County Closes Vol. Fire Department

[GA_Dave]

I realize that things work differently from State to State, but I have never lived in a place where a County Board had any authority to shut down a Fire Department.  Can someone please explain how this works? 

 

In the places I have lived, the FD operates under a State granted Charter, either through a municipality, such as a City FD, or as an incorporated entity, as many VFD's are.  Only the governing body (the State or the City) or the FD itself, can disolve the department.

 

I've never seen this kind of County-level authority before and I'm curious if this is only a Maryland thing.