The Act Commentary on sections Section 2: Fire authorities: power to charge
7.The section amends section 3 of the Fire Services Act 1947 which is concerned with supplementary powers of fire authorities. Subsection (2) of the section amends section 3(1)(e) of the 1947 Act to put beyond doubt that a fire authority may use their brigade for purposes other than fire-fighting in their area, in the area of another fire authority area or at sea. Subsection (3) amends that section to include a provision which gives fire authorities in England and Wales and the Isles of Scilly power to recover costs they incur in fighting fires at sea outside the area of any fire authority. The fire could be beyond the limits of the territorial sea and might be on a ship or an offshore installation (such as an oil rig) or on other structures, such as a pontoon.