[Adopted 5-22-1939 by Ord. No. 71 (Ch.
23, Art. I, of the 1985 Code)]
There is hereby created and established a Fire
Department in and for the Borough of Woodcliff Lake, which shall be
under the direct supervision of the Mayor.
The Fire Department shall have full custody
and control of all fire apparatus, equipment and accessories owned
by the Borough, and it shall fully cooperate with and assist the volunteer
fire companies in the protection of life and property.
For the purpose of promoting cooperation between
the Fire Department and the volunteer fire companies and also for
the purpose of promoting to a high degree of efficiency the volunteer
fire companies, a Fire Board is hereby created and established, which
shall consist of the Mayor and two members of the Borough Council,
to be selected by the Council each year at its annual meeting, and
the President, Fire Chief and one Trustee of the volunteer fire companies.
The Fire Board shall have direct supervision and control over all
volunteer fire companies of the Borough of Woodcliff Lake.
The volunteer fire companies shall be governed
and regulated by a constitution and set of bylaws which shall be adopted
by the said companies and approved by a resolution of the Mayor and
Council. A copy of said constitution and bylaws, and any amendments
thereto, shall be filed with the Borough Clerk.
A complete and accurate membership roll of all
volunteer fire companies shall be kept on file with the Borough Clerk.
The election of any person to any office in
the volunteer fire company shall be confirmed by resolution of the
Mayor and Council before he assumes office.
Any member of any volunteer fire company may
be expelled, suspended or reprimanded by resolution of the Mayor and
Council upon charges preferred in writing and hearing thereon.
Any officer of any volunteer fire company may
be removed, suspended or reprimanded by resolution of the Mayor and
Council upon charges preferred in writing and hearing thereon.
[Amended 4-12-1965 by Ord. No. 228; 12-26-1973 by Ord. No.
73-18; 3-22-1976 by Ord. No. 763; 3-20-1978 by Ord. No. 78-3; 10-15-1979 by Ord. No. 79-7; 7-7-1980 by Ord. No. 80-17; 4-15-1985 by Ord. No. 85-4]
A.
A member of any volunteer fire company of the Borough
of Woodcliff Lake may be compensated for any losses incurred by him
in attending upon fires in the Borough of Woodcliff Lake. Any compensation
paid to any one volunteer fireman shall not exceed, in one year, the
sums established from time to time by the Mayor and Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current amounts of compensation
are on file in the office of the Borough Clerk.
[Added 7-8-1940 by Ord. No. 75; amended 9-14-1942 by Ord. No.
80; 6-11-1962 by Ord. No. 204; 12-11-1972 by Ord. No. 72-12; 4-4-1973 by Ord. No. 73-3]
A.
General requirements; criminal history check.
(1)
General
requirements. No person shall hereafter become a member of the Volunteer
Fire Department of the Borough of Woodcliff Lake or any unit thereof
unless he is above the age of 18 years and not above the age of 55
years, a citizen of the United States and a resident or employee of
said Borough for a minimum of six months; with the exception that
said person is an active member in good standing of another department,
and then said person shall be admitted or transferred to the Volunteer
Fire Department regardless of time of residence in the Borough of
Woodcliff Lake. He shall be physically fit to perform the duties of
a fireman, which shall be evidenced by a certificate to that effect
by a practicing physician of the State of New Jersey after physical
examination for that purpose.
[Amended 3-17-1986 by Ord. No. 86-3]
(2)
Criminal
history record check.
[Added 9-6-2011 by Ord. No. 11-11[1]]
(a)
Any Fire Department applicant will submit to fingerprinting by the
Woodcliff Lake Police Department, which will forward the fingerprint
cards to the New Jersey State Bureau of Identification for a criminal
history record check.
(b)
The results of the applicant's criminal history check will be returned
from the State Bureau of Identification to the Woodcliff Lake Police
Department. The Chief of the Woodcliff Lake Police Department or his
designee will provide a written statement to the Borough Administrator
stating that either the applicant has no disqualifying criminal history
or which summarizes any disqualifying criminal charges or convictions.
The Administrator will promptly advise the Clerk of the Fire Department
if the applicant meets the Borough's standards for membership or,
after consulting with the Borough Attorney, advise the Fire Clerk
that the applicant does not meet these standards and may not be granted
membership. If an applicant wishes to discuss the decision made related
to him/her, he/she may meet the Administrator and Attorney to review
the basis for this determination.
(c)
Any person convicted of a crime of the first or second degree as
set forth under the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, or its equivalent
in any other jurisdiction of these United States, shall be ineligible
for membership in the Woodcliff Lake Fire Department.
(d)
Any person(s) convicted of a crime of the third or fourth degree
under the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, or its equivalent in
any other jurisdiction of these United States, may be eligible subject
to review and recommendation of the Borough Council for membership
in the Woodcliff Lake Fire Department.
(e)
No other Borough official or employee will be given access to nor
be informed of the information received from the State Bureau of Identification.
(f)
The Borough authorizes the Fire Department to pay any fee required
by the state in relation to this investigation.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided that the Mayor
and Council authorize the Woodcliff Lake Fire Department to accept
as probationary members fire applicants who meet all other requirements
for membership except having the results of the fingerprint record
check. If, subsequently, the results of the record check by the State
Bureau of Investigation indicate that this individual does not meet
the Borough's standards for membership, upon notification by the Administrator
to the Clerk of this conclusion, the Fire Chief must immediately terminate
this probationary member.
B.
The Mayor and Council may permit active members of
the Volunteer Fire Department and the Junior Auxiliary Fire Department
who move from the Borough of Woodcliff Lake to remain active members
of the Woodcliff Lake Fire Department and Junior Auxiliary Fire Department
upon certification that such members can continue to perform their
duties as firemen in the Borough of Woodcliff Lake.
[Added 7-8-1940 by Ord. No. 75]
Every member of any volunteer fire company shall,
in each and every year, perform at least 60% of duty to be composed
of actual attendance and duty at fires and drills. A record shall
be kept of such attendance and duty by the Chief of the Fire Department
and reported to the municipal officers annually.
[Added 7-8-1940 by Ord. No. 75]
Every person seeking to join any volunteer fire
company shall make application to the company or unit which he desires
to join, and upon his election to membership by vote of a majority
of the unit present and voting, he shall become a member in good standing
after approval of his membership by the Chief and confirmation by
resolution of the Borough Council, and his name shall be entered on
a roll of firemen kept by the Borough Clerk. He shall be given a badge
of membership in his unit by the Borough Council, which badge shall
be worn at all times when on duty and which shall be delivered up
to the Chief at any time upon demand of the Chief or whenever said
person shall be under charges involving moral turpitude or neglect
of duty or for any cause shall cease to be an active fireman.
[Added 7-8-1940 by Ord. No. 75]
Exemption certificates will be issued to any
member of any fire company who shall have served seven years in active
duty, under municipal control, as required by law of April 25, 1935,
as amended May 26, 1936.
