The board of commissioners of a fire district having a uniformed paid or part-paid fire department, by resolution, may adopt a schedule of hours of actual duty for the members of such district fire department based upon an average of 56 hours per week in any 6-week cycle, but in cases of emergency the official in charge shall have authority to retain any uniformed member on duty during the period of the emergency and in any such case and within 12 months thereafter such member shall be given hours off from the average 56 hours per week in any 6-week cycle to compensate him for the extra hours served by him during such emergency.

Any such resolution shall be inoperative unless and until it shall have been submitted to and adopted by the legal voters within said fire district at the annual election held for commissioners of the board, or at a special election for such purpose.

The resolution shall be submitted as a public question in the manner prescribed by law, by resolution of said board, or by filing with the clerk of the board of fire commissioners of such district a petition for such submission, signed by at least 20% of the legal voters who voted in the next preceding annual election for members of the board of fire commissioners.

The question shall be submitted substantially as follows:

“Insert the name and number of the fire district and state the question as to whether the fire department of the district shall be maintained in such manner as to provide that no uniformed member thereof shall be required to remain on duty in excess of 56 hours per week in any 6-week cycle except in cases of emergency.”

If a majority of the legal voters voting on such question vote in favor of the adoption, the resolution on and after January 1 following such election shall become operative.

L.1971, c. 197, s. 1, eff. July 1, 1971.