<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gps" article_name="Public Safety" number="8-204" title_number="8" title_name="Fire and Rescue Funds" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Volunteer Company Assistance Fund">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A volunteer company shall submit each request for a grant or loan from the Fund to the Association for approval by a board of review in accordance with the Association’s bylaws.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each request for a grant or loan shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>financial statements for the 2 fiscal years immediately preceding the fiscal year in which the request is made;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any available audit of the financial statements; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a detailed explanation of the reasons for the request.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>For each request for a grant or loan from the Fund, the volunteer company shall certify that the volunteer company applied for money from its local government and was denied, either wholly or partly.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the Association disapproves a request or does not take action within 90 days after the request for any reason other than because funds are not available, the volunteer company requesting a grant or loan may appeal to a panel composed of the president of the Association, the State Fire Marshal, and the chairman of the Fire and Rescue Education and Training Commission.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The decision of the panel is final and is not subject to further review.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>On approval of a request for a grant or loan, the Association or the panel shall transmit its recommendation to the Board of Public Works.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>As authorized by the Board of Public Works, the Treasurer shall disburse money from the Fund to the Association in the name of a volunteer company for the purposes of this subtitle on warrant of the Comptroller.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Baltimore City Fire Department may submit a request for a grant or loan from the Fund for the purposes set forth in § 8-203(b) of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
</section>
