[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Cheltenham as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 12-29-1977 by Ord. No. 1431 as Ch. 9, Art. I of the
Cheltenham Code]
[Amended 3-17-2021 by Ord. No. 2423-21]
B.
Each fire company shall operate in a separate district as follows:
(1)
District No. 1: Glenside Fire Company No. 1, bounded on the north
by township dividing line at the northernmost corner of Cheltenham
Township, dividing Abington Township, Cheltenham Township and Springfield
Township and extending southeastward along the division line between
the Townships of Abington and Cheltenham to the Borough of Jenkintown;
thence southwestward and southeastward along the dividing line between
the Borough of Jenkintown and Cheltenham Township to Washington Lane;
thence extending southwestward along Washington Lane to Church Road;
thence northwestward along Church Road on the North side to Greenwood
Avenue; thence southwestward along Greenwood Avenue on the West side
to Limekiln Pike; thence southwestward along Limekiln Pike to Cheltenham
Avenue; thence northwestward along Cheltenham Avenue to the corner
in the Springfield Township line; thence northeastward along Springfield
Township line to the first-mentioned point and place of beginning,
division line of Abington-Cheltenham and Springfield Townships.
(2)
District No. 2: La Mott Fire Company No. 1, bounded on the southwest
by Cheltenham Avenue, beginning at the intersection of Old York Road
and extending northwestward along Cheltenham. Avenue to Limekiln Pike;
thence northeastward along Limekiln Pike to Greenwood Avenue; thence
northeastward along Greenwood Avenue to Church Road; thence southeastward
along Church Road on the South side to the railroad at Wall Park;
thence southwestward along Chelten Hills Drive to Old York Road; thence
southeastward along Old York Road on the southbound side to Cheltenham
Avenue to the first-mentioned point and place of beginning, Cheltenham
Avenue.
(3)
District No. 3: Elkins Park Fire Company, bounded on the southwest
by Cheltenham Avenue, beginning at the intersection of Old York Road
and extending southeastward along Cheltenham Avenue to New Second
Street; thence extending northeastward along New Second Street to
Township Line Road; thence northwestward along Township Line Road
to Washington Lane; thence southeastward along Washington Lane to
Church Road; thence southeastward long Church Road on the North side
of the railroad at Wall Park; thence southeastward from the railroad
to Old York Road; thence southeastward on the Northbound side of Old
York Road to the first-mentioned place and point of beginning, Cheltenham
Avenue.
(4)
District No. 4: Cheltenham Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, bounded
on the northeast by Cottman Avenue, beginning at the intersection
of Hasbrook Avenue and extending northwestward along Cottman Avenue
and Township Line Road to New Second Street; thence extending southwestward
along New Second Street on the South side to Cheltenham Avenue; thence
southeastward along Cheltenham Avenue to the southernmost corner of
Cheltenham Township; thence in a general northeasterly direction along
its various courses along the Newtown-New York Branch of Reading Railroad
and township line to a point of intersection of Hasbrook Avenue and
Old Soldiers Road; thence still northeastward along Hasbrook Avenue
to the first-mentioned point and place of beginning, Cottman Avenue.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98]
Each volunteer fire company which is a member
of the Department shall maintain an active fire-fighting force of
at least 20 members and shall be subject to the control and jurisdiction
of the Board of Township Commissioners. All active members of the
fire companies who are 16 years of age or older shall be members of
the Fire Department.
[Amended 1-19-1983 by Ord. No. 1568; 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98; 8-15-2006 by Ord. No. 2115-06; 11-20-2007 by Ord.
No. 2144-07; 3-17-2021 by Ord. No. 2423-21; 4-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2456-23]
A.
There shall be a Fire Board consisting of nine members; four members
shall be the Fire Chiefs of the individual fire companies or their
designees, and the remaining five members shall consist of the following:
(1)
Chairman of the Public Safety Committee of the Board of Commissioners
or their designee;
(2)
Township's Fire Marshal or their designee;
(3)
A representative from the Cheltenham Police Department;
(4)
The Chief of Cheltenham Emergency Medical Services or their designee;
and
(5)
The Emergency Management Coordinator or their designee.
B.
Meetings. The Fire Board shall meet at least four times a year at
a time and location to be established through proper legal advertisement.
Special meetings may be called by the Executive Officer of the Fire
Board or by request of three Fire Chiefs to the Executive Officer
of the Fire Board, and written notice thereof shall be given to all
members and alternatives at least five days' prior to said special
meeting.
C.
A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum necessary to conduct
any meeting. No action taken by the Board shall be effective unless
such action has received the approval of a majority vote of the eligible
voting members present. The four Fire Chiefs are the only voting members
of the Fire Board. In the event of a tie vote, the Chairman of the
Public Safety Committee of the Board of Commissioners, or their designee,
shall vote to break the tie.
