§132-1 County fire chiefs; powers and duties. (a) Records. The fire chief of each county shall keep in the county fire chief's office a record of all fires occurring in the county and of all facts concerning the same, and shall make such compilations and statistical investigations as the fire chief may deem proper, all of which shall be kept as permanent records in the fire chief's office. All records shall be public, except that any evidence in any investigation may, in the discretion of the county fire chief, be withheld from the public.
(b) Investigations, generally. The fire chief of each county shall:
(1) Investigate the cause, origin, and circumstances of fires;
(2) Supervise and make or cause to be made periodically a thorough inspection of all property which might constitute a fire hazard within the county;
(3) Summon and compel the attendance of witnesses and production of evidence and hold hearings and make orders in any matter under the fire chief's jurisdiction;
(4) Cooperate with any and all other governmental officers or agencies having jurisdiction in the matters. [L 1917, c 115, pt of §49; RL 1925, pt of §3463; RL 1935, pt of §6839; am L 1939, c 239, §1(1, 3, 9); RL 1945, §8525; RL 1955, §184-1; am L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §15; am L 1963, c 114, §3; HRS §132-1; am L 1978, c 241, §2(1); gen ch 1985]