(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, in order to be legally organized:

(1) A fire department shall comply with the following requirements:

(A) Be established in accordance with the provisions of the National Fire Protection Association Standard 1201;

(B) Be capable of providing fire protection 24 hours a day, seven days a week;

(C) Be responsible for a defined area of operations depicted on a map located at the fire station; and

(D) Be staffed with a sufficient number of qualified firefighters who are full time, part time, or volunteers and who shall have successfully completed an approved basic fire-fighting course conducted by or through the Georgia Fire Academy; and

(2) A fire department shall possess the following items of equipment and protective clothing:

(A) A minimum of one fully equipped, operable pumper with a capacity of at least 100 GPM at 120 PSI and a tank capacity of a minimum of 250 gallons; provided, however, a minimum of one fully equipped, operable, and approved pumper of at least 750 GPM capacity is recommended;

(B) A minimum of equipment, appliances, adapters, and accessories necessary to perform and carry out the duties and responsibilities of a fire department set forth in Code Sections 25-3-1 and 25-3-2;

(C) A minimum of two approved self-contained breathing apparatus for each pumping apparatus; and

(D) A minimum issue of sufficient personal protective clothing to permit each member to perform safely the duties of a firefighter.

(b) A minimum of 15 firefighters for each fire department is recommended; however, departments existing on or before July 1, 1984, shall be exempt from this recommendation.

(c) A legally organized fire department shall purchase and maintain sufficient insurance coverage on each member of the fire department to pay claims for injuries sustained en route to, during, and returning from fire calls or other emergencies and disasters and scheduled training sessions.

(d) On and after July 1, 1998, the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council shall be authorized, by rules and regulations, to establish and modify minimum requirements for all fire departments operating in this state, provided that such requirements are equal to or exceed the requirements provided in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this Code section.