(a)

(1) Fire protection districts established under the provisions of this subchapter shall cover only territory within the county, or within the defined district, outside the corporate limits of cities and towns.

(2) However, if any city or town within the district does not have an organized or volunteer fire department and desires to be included within the fire protection district, upon the adoption of an ordinance therefor by the governing body of the city or town, addressed to the county judge and quorum court, the area covered by the fire protection district may be extended to provide fire protection within the city limits of the city or town by ordinance adopted by the quorum court.

(b) In order to avoid duplication of fire protection services, fire protection districts established under this subchapter shall be established for the primary purpose of providing fire protection in rural areas for buildings, structures, and other man-made improvements. In addition, fire protection districts may provide other emergency services, like hazardous and toxic materials response, search and rescue services, emergency medical, ambulance, and patient transport services, and such other functions as may be assigned to or reasonably expected of a local fire services agency and which it is trained and qualified to perform.

(3) Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to relieve the Arkansas Forestry Commission of responsibility for providing for fire protection for forest lands.