[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
(now Town Council) of the Town of Phillipsburg 6-19-1969 by Ord. No. 998 (Ch. 24 of the 1969 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Fire Department of the Town of Phillipsburg
shall consist of as many volunteer fire companies as shall, from time
to time, be determined by the Town Council of the Town of Phillipsburg.
The Town Council shall, at its first meeting
in January in each year, appoint a Fire Chief, who shall hold office
for a term of one year or until his successor is chosen and qualified.
A.
The Fire Department shall consist of not more than
35 members from each company in active service, including active firemen
provided by the quota established by the New Jersey Firemen's Association.
B.
An active fire fighter shall be citizen of the United
States, of good moral character, between the ages of 18 and 40 years,
in good physical condition as determined by a medical examination
and shall be appointed by the Town Council. He shall be entitled to
an exempt fireman certificate upon completion of seven years of service,
during which he has performed 60% of fire duty during each of the
seven years.
[Amended 9-5-1995 by Ord. No. O:95-30]
[Amended 5-12-1970 by Ord. No. 70-1009]
The Fire Chief shall have control, subject to
the order and direction of the Business Administrator, of the Fire
Department and all fire equipment and apparatus belonging to the Town
and shall, subject to the approval of the Business Administrator,
cause necessary repairs to be made to such fire equipment and apparatus
without delay.
The Assistant Chief of each fire company shall
be responsible for the conduct of the members of his company in going
to, working at and returning from fires and in the arranging and placing
of a company's fire equipment and apparatus as directed and designated
by the Fire Chief.
[Amended 3-13-1979 by Ord. No. O:79-11]
The Captain of each fire company shall be responsible
for the proper care of the fire equipment and apparatus belonging
to the Department and entrusted to his company. He shall maintain
the roll book of the company and shall assist the Chief and Assistant
Chief in the operation of the Department during a fire.
In case of fire, the Fire Chief, or in his absence
the Assistant Chief of the company first arriving at the fire, shall
take command of the Fire Department and direct the management thereof
for the suppression of the fire in the best manner possible; and when
it may be necessary for the protection of other property and to prevent
the spread of the conflagration, the officer in command may cause
a building to be removed, torn down or destroyed in the best manner
possible.
[Amended 5-12-1970 by Ord. No. 70-1009]
The Fire Chief shall keep or cause to be kept
an accurate record of the membership of each company and shall annually
file with the Municipal Clerk a duly verified list and report, under
oath, of all active members of each company not holding exempt firemen's
certificates. He shall keep a record of all alarms of fires and all
fires; determine, where possible, the cause thereof and the amount
of loss resulting therefrom; and report the same each month to the
Business Administrator.
[Amended 5-12-1970 by Ord. No. 70-1009; 3-13-1979 by Ord. No. O:79-11]
The Business Administrator, the Chief of the
Fire Prevention Bureau, the Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chiefs, Captains
and Lieutenants from each company shall constitute the Board of Fire
Engineers. The Board shall meet once a month for the purpose of discussing
and recommending methods to promote the efficiency of the Department
and for the transaction of such other business as may be deemed beneficial
to the Department. The Board may make all such rules and regulations
for its own government not inconsistent with the laws of this state
and the ordinances of the Town. The Fire Chief shall be the presiding
officer, and the Board is empowered to elect such other officers as
it deems necessary.
A.
Each fire company may make rules and regulations for
its own government not inconsistent with the laws of this state and
the ordinances of the Town and may elect honorary and social members,
who shall not be eligible for fire duty.
[Amended 3-13-1979 by Ord. No. O:79-11]
Each fire company shall hold a meeting in November
of each year, at which it shall nominate for election in December
the following officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer,
Assistant Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, five fire police, three trustees,
three relief representatives, drivers and a janitor. The Assistant
Chief and Captain, so elected, shall be submitted for confirmation
to the Town Council.
It shall be the function and duty of the Fire
Department and every member thereof to extinguish accidental or destructive
fires and to prevent the occurrence or spread of such fires.
Any fireman in attendance at a fire who shall
neglect or refuse to obey the orders of the officer in command of
such fire shall be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of
Fire Engineers.
[Amended 5-12-1970 by Ord. No. 70-1009]
Members of the Fire Department, upon orders
of the Business Administrator, are authorized to go outside the corporate
limits of the Town for the purpose of rendering aid to other fire
departments.
[Added 3-21-2000 by Ord. No. O:2000-09]
A.
Membership. Membership is open to any resident of
the Town over the age of 18. An application must be completed and
background check must be made before anyone can answer calls. All
applicants must attend a ten-hour course on fire police procedures.
New applicants may answer calls before they attend fire police school
but they must be with a trained fire police person.
B.
Duties of fire police.
(1)
It shall be the duty of a member of the fire police
to perform his/her duties under the supervision of the fire officer
in charge of the fire or fire drill until the arrival of a duly authorized
police officer, who shall assume responsibility for the supervision
of the performance of traffic duties, preservation of evidence and
all other law enforcement duties. Nothing in this subsection shall
diminish the powers of the Chief or other superior officer of any
volunteer fire company in the exercise of his/her duties.
(2)
The duties of said fire police subject to the supervision
aforesaid shall be to protect property and contents, establish and
maintain fire lines and perform such traffic duties as necessary at
the vicinity of the fire, fire drill or other emergency call until
the arrival of a duly authorized police officer, subject to the approval
of and supervision by the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality
in which the public event takes place.
(3)
Any member of the fire police shall not have any right
to supersede a duly authorized police officer.
[Added 10-6-2015 by Ord.
No. O:2015-19]
A.
Membership. Persons between the ages of 16 and 17 years shall be
permitted membership in the Volunteer Fire Department of the Town
of Phillipsburg and shall be known as junior firefighters.
B.
Rules and regulations. The rules and regulations governing the junior
firefighters shall be as follows:
(1)
Prior to joining, each applicant for the office of junior firefighter
shall have the permission of his or her parent, parents or guardian,
in writing, and acknowledged or witnessed and approved pursuant to
law.
(3)
Upon acceptance as a junior firefighter, each member must successfully
pass a physical examination, as set forth by the New Jersey State
Firemen's Association.
(4)
Upon acceptance as a member, each junior firefighter must attend
and successfully complete Firefighter I class at an approved New Jersey
Fire Academy.
(5)
In all cases, junior firefighters may answer alarms issued only between
the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and no other calls.
(6)
When answering a fire alarm or participating in a fire drill, each
junior firefighter shall be required to wear full firefighters'
gear, including but not limited to coat, helmet and boots.
(7)
At no time when answering an alarm or drill may a junior firefighter
enter a burning or smoke-filled building.
(8)
At no time shall a junior firefighter be permitted to start or drive
a fire truck or other fire equipment of the Town of Phillipsburg.
(9)
Junior firefighters shall not be permitted to remain at any firehouse
in the Town of Phillipsburg after the hour of 10:00 p.m.
(10)
Junior firefighters must maintain a 2.0 G.P.A. in their regular
school course and will be required to produce copies of report cards
to the Fire Chief at the end of each regular school marking period.
Failure to maintain a 2.0 G.P.A. will result in suspension as a junior
firefighter.
(11)
Junior firefighters are under the supervision of the officers
of the company to which they are assigned and the Fire Chief.
(12)
Any other rules and regulations established by the Fire Department
of the Town of Phillipsburg or Town Council or state law shall also
apply.
