A town, city, or incorporated village shall have power to create, maintain, and operate a fire department as a department of the municipality, and for this purpose to purchase, acquire, hold, lease, or sell real property, equipment, and apparatus, and to appoint officers, firemen, and employees of the department. (Added 1969, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. March 2, 1970.)