A.
The Chief of the City Fire Department shall be in
supreme command of all functions of the City Fire Department and shall
have the right to utilize any and all equipment, property and personnel
over which the city has a legal right of use, which he or she deems
necessary for any fire emergency. The Chief shall be be responsible
to the Council for the training, efficiency and proper conduct of
the City Fire Department as well as the maintenance and repair of
equipment and property and the reduction of fire hazards. In addition,
the Chief shall have responsibility for the following:
(1)
He or she shall promptly formulate or cause to be
formulated rules and regulations pertaining to signals of alarm, procedures
for answering alarms, discipline of members at all functions and the
proper and efficient conduct of the City Fire Department. The rules
and regulations shall be subject to the approval of the Council. Upon
approval, the rules and regulations shall be posted by the Chief,
or at his command, conspicuously in the firehouses. The Chief may
propose amendments, additions or deletions to the rules and regulations
at any time, but such amendments, additions or deletions shall become
effective only 10 days after approval by the Council. The Chief shall
be responsible for compliance by the members of the City Fire Department
with the rules and regulations.
(2)
It shall be the duty of the Chief of the City Fire
Department, or the next highest ranking officer in the event of the
Chief's incapacity, to report, in writing, the exact membership of
the City Fire Department and to furnish a complete roll of the active
membership. In addition, the Chief shall supply the full names and
residences of the members and their percentage attendance at fires,
drills and meetings. Such information shall be provided to the City
Clerk and to the designated Council representative by the first of
December of each year.
(3)
He or she shall make or cause to be made accurate
written service records concerning each member's attendance at fires,
meetings and drills, together with any notations pertinent to any
member's conduct which may properly appear upon the record.
(4)
He or she shall cause all equipment, apparatus and
other property of the City Fire Department to be kept in condition
for immediate and efficient service and shall report to the designated
Council representative to the City Fire Department immediately any
repairs or replacements required to maintain such service.
(5)
He or she shall make or cause to be made an accurate
written inventory of all equipment and property of the City Fire Department
and shall submit a copy of the inventory record to the designated
Council representative with each quarterly report.
(6)
He or she shall make or cause to be made an accurate
written record of all activities of the City Fire Department, including
an analysis of the number of and locality for each of the following
types of fires, together with an estimated value of loss for each:
(7)
He or she shall render quarterly reports to the Council,
by and through the designated Council representative to the City Fire
Department regarding all functions, condition of property and equipment,
status of personnel and such other matters or suggestions as he or
she may deem necessary or appropriate.
(8)
He or she shall annually file under his or her signature,
with the Municipal Clerk, a list of all members of the City Fire Department.
B.
The Chief or the Drill Master, as designated by the
Chief, shall, at least once each month, conduct suitable drills and
instructions for the purposes of proper operation and handling of
fire apparatus, property and equipment, first aid and rescue work,
salvage, a study of buildings in the city, fire prevention, water
supply and all other matters generally considered essential to good
firemanship and safety, as well as for the preservation of life and
property from fires.
C.
The Chief shall assist proper authorities in suppressing
the crime of arson and in investigating or causing to be investigated
the origin, cause, spread and circumstances of all fires, inclusive
of those of questionable origin.
D.
The Chief shall post or shall cause to be posted within
one week following an annual January City Fire Department meeting,
a schedule of all meetings and drills of the City Fire Department.
A.
In the absence of the Chief or as a consequence of
the inability of the Chief to act, the Deputy Chief shall perform
all the duties of the Chief at all fires, emergencies and on all other
occasions.
B.
In addition, the Deputy Chief shall perform such other
duties and responsibilities as may be delegated to the Deputy Chief
by the Chief and as may be further required by the rules and regulations
of the City Fire Department.
A.
In the absence of the Chief and Deputy Chief or as
a consequence of their inability to act, the Assistant Chiefs shall
perform all their duties at all fires, emergencies and on all other
occasions.
B.
In addition, the Assistant Chiefs shall perform such
other duties and responsibilities as may be delegated to them by the
Chief and/or Deputy Chief and as may be further required by the rules
and regulations of the City Fire Department.
A.
In the absence of the Chief, Deputy Chief and Assistant
Chiefs or as a consequence of their inability to act, the first Captain
to arrive at the scene of a fire or emergency shall act as the commanding
officer until the arrival of the Chief, Deputy Chief or an Assistant
Chief. The other Captain shall act as commanding officer in the event
of the absence of the first Captain or as a consequence of the inability
of the first Captain to act. In the absence of the Chief, Deputy Chief,
Assistant Chiefs and Captains or as a consequence of their inability
to act, the first Lieutenant to arrive at the scene of a fire or emergency
shall act as commanding officer until relieved of command by a higher-ranking
officer. The other Lieutenant shall act as commanding officer in the
absence of the first Lieutenant or as a consequence of the first Lieutenant's
inability to act.
B.
In addition, the Captains and Lieutenants shall perform
such additional duties and responsibilities as may be delegated to
them by the Chief, Deputy Chief or Assistant Chiefs and as may be
further required by the City Fire Department rules and regulations.
C.
The Captains and Lieutenants of each recognized Fire
Company shall be responsible to the Chief for the proper care and
operation of the apparatus, equipment and property housed or maintained
at their recognized Fire Company firehouse.
The Fire Marshal shall perform those duties of the Chief, pertaining to investigation and the like of fires, as are referred to in § 29-7C, as the Chief may delegate to the Fire Marshal, in whole or in part, and under the Chief's supervision. In the absence of the Fire Marshal or in the event of his/her incapacity or refusal to act or as assistant to the Fire Marshal, the Assistant Fire Marshal shall perform those duties or such duties pertaining thereto as the Chief may direct.
A.
In the absence of any officer, the senior fire fighter
shall act as commanding officer at all fires and emergencies until
relieved by an officer. In the absence of the senior fire fighter,
those duties will be performed by the next most senior fire fighter.
B.
In addition, senior fire fighters shall perform such
duties and responsibilities as may be delegated by the Chief or, in
the absence of the Chief or in the event of the Chief's inability
to act, then the Deputy Chief and, in the absence of the Deputy Chief
or in the event of the Deputy Chief's inability to act, then the next-highest-ranking
officer or senior fire fighter, together with such other duties and
responsibilities as may be further required by the City Fire Department
rules and regulations.
A.
It shall be the duty of all officers to attend drills
and instructions unless excused by the Chief or the Deputy Chief.
B.
Suspension or dismissal from office. Any officer not
performing the duties of the office may be suspended from the office
or position, relieved of the duties of that office and be recommended
for dismissal from the office by the Chief, but only with the concurrence
of the designated Council representative to the City Fire Department.
Any such officer may appeal such decision thereafter to Council, which
shall determine if just cause for the suspension or dismissal exists
and which may reinstate such officer if it does not so find.
C.
Code and rules and regulations. It shall be the duty
of the Chief, Deputy Chief and other officers and members of the City
Fire Department to enforce the provisions of the rules and regulations
of the City Fire Department, the Fire Prevention Code of the City
of Somers Point and any and all amendments and supplements thereto,
as well as any other municipal ordinances and any state, county or
federal law having to do with fire prevention, safety and control.
The City Fire Department rules and regulations shall be reviewed and
recommended for revision as deemed necessary by the Chief at least
once each year. The Chief shall involve the City Fire Department membership
in the review and recommendation for the revision process. The rules
and regulations of the City Fire Department shall govern the City
Fire Department, its members and the conduct of its members to the
extent not inconsistent with this chapter or other law.
