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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60660</law_id><section_number>9.1-300</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-488.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="9.1">Commonwealth Public Safety</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians Procedural Guarantee Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services personnel</span>&#x201D; means any person who holds a valid certificate issued by the Commissioner and who is employed solely within the fire department, emergency medical services agency, or public safety department of an <span class="dictionary">employing agency</span> as a full-time <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span> whose primary responsibility is the provision of emergency care to the sick and injured, using either basic or advanced techniques. <span class="dictionary">Emergency medical services personnel</span> may also provide fire protection services and assist in the enforcement of the fire prevention code.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Employing agency</span>&#x201D; means any municipality of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof, including authorities and special districts, that employs <span class="dictionary">firefighters</span> and <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Firefighter</span>&#x201D; means any person who is employed solely within the fire department or public safety department of an <span class="dictionary">employing agency</span> as a full-time <span class="dictionary">firefighter</span> whose primary responsibility is the prevention and extinguishment of fires, the protection of life and property, and the enforcement of local and state fire prevention codes and <span class="dictionary">laws</span> pertaining to the prevention and control of fires.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Interrogation</span>&#x201D; means any questioning of a formal nature as used in Chapter 4 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/9.1-500/">9.1-500</a> et seq.) that could lead to <span class="dictionary">dismissal</span>, demotion, or suspension for punitive reasons of a <span class="dictionary">firefighter</span> or <span class="dictionary">emergency medical services personnel</span>.</p></section></text><history>1987, c. 509, &#xA7; 2.1-116.9:1; 2001, c. 844; 2015, cc. 502, 503.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
