SECTION 4. Board of fire prevention regulations

There shall be in the department, but not under the control of the state fire marshal except as provided under rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section ten of chapter one hundred and forty-eight, a board to be known as the board of fire prevention regulations, which shall consist of the state fire marshal, ex-officio, who may designate from time to time a person serving in the department to act temporarily as a member of such board, with the same powers and duties as other members of said board, the commissioner of the Boston fire department, ex-officio and 14 members to be appointed by the governor, for terms of six years each. Three of the members shall be the head of a fire department, as such term is defined in section one of chapter one hundred and forty-eight, one of whom shall be from a community with a population of less than twenty-five thousand, one of whom shall be from a community with a population of more than twenty-five thousand but less than fifty thousand, and one of whom shall be from a community with a population in excess of fifty thousand; provided, however, that the Fire Chiefs' Association of Massachusetts may recommend to the governor such heads of fire departments for such membership. The remaining 11 members shall be appointed as follows: one shall be a member of the Massachusetts Fire Prevention Association, one shall be registered professional fire protection engineer as provided in chapter one hundred and twelve, one shall be a registered professional chemical engineer as provided in chapter one hundred and twelve, one shall be a registered professional mechanical engineer as provided in chapter one hundred and twelve, one shall be a registered professional electrical engineer as provided in chapter one hundred and twelve, one shall be a person representative of the public, one shall be a graduate chemist with fire testing experience and a full member of a national organization of chemists, one shall be an inspector of wires who holds an electrician's license under chapter one hundred and forty-one and has been an inspector of wires under the provisions of chapter one hundred and sixty-six for a period of not less than ten years, one shall be a representative of a national, regional or state association of the blasting industry who shall have been actively engaged for a period of not less than ten years in the keeping, storage, use, handling or transportation of explosives, 1 shall be an inspector of buildings in a city or town and one shall be an electrical contractor who has held a master electrician's license under chapter one hundred and forty-one for a period of not less than ten years.

The governor shall from time to time designate one member of said board as chairman. Such chairman shall act as a nonvoting member of said board, except in the case of a tie vote.

Said board, subject to the provisions of chapter thirty A, shall promulgate a comprehensive fire safety code.

No member shall act as a member of the board or vote as such, in connection with any matter as to which his private right, distinct from the public interest, is immediately concerned.

The majority of said board may transact business but a lesser number may adjourn from time to time.

The fire marshal and the heads of fire departments shall receive no compensation for their service as members of the board but shall receive from the commonwealth all expenses necessarily incurred by them in connection with their official duties. All other members of said board shall each be paid thirty-one dollars and twenty-five cents for each day while in the actual performance of his duties as such member but such pay shall not exceed twelve hundred and fifty dollars in any fiscal year for each member and shall also receive from the commonwealth all expenses necessarily incurred by him in connection with his official duties as such member.

The board may, subject to appropriation and with the approval of the state fire marshal, employ an executive secretary who shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter thirty-one and may employ such clerical, technical and other assistants as may be required by said board.