during the fire fighting as well as for the non-commitment of their responsibilities or for their non-proper commitment.

Article 22. The appellation of the actions of the authorities of the State Anti-Fire Service

The State Anti-Fire Service authorities actions in the sphere of fire security can be appealed according to the order defined by law.
The appellation does not suspend their implementation.

Article 23. The social security of the State Anti-Fire Service employees and workers

The questions of the social security of the militarized subdivisions of the State Anti-Fire Service employees are regulated by the law of the RA "On social security of the servicemen and the members of their families" and other legislative acts.

Chapter III
The authorities of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, State management and local self-governing bodies in the sphere of fire security ensuring

Article 24. The authorities of the Government of the Republic of Armenia in the sphere of fire security

The authorities of the Government of the Republic of Armenia in the sphere of fire security are the following:
a) State policy implementation in the sphere of fire security,
b) Republican purposeful programs confirmation and financing,
c) State budget planning and fulfillment in the sphere of expenses on the fire security including fire protection ensuring,
d) establishment, reorganization and liquidation of the fire protection management bodies, units, fire technical scientific-research institutions and fire technical training institutions that are maintained on the count of State budget means,
e) definition of the general provisions in the sphere of the fire security ensuring social and economical encouraging implementation including production of the fire-technical production and purchase as well as population participation in the fire fighting,
f) definition of the number of fire protection that are maintained on the count of State budget means,
g) definition of the list of the organizations (including the organizations that are maintained on the count of State budget means), in which the fire protection will be established according to the rules. definition of the name list, production and supply volume of the fire techniques products for the State needs,
h) definition of the fire protection distinguishing badges and uniform.

Article 25. State management bodies authorities in the sphere of fire security

The authorities of the State management bodies in the sphere of fire security are the following:
a) normative legal regulation of fire protection ensuring sphere, of legislative acts working out and implementation of State activities,
b) Fire Protection Services establishment and their activities organization,
c) working out of purposeful programs and organization of their implementation.
d) implementation of State fire control and other control functions within their authorities for the fire security ensuring,
organization of the working out and confirmation of the fire security normative documents and other acts on fire security.
e) fire security ensuring activities working out and implementation,
f) organization of development of the science and techniques, scientific researches and studying regulation,
g) provision of the information as well as statistical inventory of the fires and their consequences,
h) anti fire propaganda and citizens training in the sphere of fire security activities,
i) organization of preparation, secondary preparation and qualification upgrading of the staff for fire protection,
Ia) production of fire-technical products,
Ib) fire fighting and organization of the accident-rescue operations implementation,
Ic) provision of the necessary regime in case of anti fire situation aggravation,

Article 26. Local self-governing bodies authorities in the sphere of fire security

1. The State delegated authorities of the local self-governing bodies in the sphere of fire security are the following:
a) implementation of activities for fire prevention and possible consequences reduction,
b) support and help in the fire security activities fulfillment, implementation and organization,
2. Local self-governing bodies voluntary authorities in the sphere of fire security are the following:
a) population training in the sphere of fire security ensuring means and rules and population inclusion in fire prevention and fire fighting activities,
c) support of fire protection public units activities,
d) public control organization in the sphere of fire security ensuring,
e) provision of the necessary regime in case of anti fire situation aggravation.

Chapter IV
Fire Security Activities in the Settlement and Objects

Article 27. General requirements of settlements and objects fire security ensuring

Settlements and objects must be provided by fire protection as well as by water supply, permanently functioning roads crossing the buildings and constructions, communication means according to the anti-fire normative documents.
Buildings, constructions, organizations, volume-draft and structural solutions as well as the barriers between them must provide the population security and fire extinguishing.
The distribution of potentially dangerous (in the sphere of disastrous development of fires) warehouses and constructions, as well as pipelines of fire-prone gases and liquids is carried out according to the normative technical documents requirements.
State management and local self-governing bodies choose the construction areas for the mentioned objects, taking as a basis the results of fire-explosion expertise

Article 28. Fire security normative document requirement implementation during the object projection, construction and commissioning

During the projection and construction of objects, also buildings and constructions the fire security requirements defined by normative documents must be implemented.
The reconstructed and technical rearmament constructed objects also buildings and constructions cannot be commissioned if the anti-fire normative document requirements defined by the draft have not been implemented there,
The drafts of construction, reconstruction, repair, reinforcement (including destruction), modernization of dwelling, public, industrial buildings and constructions are agreed with State fire control bodies.

