While any duly constituted fire department recognized by the Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission is responding to, operating at or returning from a fire, service call or other emergency, the fire chief, any other elected or appointed fire line officer or any member serving the capacity of fire officer-in-charge shall have the authority:

(1) Of controlling and directing the activities at such scene;

(2) To order any person or persons to leave any building or place in the vicinity of such scene for the purpose of protecting such persons from injury;

(3) To blockade any public highway, street or private right-of-way temporarily while at such scene;

(4) To trespass at any time of the day or night without liability while at such scene;

(5) To enter any building, including private dwellings, or upon any premises where a fire is in progress, or where there is reasonable cause to believe a fire is in progress, for the purpose of extinguishing the fire;

(6) To enter any building, including private dwellings, or premises near the scene of the fire for the purpose of protecting the building or premises or for the purpose of extinguishing the fire which is in progress in another building or premises;

(7) To inspect for preplanning all buildings, structures or other places in their fire district excepting, however, the interior of a private dwelling, where any combustible material, including waste paper, rags, shaving, waste, leather, rubber, crates, boxes, barrels, rubbish or other combustible material that is or may become dangerous as a fire menace to such building or buildings, structure or other places has been allowed to accumulate or where such chief or the chief’s designated representative has reason to believe that such material of a combustible nature has accumulated or is liable to be accumulated;

(8) To direct without liability the removal or destroying of any fence, house, motor vehicle or other thing which the chief may judge necessary to be pulled down or destroyed, to prevent the further spread of the fire;

(9) To request and be supplied with additional materials such as sand, treatments, chemicals, etc., and special equipment when it is deemed a necessity, to prevent the further spread of the fire or hazardous condition, the cost of which to be borne by such property owner;

(10) To order disengagement or discouplement of any convoy, caravan, or train of vehicles, craft or railway cars if deemed a necessity in the interest of safety of persons or property;

(11) To take command of all industrial management, fire brigades or fire chiefs whenever the chief’s company or department is called to respond to such; if in the chief’s opinion such action is in the interest of public safety;

(12) In the event of an incident involving a hazardous substance, to transfer command to a state or federal emergency response team in accordance with the State Hazardous Substance Incident Contingency Plan.

59 Del. Laws, c. 476, § ?2; 64 Del. Laws, c. 123, § ?2; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1;