TASIn ForceAct
Fire Service Act 1979
47Police officers at fires
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 47
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Fire Service Act 1979.
### 47 Police officers at fires
> > (1) A police officer who is present at a fire shall aid the appropriate fire officer in maintaining the fire officer's authority and in enforcing compliance with the orders and directions of the fire officer in the performance of his functions under this Act.
>
> > (2) *\[Section 47 Subsection (2) amended by No. 29 of 1995, s. 41 \]*A police officer who is present at a fire shall aid a brigade or group of brigades in the performance of its functions under this Act.
>
> > (3) *\[Section 47 Subsection (3) amended by No. 12 of 1981, s. 14 \]**\[Section 47 Subsection (3) amended by No. 29 of 1995, s. 41 \]*A police officer of his own motion may, or, at the request of the appropriate fire officer, shall –
> >
> > > > (a) close any street, road, lane, or other thoroughfare in the vicinity of a fire;
> > >
> > > > (b) regulate the use of any street, road, lane, or other thoroughfare in the vicinity of the fire; and
> > >
> > > > (c) order to withdraw or, in the event of a refusal to withdraw, remove –
> > > >
> > > > > > (i) any person who, by his presence or otherwise, interferes with any fire-fighting operations; or
> > > > >
> > > > > > (ii) any person, other than a member of the Fire Service, who is in or on any land or premises that is burning or is threatened by fire.
>
> > (4) For the purpose of removing a person from any land or premises as provided in [subsection (3)](#GS47@Gs3@EN) [(c)](#GS47@Gs3@Hpc@EN) , a police officer may use such force as may be reasonably necessary.
>
> > (5) *\[Section 47 Subsection (5) substituted by No. 29 of 1995, s. 41 \]*In this section ***fire officer*** means the person who, under this Act, is in charge of a fire-fighting operation.