D.
The Township Manager or their alternate shall attend all meetings
upon request, but they shall not have any voting power.
A.
The Fire Board shall make recommendations to the Board
of Township Commissioners through the Public Safety Committee in such
matters as Fire Department administration, training, fire-fighting
methods, fire alarm operation, fire alarm response, fire districts,
mutual aid, William Gottschalk Fire Training Area and other matters
pertaining to the management of the Fire Department.
B.
The Fire Board shall be empowered to adopt rules and
regulations, subject to the approval of the Board of Commissioners,
relating to mutual aid procedures, fire alarm response, cooperation
between fire companies and such other matters as may be related to
the operation of the Fire Department.
C.
Executive Officer.
[Amended 7-19-1983 by Ord. No. 1568; 4-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1689; 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98]
(1)
The Fire Board shall have the power to appoint an
Executive Officer by the February meeting of each year. The Executive
Officer shall act as Secretary of the Fire Board, taking minutes of
all meetings and keeping records of all Fire Board business.
(2)
He shall have the powers and responsibility of carrying
out the provisions of this article. He shall act in the best interests
of the Fire Board and the Fire Department in between meetings and
report at the next meeting of the Fire Board. He shall act as liaison
between the Fire Board and Fire Marshal to see that the Fire Department
Map is maintained. At the direction of Fire Board, he will act as
liaison between the Mutual Aid Fire Companies. He will keep the following
manuals up-to-date for the Fire Board: Special Equipment, Procedure
and Training.
D.
The Fire Board shall appraise annually the fire companies
and the fire protection service in the township for the purpose of
recommending to the Board of Commissioners whatever changes are necessary
in organization and operational methods and practices of fire-fighting
made necessary by the continued growth of the township and/or new
fire-fighting techniques. In making such appraisal, consideration
shall be given to the effectiveness of the Fire Department in the
year immediately preceding, with proper emphasis on fire loss statistics,
equipment requirements, manpower needs and methods and procedures
for training firemen. The annual appraisal shall take place prior
to the presentation of the annual Fire Department budget. In addition
to the annual appraisal, an inspection of each fire house and equipment
shall be made by the Fire Board.
E.
The Fire Board shall make recommendations on the acquisition
of new apparatus, but not replacement of existing apparatus. Apparatus
shall include any and all vehicles owned and operated by the Fire
Department for which a Fire Department license plate is issued by
the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles.
[Amended 7-19-1983 by Ord. No. 1568]
[Amended 7-19-1983 by Ord. No. 1568; 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98]
A.
Each volunteer fire company shall operate under its
own bylaws. Nothing in this section is intended to restrict or hamper
the internal organization of the volunteer fire companies.
B.
The Fire Chief and subordinate officers of each volunteer
fire company shall be in command of their company at fires. They shall
train the members of their company. All companies shall adhere to
uniform Fire Department procedures as recommended by the Fire Board
of the Fire Department. They shall be responsible for the maintenance,
efficiency and conduct of their respective companies.
C.
Any activity which would take any fire company out
of service must be first approved by the Fire Board. No more than
two companies shall be out of service at one time. Permission to be
out of service shall be granted by the Fire Board on a rotating basis.
D.
Each fire company shall keep a record book of all
fires responded to and record the following: time in service, number
of men in service, amount of equipment used, address and type of fires.
The Chief of each fire company shall send a report containing this
information to the Fire Marshal at the end of the month.
E.
Age requirements.
(1)
Fire companies may have sixteen-year-old junior firemen,
but they will wear identification at fires. They will follow Fire
Department regulations for junior firemen.
(2)
Fire company officers and drivers shall be at least
21 years of age, except that utility apparatus may be driven by members
of the Fire Department between the ages of 18 and 21 years when operated
without lights or sirens.
(3)
Chief officers shall be at least 25 years of age and
citizens of the United States.
F.
There shall be a Fire Marshal and one or more Assistant Fire Marshals. They shall be appointed in accordance with regulations and procedures of the township governing the appointment of all township personnel. In appointing Fire Marshals, careful consideration will be given to recommendations of the Fire Board as to qualified applicants. The Fire Marshal shall enforce all the rules and regulations set forth in Article II of this chapter.
A.
The Board of Commissioners of Cheltenham Township
may appropriate annually to the Fire Department of Cheltenham Township
such sum or sums as, in the opinion of the Commissioners, may be right
and proper, such appropriation to be divided among the several volunteer
fire companies composing the Fire Department as the Board of Commissioners,
by resolution, shall direct. Such appropriation shall be given to
each fire company on the first of June and the first of October and
shall be included in the township annual budget, and each company
shall be paid upon receipt of a certificate from the Chairman of the
Public Safety Committee that there are no deductions on account of
fines for the year preceding such annual payment, and that each fire
company faithfully complied with all the rules and duties herein imposed.
