Section 1802. Fire Hydrants and Water Supply.-(a) The board of supervisors may place, replace, operate, maintain and repair or contract with water companies or municipal authorities for the placing, replacing, operating, maintaining and repairing of fire hydrants to water mains, maintaining pressures approved by fire insurance underwriters along highways, streets, roads and alleys within the township or provide for or acquire a water supply system equipped to supply sufficient water for the protection of property from fire. The moneys necessary for providing or acquiring these fire protection services may be obtained by one of the following methods:
(1) The board of supervisors may annually assess the cost of fire protection by an equal assessment upon all property, whether or not exempt from taxation by existing law, within seven hundred and eighty feet of any fire hydrant based upon the assessment of property for county tax purposes.
(2) The board of supervisors may annually assess the cost of fire protection by an equal assessment on all property, whether or not exempt from taxation under existing law, abutting upon highways, streets, roads and alleys within seven hundred and eighty feet of any fire hydrant in proportion to the number of feet the property abuts any water main or within seven hundred and eighty feet of any fire hydrant on the water main. The board of supervisors may provide for an equitable reduction from the frontage of lots at intersections or where, due to the irregular shape of lots, an assessment of the full frontage would be inequitable.
(3) The board of supervisors may pay the cost for fire protection out of the general township fund. If the board of supervisors elects to pay the cost of fire protection services out of the general fund, any special fire protection districts and annual assessments shall be abolished. All moneys in the separate accounts for the special fire protection districts shall be paid into the general fund.
(b) When assessments are made under this section, no assessment shall be made against any farmland or an airport which is privately owned and which is not open nor intended to be open to the public; but vacant lots between built-up sections, either tilled or not tilled, are not farmland.
(c) All assessments for fire protection shall be collected by the tax collector under section 3301(a).
(d) The assessment may be billed on the annual real estate tax bill for township purposes if authorized by the board of supervisors.

Section 1803. Fire Companies, Facilities and Training.-(a) The board of supervisors may appropriate moneys for the use of the township or to fire companies located in the township for the operation and maintenance of fire companies, for the purchase and maintenance of fire apparatus, for the construction, repair and maintenance of fire company houses, for training of fire company personnel and, as set forth in this section, for fire training schools or centers in order to secure fire protection for the inhabitants of the township. The fire companies shall submit to the board of supervisors an annual report of the use of the appropriated moneys for each completed year of the township before any further payments may be made to the fire companies for the current year.
(b) The board of supervisors may by ordinance make rules and regulations for the government of fire companies which are located within the township and their officers.
(c) The board of supervisors may contract with or make grants to near or adjacent municipal corporations or volunteer fire companies therein for fire protection in the township.
(d) No volunteer fire company not in existence in the township before the effective date of this act may organize or operate unless the establishment or organization is approved by resolution of the board of supervisors.
(e) The board of supervisors may annually appropriate funds to fire companies located within the township for the training of its personnel and to lawfully organized or incorporated county or regional firemen's associations or an entity created pursuant to the act of July 12, 1972 (P.L.762, No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Law, to establish, equip, maintain and operate fire training schools or centers for the purpose of giving instruction and practical training in the prevention, control and fighting of fire and related fire department emergencies to the members of fire departments and volunteer fire companies in any city, borough, town or township within this Commonwealth.
(1803) amended Dec. 18, 1996, P.L.1154 , No. 175)
Compiler's Note: The act of July 12, 1972 (P.L. 762, No. 180), referred to as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Law, referred to in subsection (e), was repealed by the act of December 19, 1996, P.L.1158 , No. 177. The subject matter is now contained in 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 23 Subchapter A (relating to intergovernmental cooperation).

Section 1804. Ponds, Dams or Impoundments for Fire Protection.-The board of supervisors may construct or contribute moneys for or participate in the construction of ponds, dams or other impoundments to provide water for fire protection for the township.

Section 1805. Fire Prevention Code.-The board of supervisors may adopt any standard fire prevention code published and printed in book form as provided under this act for adopting standard codes.

Section 1806. Prohibition of Fire-Producing Devices in Certain Retail Stores.-The board of supervisors may by ordinance prohibit the smoking or carrying of lighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes or matches and the use of matches or fire-producing devices in retail stores arranged to accommodate one hundred persons or more or which employ ten or more employes. Any ordinance passed under this section may not prohibit smoking in any restaurant room, rest room, beauty parlor, executive office or any shopping center area designated for smoking.