Countywide forest fire protection; authority of the Florida Forest Service; state funding; county fire control assessments; disposition; equipment donations.

(1) The Florida Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the board of county commissioners of each county in this state shall enter into agreements for the establishment and maintenance of countywide fire protection of all forest and wild lands within said county, with the total cost of such fire protection being funded by state and federal funds. Each county shall, under the terms of such agreements, be assessed each fiscal year, as its share of the cost of providing such fire protection, a sum in dollars equal to the total forest and wild land acreage of the county, as determined by the Florida Forest Service, multiplied by 7 cents. The forest and wild lands acreage included in such agreements shall be reviewed each year by the contracting parties and the number of forest and wild land acres and the annual fire control assessment adjusted so as to reflect the current forest acreage of the county. In the event the Florida Forest Service and the county commissioners do not agree, the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund shall make such acreage determination. All fire control assessments received by the Florida Forest Service from the several counties under agreements made pursuant to this section shall be deposited as follows:

(a) An amount equal to the total forest land and wild land acreage of the counties, multiplied by 4 cents, shall be distributed to the Incidental Trust Fund of the Florida Forest Service; and

(b) An amount equal to the total forest land and wild land acreage of the counties, multiplied by 3 cents, shall be distributed to the General Revenue Fund.

(2) The Florida Forest Service may include provisions in the agreements authorized in this section, or execute separate or supplemental agreements with the several counties, county agencies, or municipalities, to provide communication services and other services directly related to fire protection within the county, other than forest fire control, on a cost reimbursable basis only, provided the rendering of such services does not hinder or impede in any way the Florida Forest Service’s ability to accomplish its primary function with respect to forest fire control.

(3) The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may lease, loan, or otherwise make available, without charge, to state, county, and local governmental entities that have fire/rescue responsibilities, new or used fire protection equipment, vehicles, or supplies, which shall include all such items received from public or private entities. The department, and those private or public entities providing at no cost, or de minimis cost, such items for loan or lease through the department, shall not be held liable for civil damages resulting from use or possession of such items. Private or public entities that donate fire/rescue equipment, vehicles, or supplies directly to state, county, or local governmental entities having fire/rescue responsibilities shall not be held liable for civil damages resulting from use or possession of such items.