Article 29. Information provision in the sphere of fire security

The provision of information in the sphere of fire security is implemented by the means of creation and use of such special information systems and databases (henceforth the information system) that are necessary for the presented tasks implementation.
The Government of the Republic of Armenia defines the basis and order of installation of information on fire security in the information systems as well as the conditions and order of authorities and citizens becoming familiar with them.
The hydro-meteorological competent bodies and other State bodies of the Republic of Armenia are obliged instantly and in the non-compensation form to inform the State Anti-Fire Service on unfavourable cases and forecasts for fire security.
The State management and local self-governing bodies must inform the population on taken decisions for fire security provision and must support the fire technical knowledge distribution.

Chapter V
The Rights and Obligations of Citizens and Organizations in the Sphere of Fire Security Provision

Article 30. The Rights and Obligations of Organizations in the Sphere of Fire Security Provision:

1. The organizations have the right:
a) to establish, reorganize and disorganize the formations of fire protection which are kept on account of their own means in accordance with an agreement with a State Anti-Fire Service by a defined order:
b) to submit offers to State and local authorities connected with fire security provision;
c) to work on finding out the circumstances and causes of fire:
d) to get information on fire security including from fire protection management bodies and subdivisions.
2. The organizations pledge to:
a) fulfill the requirements of fire security normative documents, as well as to implement the instructions, decisions and other legislative requirements of fire protection bodies officials;
b) work out and implement activities on fire security ensuring;
c) include fire security matters in collective agreements:
d) keep in condition the anti-fire systems and means, including fire-fighting primary means, and forbid their not purposeful use:
e) establish fire protection management bodies and subdivisions according to the requirements of fire security normative documents and by the defined order also by the agreements signed with State Anti-Fire Service:
f) support fire protection to fulfill activities on finding out the causes and conditions of fire appearance and fire fighting and discovering people guilty in fire appearance and in the breach of fire security normative documents:
g) provide people taking part in fire-fighting activities with necessary forces and means, fuel-lubricate substance as well as with food and place of rest with the condition of reimbursement during the fire-fighting activities in the area of the organization and according to the defined order:
h) provide fire protection officials fulfilling their service, obligations with an opportunity to have a free access to the area of the organizations, buildings, constructions and other objects:
i) according to the demand of the officials of State Anti-Fire Service submit information and documents on fire security condition of the organization, on fire danger of their products and fires taken place before in their territory and their consequences:
j) immediately inform fire protection bodies on fires, defects, alternation of roads and passageways condition taken place in anti-fire systems or means.

Article 31. The rights and obligations of citizens in the sphere of fire security provision

1. The RA citizens, foreign citizens and persons having no citizenship have the right to
a) secure their life, health and property from fires;
b) get reimbursement or insuring compensation for the health and property damages caused by fires according to the defined order;
c) get necessary explanations and recommendations on fire security from State fire monitoring bodies:
d) have their participation in the sphere of fire security ensuring as well as through fire protection public units:
e) support the discovery of the causes of fire appearance:
2. In the sphere of fire security provision the citizens pledge to
a) fulfill the requirements of fire security normative documents:
b) in case of fire detection inform the fire protection bodies about that and take possible measures for population and property protection and fire extinguishing without any significant loss for them and without breach of other important obligations:
c) give opportunity to the officials of State fire monitoring bodies to examine inhabited and subsidiary constructions by the defined order.

Chapter VI
Concluding provisions

Article 32. Responsibility for the present law breach

The breach of the present law brings about responsibility according to the order defined by the RA Legislation.

Article 33. Entry of the law into force

The present law enters into force from the moment of its official promulgation.
 

President of the Republic of Armenia
Robert Kocharyan

May 15, 2001
AL-176