The Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown shall consist
of the Pioneer Fire Company No. 1, the Independent Fire Company No.
2 and such additional companies as may hereafter be by ordinance or
resolution received into the Department by the Borough Council.
The officers of the Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown
shall consist of a Chief and a Deputy Chief who shall not be members
of the same company. Each of these officers shall be over 25 years
of age, shall have been a citizen and resident of Jenkintown for at
least two consecutive years immediately prior to his election, and
shall be an active member of at least one year's standing in
one of the companies of the Department.
[Amended 3-14-1930; 4-28-1980 by Ord. No. 80-13]
At the first meeting in January of each year, the Chief and
Deputy Chief shall be appointed by the Borough Council and hold office
for the calendar year ensuing or until their respective successors
are appointed. On or before January 1 of each year, the Fire Department
of the Borough may submit to the Council candidates for each office,
selected by it, but Council, in making the appointments, shall not
be confined to the candidates so selected.
[Amended 3-14-1930]
The Chief and Deputy Chief may be removed from office for cause
deemed by Council to be sufficient, but only after hearing. Upon the
death, resignation or removal of either of the said officials, the
Fire Department aforesaid may forthwith submit candidates for the
vacancy, and the Borough Council shall, as soon as practicable, fill
any such vacancy.
All the companies of the Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown
and all members of said companies on duty at fires shall render implicit
obedience to the orders of the Chief and the Deputy Chief.
[Amended 4-28-1980 by Ord. No. 80-13]
The Board of Control shall consist of the President and Vice
President of each company forming the Department and a member of Council.
This Board shall have the power to enact rules and regulations for
the conduct of the Department, the members thereof and the fire companies
composing the same, which rules and regulations when approved by the
Borough Council shall be observed by all those affected thereby.
[Amended 4-28-1980 by Ord. No. 80-13]
It shall and may be lawful for Council to appropriate annually
to the company or companies comprising the Fire Department of the
Borough of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, such sums as in the opinion of
Council may be right and proper, that appropriation to be paid quarterly
by order regularly granted by Council upon receipt of a certificate
from the Chief that the company or companies have faithfully complied
with such rules and regulations concerning their equipment, apparatus,
discipline and efficiency as may from time to time be duly prescribed
by the Board of Control. Should the Chief refuse this certificate,
the Council shall investigate the source and reason for its being
withheld and, if any good cause is shown, shall withhold the whole
or so much of the quarterly appropriation as may be deemed proper.
[Added 6-24-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-6]
A. All volunteer members of the Independent Fire Company and the Pioneer
Fire Company, including those engaged in fire police duties, (hereafter
the "Fire Companies"), each of which fire company serves the inhabitants
of the Borough of Jenkintown, shall be considered "employees" (sic)
of the Borough, for purposes of receiving compensation pursuant to
the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (Act of June 2, 1915,
P.L. 736, as amended), 77 P.S. § 1031(a)(1), for injuries
sustained while actively engaged in performing the following duties:
(1) Responding to alarms, including all emergencies including fire; auto
rescue; water rescue; hazardous materials alarms; and assistance to
other municipalities (whether on an emergency scene in another municipality
or on standby at the fire company when requested by another municipality);
and all special alarms as authorized by the Fire Chief or the Officer
in Charge. For purposes of this subsection, "responding to alarms"
shall include the volunteer fire personnel's travel from and
the direct return to a fire personnel's home, place of business
or other place where he or she shall have been when he or she received
the call or alarm.
(2) Answering any emergency calls for any purpose or riding upon the
fire apparatus which is owned or used by the Fire Companies.
(3) Performing repair, maintenance of or other work on fire company equipment,
buildings and property.
(4) Participating in training exercises pertaining to the operation and
certification of the fire company, including training exercises in
conjunction with fire companies in other municipalities.
(5) Participating in Fire Prevention Week activities with fire companies
in other municipalities, when authorized by the Fire Chief or the
Officer in Charge.
(6) Participating in fund-raising events sponsored by the Fire Companies.
(7) Participating in parades, equipment housings and funerals for fire
personnel within the Borough of Jenkintown, and in other municipalities
when authorized by the Fire Chief or the Officer in Charge.
(8) Regulating traffic, maintaining crowds at a fire scene or when accidents,
floods or any other emergencies require performance of such traffic
and/or crowd control.
(9) Participating in any and all additional events approved by the home
municipality with a letter stating that the fire company is covered
either by the home municipality or the requesting municipality. Approval
of coverage from the Borough of Jenkintown will be by approval of
Jenkintown Borough Council.
B. Nothing contained in this section shall be considered to limit in
any way the activities for which compensation is available to volunteer
fire personnel pursuant to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation
Act (Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended), as set forth in 77
P.S. § 1031(a)(1).