Clearly define responsibilities in fire prevention and fighting

On the morning of November 1, continuing the session program, the National Assembly discussed in the hall a number of contents with different opinions of the draft Law on Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue.

Photo caption — Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong chaired the meeting. Photo: Doan Tan/VNA

Reporting on the explanation, reception and revision of the draft Law on Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue, Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee Le Tan Toi said that, receiving opinions from National Assembly deputies, the National Assembly Standing Committee has directed the reception and careful review of the draft Law's content with current legal provisions; research, supplement and complete the draft Law to ensure comprehensiveness and compatibility between the scope of regulation and the content in the draft Law. Rescue activities assigned to the military force have been specifically regulated in relevant legal documents such as the Law on Civil Defense, the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, etc. Rescue activities regulated by this Law only include situations such as fires and accidents and incidents that occur daily but have not reached the level of civil defense or natural disaster risk as prescribed by relevant laws and are assigned to the fire prevention, firefighting and rescue force to preside over and coordinate with other relevant forces to carry out.

Notably, according to the Chairman of the National Defense and Security Committee, the draft Law has supplemented and clearly defined the responsibilities of each subject in this activity, including: Responsibilities of the head of the facility; vehicle owner; investment decision maker, investor, vehicle owner, agency, organization, individual in construction activities, production, assembly, building, converting vehicles; household owners, individuals and cases of renting, borrowing, staying at houses and specifically shown in the corresponding clauses of Article 7 of the draft Law that has been absorbed and revised.

The Draft Law also splits Article 17 on Fire Prevention for Housing into 2 articles, including 1 article on Fire Prevention for Housing and 1 article on Fire Prevention for Housing combined with Production and Business. At the same time, classify and supplement more complete and appropriate regulations for these two types; supplement full regulations on fire prevention for facilities and specifically demonstrate in Article 22 of the draft Law that has been absorbed and revised. Incorporate and revise comprehensive regulations on ensuring fire prevention and fighting safety in the installation and use of electricity for daily life and production to ensure feasibility and no overlap with current legal regulations.

Regarding the regulations on fire prevention and fighting service business, Mr. Le Tan Toi said that the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed with the above opinions that it is necessary to implement the Party's policy on "promoting the socialization of fire prevention and fighting work", creating more favorable conditions for establishments and enterprises in consulting, designing, constructing, manufacturing, importing, and trading fire prevention and fighting vehicles and equipment, and encouraging individuals and organizations to participate in fire prevention, fighting, and rescue activities. "Therefore, in order to absorb the opinions of National Assembly deputies and create unity in the legal system, the National Assembly Standing Committee has directed to remove the regulation on fire prevention and fighting service business as a conditional business investment sector in the draft Law. At the same time, it is proposed to amend the Investment Law No. 61/2020/QH14 to remove this regulation in Section 11 of Appendix IV of the Investment Law", Mr. Le Tan Toi said.

In addition, the draft Law has absorbed, revised and supplemented regulations on financial resources and ensuring conditions for fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue activities, redesigned the transitional provisions, and separated a provision on handling facilities and constructions that do not meet fire prevention and fighting requirements and are put into use before the effective date of this Law...

The draft Law on Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue submitted to the National Assembly at the 8th Session consists of 9 Chapters with 59 Articles; 6 Articles less than the draft Law previously submitted by the Government. The content of explanation, acceptance and revision also achieved consensus and agreement between the agency in charge of the review and the drafting agency. This Law regulates fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue; forces, means, ensuring operating conditions and rights, obligations and responsibilities of relevant agencies, organizations, households and individuals in fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue activities.