Each volunteer fire company shall submit to the Board of Commissioners
a report of its financial condition on April 15. A budget report will
be submitted to the Board of Commissioners on or before October 1
for the ensuing year by each company. The fire companies may raise
funds in their district only.
B.
A Finance Subcommittee consisting of the President
and Finance Officer of each company shall be established to serve
as a liaison between the Board of Commissioners and the Fire Companies.
The financial records of the fire companies shall be maintained in
accordance with generally accepted accounting procedures in a uniform
manner established by this Committee and the Finance Director of the
township. The Finance Committee shall meet twice yearly prior to April
15 and October 1 and shall have the authority to consider financial
matters only. Additional meetings of this Committee may be called
by the Executive Officer of the Fire Board.
[Amended 4-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2456-23]
C.
The Township of Cheltenham shall carry liability insurance
for the fire companies, to include all fire company vehicles. Also,
the township shall carry worker's compensation insurance on fire company
members. A certificate of insurance will be supplied to each fire
company annually.
[Amended 12-15-1998 by Ord. No. 1932-98[1]]
A.
No company shall answer any alarm of fire unless dispatched
by the Montgomery County Fire Radio.
B.
No company is to leave its station until it has reported
to the Montgomery County Fire Radio.
C.
The District Officer where a fire occurs has authority
to call for aid.
D.
Only two township companies may be sent outside of
the township at one time, unless authorized by the Township Manager,
Fire Marshal or Chief of Police.
E.
No mutual aid agreements are to be made by individual
fire companies.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed
former § 22-7, Fire alarm system.
[Added 7-19-1983 by Ord. No. 1568]
A.
By 1995, all fire hose couplings for all companies
shall be one-inch National Standard Thread (NST), one-and-one-half-inch
NST and four-inch NST. This standard shall not apply to suction hoses,
hard or soft sleeve.
B.
By 1995, the electrical standard for all companies
shall be 20A, 125 volt, three-prong twist.
[Amended 4-26-2023 by Ord. No. 2456-23]
A.
The Executive Officer of the Fire Board shall have
the power to suspend or dismiss from the Fire Department any member
guilty of violating any Fire Department rules. Appeal may be made,
however, to the Township Commissioners, who shall give fair and impartial
hearing.
B.
The Executive Officer of the Fire Board shall have
the power to fine any fire company for violation of the rules of the
Department at least $100 and not more than $500, the same to be deducted
from the annual appropriation. Appeal may be made, however, to the
Township Commissioners, who shall give fair and impartial hearing.
[Adopted 8-15-1978 as Ord. No. 1448]
The Board of Commissioners of Cheltenham Township
recognizes the desirability and value of services performed on its
behalf by Cheltenham Township volunteer fire companies and their members
and directors. The purpose of this article is to facilitate such service
and to encourage its continued availability.
Upon request, the township shall provide free
legal assistance to any volunteer fire company or member or director
thereof when such volunteer fire company or member or director thereof
is named or joined as a defendant, an additional defendant or as a
third party defendant in any civil action arising out of or in connection
with the performance of their duties on behalf of the township in
fighting a fire, responding to an emergency or engaging in any reasonably
related volunteer fire company activity undertaken for the purpose
of providing protection against fire or other emergencies; however,
such reasonably related activities shall not include purely social
or athletic activities, or any matters relating to the membership
or election thereto, of any volunteer fire company.
In any case where the township has been requested to provide legal assistance and liability results or judgment is entered against any volunteer fire company, member or director thereof, as a result of the performance of their duties as set forth in § 22-11, the township shall reimburse such volunteer fire company or member or director thereof in an amount necessary to satisfy such liability or judgment. The right of reimbursement to any volunteer fire company, member or director thereof shall not apply if such liability or judgment is the result of willful, wanton or gross negligence or the result of the breach of any financial fiduciary duty.
The provisions of §§ 22-11 and 22-12 shall apply in the event that the existing insurance coverage maintained by the township shall not include the provision of legal services as set forth in § 22-11 or insure against the liability or entry of a judgment as set forth in § 22-12, or in the event that the township's insurance carrier or carriers denies coverage, disclaims coverage or refuses to provide legal services as set forth in § 22-11 or insure against the liability or entry of a judgment as set forth in § 22-12. Also, the provisions of §§ 22-11 and 22-12 shall not apply to any claims made or incidents which have occurred before the effective date hereof.
The volunteer fire companies and the members
and directors thereof shall give immediate written notice to the township
in the event that any claim as covered hereunder is made or filed
against any company, member or director thereof.
