A fire and rescue authority (FRA) was a type of body constituted under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (FSA 2005) for the purposes of providing and managing fire-fighting and rescue services within a council area or group of such areas in Scotland.
An authority's principal functions were defined in Chapter 2 of the FSA 2005 and include promotion of fire safety, provision of fire-fighting services, rescue and protection at road traffic accidents and dealing with such other emergencies and matters as they are directed by the Scottish Ministers.
An authority had a duty to take "reasonable measures" to ensure an adequate water supply for most of its own purposes.
An authorised employee of an authority who was on duty was permitted to do anything which he "reasonably believes" to protect life and/or property.
The Scottish Ministers were responsible for providing guidance to FRAs regarding their priorities and objectives in carrying out their functions.