There is hereby established as part of the Fire
Department a Junior Ambulance and Firefighters Squad, the purpose
of which is to introduce into the Fire Department interested young
persons not having attained sufficient age to qualify for regular
membership therein to the services provided by that Department and
the obligations of its regular members and to provide those young
persons with training and experience that will facilitate their membership
in the Department when they reach the minimum age required for regular
membership.
The Junior Ambulance and Firefighters Squad
shall be composed of such maximum number of members as the Chiefs
of the Fire Department shall hereafter determine in relation to the
need for such members and the ability to train and supervise them.
Such members shall be at least 16 but no older than 17 years of age,
of good moral character, well disciplined and certified by a licensed
physician of New Jersey to be of good health. Such members shall meet
the same residency requirements as those imposed upon full members.
The Chiefs of the Fire Department, with the approval of the Fire Committee,
may impose such further qualifications as they deem necessary and
appropriate. Membership in this Squad shall not be construed to be
full membership in the Fire Department nor confer any of the privileges
of such full membership except to the extent specifically provided
in this article.
Any person, within six months of attaining the age of 16 years, who is otherwise qualified as provided in §
28-37, may make application to the Chiefs of the Fire Department upon such forms as they may devise to assure that the qualifications for membership are met. All such applications shall include the written consent to membership of a parent or legal guardian of the respective applicant. The Chiefs shall reasonably assign, in their own discretion, a score upon each application received in relation to the anticipated assignment of each applicant and respectively and periodically accept into membership so many of the highest ranked applicants as they deem necessary and appropriate under §
28-37 hereof.
Upon acceptance of any application for membership
in the Hasbrouck Heights Junior Ambulance and Firefighters Squad,
the Chiefs of the Fire Department shall assign each new squad member
for training and duty in one of the three fire companies or in the
Ambulance Squad. Such assignment shall be based upon the need of each
of the several companies or the Ambulance Squad, their respective
preparedness to provide the required training and supervision of such
junior member, and the expressed intention of the junior member, if
any.
Members in good standing of the Junior Ambulance
and Firefighters Squad shall be entitled to a clothing allowance in
such amount and payable in such manner as shall be hereafter fixed
and determined by the Mayor and Council, provided that such junior
members shall have complied with the minimum requirements to entitle
such allowance as set in the general rules and regulations of the
Chiefs.
Members in good standing of the Junior Ambulance
and Firefighters Squad shall be afforded the same liability and workers'
compensation insurance coverage as afforded regular members of the
Fire Department.
Any applicable rule or regulation to the contrary
notwithstanding, no member of the Junior Ambulance and Firefighters
Squad shall be required to perform any duty or undertake any activity
which would reasonably be anticipated to expose that member to any
risk of injury, and any regular member of the Department shall have
the duty and authority to order any junior member to take any reasonable
action to avoid such risk.