Fire brigade - Shoboudan

Fire corps are one of the firefighting organizations of municipalities, along with fire headquarters and fire stations, and are primarily engaged in fire prevention and suppression, prevention of other disasters, and damage reduction. They were established by the Fire Brigade Ordinance of 1947 (Showa 22), and are positioned as public organizations in the Fire Service Organization Law (enacted in 1948) (Article 9). In addition, the establishment, name, and area of ​​fire corps are determined by municipal ordinances, and their organization is determined by municipal rules (Article 18 of the same law). Fire corps are municipal organizations organized by volunteers based on the spirit of protecting their hometowns, and their members are part-timers who have their own jobs during the day but are called together to engage in firefighting activities when disasters such as water and fire occur. In cases where fire brigade members often leave their hometowns for work during the day and it is difficult to prepare for a quick response, some municipalities form fire corps with municipal employees and set up a permanent department to cooperate with the regular fire department.

The duties of a fire brigade are exactly the same as those of a fire department headquarters or a fire station, but in terms of function, there are clear differences between the two, such as the powers that fire brigades do not have, such as (1) the authority to order the restriction of outdoor acts that are dangerous from the perspective of fire prevention or the removal of objects that hinder outdoor firefighting activities (Fire Service Act, Article 3), (2) the authority to order fire prevention measures (Fire Service Act, Article 4), (3) the authority to consent when granting building permission (Fire Service Act, Article 7), (4) the authority to approve the temporary storage and temporary handling of hazardous materials (Fire Service Act, Article 10), and (5) the authority to investigate the cause of fire and damage (Fire Service Act, Article 31). As of April 1, 2009, there were 885,394 members of fire brigades.

[Jiromaru Masao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

消防本部、消防署と並ぶ市町村の消防機関の一つで、主として火災の警戒および鎮圧、その他の災害の防除および被害の軽減に従事する機関をいう。1947年（昭和22）の消防団令により設置され、消防組織法（1948年施行）で公的な機関として位置づけられている（9条）。また、消防団の設置、名称および区域は市町村の条例で定め、その組織は市町村の規則で定めることとされている（同法18条）。消防団は、郷土愛護の精神に基づいて有志により組織されている市町村の機関であり、その団員は、日常はそれぞれの職業をもちながら、水火災などの災害が起こったときに招集されて消防活動に従事するといった非常勤の者である。昼間、消防団員が仕事で地元を離れることが多く、即応体制をとることがむずかしい場合、自治体職員により消防団を構成し、常備消防と連携する常備部を置いているところもある。

　消防団の任務は、消防本部または消防署とまったく同一であるが、機能上からみると、たとえば、(1)屋外における火災予防上危険な行為の規制または屋外における消防活動上支障となるものの除去命令権（消防法3条）、(2)火災予防上の措置命令権（同法4条）、(3)建築の許可の際の同意権（同法7条）、(4)危険物仮貯蔵、仮取扱いの承認権（同法10条）、(5)火災の原因および損害の調査権（同法31条）などの権能は消防団にはないなど、両者には明らかな差異がある。2009年（平成21）4月1日の時点で消防団員は88万5394人である。

［次郎丸誠男］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例