The four volunteer fire companies now in service in the Borough
of Danville, namely, the Friendship Fire Company, Washington Fire
Company, Continental Fire Company, and Goodwill Fire Company, shall
together form the Fire Department of the Borough of Danville, hereinafter
designated as the "Fire Department." The fire companies as a Department
shall be represented by the Danville Firemen's Executive Board.
The Fire Department shall be under the supervision of an officer
to be known as the "Borough Fire Chief," a Deputy Fire Chief, and
two Assistant Fire Chiefs. The Borough Chief shall serve as the Chairperson
for the Firemen's Executive Board as well as the Company Chief
for the company they represent.
The fire company entitled to furnish the Borough Fire Chief shall have the sole right to make the selection from the membership of its company, provided they meet the qualifications as outlined in §
24-6. However, the Borough Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief, and all Assistant Fire Chiefs shall be subject to approval by the Danville Borough Council after first having been recommended to the Danville Borough Council by the Danville Firemen's Executive Board.
In the event the Borough Council rejects the person proposed
for Borough Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, or any of the Assistant
Fire Chiefs, the proposing fire company shall nominate another member
for Borough Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and/or Assistant Fire Chief
and submit this name to the Danville Firemen's Executive Board
for its recommendation to and subsequent approval by the Danville
Borough Council.
The qualifications required for an individual to be elected
as Fire Chief are as follows:
A. Ten years of service in the Danville Fire Department.
B. Two years' service as a Department Lieutenant and three years'
service as a Department Captain.
C. Completion of fire-fighting, emergency response, and emergency management
training, as prescribed in a training regimen of Danville Fire Department
qualifications/requirements.
(1) The Firemen's Executive Board shall be responsible for maintaining
a set of training requirements for firefighters, driver/operators,
line officers, and chief officers.
(2) The training requirements shall be reviewed on a regular basis, updating
them as needed to remain current in regards to advancements in safety,
training, and all other facets of the modern fire service.
In the event of death, resignation, or removal from office of the Borough Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief, the remaining Chiefs shall move up in order of rotation to fill the vacancy for the duration of the term. In the event of death, resignation, or removal from office of Assistant Chief, the company which lost its Chief would elect a new member to fill the position for the balance of the four-year period. Upon the completion of this term, the rotation in place shall stand, having those Chiefs holding their positions for the new term. In the event that the company is unable to elect an Assistant Fire Chief meeting the qualifications outlined in §
24-6 of this chapter, the position shall be addressed pursuant to §
24-3D of this chapter.
Before assuming office as such, the Borough Fire Chief, Deputy
Fire Chief, and each of the Assistant Fire Chiefs shall take an oath,
to be administered by the Mayor, to faithfully perform the duties
of their respective offices.
The Borough Council shall have the authority to remove the Borough
Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, or any Assistant Chief for inconsistency,
neglect of duty, or any other cause touching upon the duties and powers
of such officer and their relations to the Fire Department.
The Borough Fire Chief shall be paid such salary or compensation
as shall be determined by the Borough Council.
The Borough Fire Chief, or in his/her absence the Deputy Fire
Chief or Assistant Fire Chiefs, in order of rank, shall have the following
duties:
A. He or she shall have complete charge of the handling of all firefighters
and equipment in the engagement of emergency response operations.
He or she shall also have supervision over the firefighters and department
equipment, with the approval of the Borough Council, during engagements
in and out of the Borough.
B. He or she shall work with the Borough Code Enforcement membership
to review the buildings and other property in the Borough, reporting
all violations of state laws and Borough ordinances relating to fire
hazards.
C. He or she shall furnish an annual itemized inventory before November
1 of each year to the Borough Council of all Borough-owned and company-owned
fire-fighting equipment.
D. He or she shall submit the following reports, on a monthly basis,
to Danville Borough Council:
(1) Individual incident reports of all incidents responded to by the
Fire Department.
(2) A monthly report of all fires and fire losses.
(3) A monthly report indicating all fire-fighting equipment that was
destroyed, damaged, lost, or stolen during the month.
E. He or she shall ensure that monthly Department drills are conducted
to continuously develop the Department membership and that necessary
equipment testing is being completed in accordance with established
industry practices and/or manufacturers' guidelines.
F. The Borough Fire Chief shall attend to all needed repairs of Department
equipment, provided that the expenses involved shall first be approved
by the Borough Council or already fall within the established budget
for the Borough Chief/Department.
G. The Borough Fire Chief shall notify Borough Council if any of the
Borough fire-fighting equipment is to attend out-of-town parades,
conventions, etc.
The Danville Borough Council, with the approval of the Mayor,
by resolution or ordinance, may from time to time make further rules
and regulations and provisions relating to the Chiefs of the Borough
Fire Department and the Borough Fire Department in general, provided
that such rules and regulations do not violate any provisions of this
chapter.