The Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) actively works in 17 of 23 Maryland counties. The mission of the OSFM is "the protection of life and property from fire and explosion through the efforts of a diverse, highly trained and dedicated staff in partnership with other public safety agencies and the community. This is accomplished through aggressive criminal investigation of fire and explosive incidents, quality fire protection engineering services, enforcement of the State Fire Prevention Code, data collection and analysis, and public fire safety education." The State Fire Marshall shall appoint Assistant State Fire Marshals, Special Assistant State Fire Marshals, and Deputy State Fire Marshals as he/she deems appropriate.