Whenever the State Fire Marshal or any employee of the Office of the State Fire Marshal is requested or subpoenaed to testify as an expert witness in any civil or administrative action, the party making the request or filing the subpoena and on whose behalf the testimony is given shall, upon receiving a statement of the cost from the State Fire Marshal, reimburse the Office of the State Fire Marshal for the actual time and expenses incurred by the Office of the State Fire Marsal in connection with the testimony.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-78A-9