Legal Aspects of Emergency Services

Introduction

The United States of America has a legal system that governs the operations of
emergency services and other federal functions. The legal system comprises laws that govern the
operations of fire emergency systems and organizations, ensuring they only engage in legal
activities permitted by the Constitution. The United States Constitution was framed to help
define the U.S. system of government, spelling out the roles of each branch of government. This
report discusses the legal aspects of emergency services, including the three branches of the
federal government and their sources of authority.
Literature Review

The federal government is divided into three main branches: legislative, judiciary, and
executive. The legislative branch comprises Congress, which makes laws that govern the
country. Congress is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The second
branch, the executive, was created by Article II of the U.S Constitution. It is worth noting that
the executive branch is mainly made up of the President of the United States, who signs into law
the policies passed by the legislature. The President has numerous responsibilities, which include
overseeing executive departments, issuing reprieves and pardons, and commanding the armed
forces. The President is the figurehead of the federal government and represents other countries
in all matters. The federal government is also composed of the judicial branch, created by Article
III. The judicial branch or judiciary includes the justice system (law enforcement officers, courts,
judges, and attorneys) responsible for resolving disputes and crimes, such as cases involving fire
incidents (West, 2018).

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The primary source of federal authority is the United States Constitution, which grants
the federal government and its three branches (executive, Judiciary, and Legislature) the
authority to act. The President, lawmakers, and law enforcement officers are usually required and
expected to act only within the bounds of the powers granted to them by the Constitution. All
federal officers must respect the laws of the land. For example, when the police make arrests or
judges make judgments, they are expected to respect the “Bill of Rights” granted by the
Constitution. Remarkably, some amendments in the U.S (Krutz, 2016). The Constitution allows
Congress to introduce, amend, and repeal federal policies. The primary relationship between
federal and state authority is that the state authority has a responsibility to ensure that the
requirements of the Constitution are met to protect citizens.
Conclusion and Recommendations

In a nutshell, the federal government plays a vital role in ensuring that the rights and
needs of the citizens are upheld. The federal government comprises three main branches: the
executive, legislature, and judiciary. The primary source of federal authority is the U.S
Constitution. One of the recommendations for fire service organizations is to strive to abide by
the regulatory laws to avoid facing legal consequences, which can negatively affect their
operations.

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References
Krutz, G. (2016). American government. OpenStax.
West, G. (2018). Legal aspects of emergency services: The legal system of the United States.
Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.