[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Jenkintown 6-24-1929; amended in its entirety 4-25-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-4. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown shall consist of as many fire stations as deemed necessary by Jenkintown Borough Council as may be recommended by the Fire Commission and shall be known as "Jenkintown Borough Fire Department."
The officers of the Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown shall consist of a Fire Chief and a Deputy Fire Chief appointed by Council. Each of these officers shall be over 28 years of age, shall have been a resident of Jenkintown Borough for at least two consecutive years immediately prior to their appointment, and shall be an active member of at least five year's standing in a fire station that is designated as part of the Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown. The Chief and Deputy Chief shall qualify based on the training standard(s) as adopted by Council, which standards may be adopted or revised by motion or by resolution at the discretion of Council from time to time. Council may also appoint such other officers for the safe and effective delegation of the Fire Chief's duties and management, which appointments shall be made with consideration of any recommendations by the Fire Commission. Such other officers shall qualify based on training standards as approved by Council with consideration of any recommendations made by the Fire Commission, but shall, at a minimum, require that such other officer has been a member of a designated fire station for at least two years prior to appointment and, in the case of an Assistant Chief, be over 25 years of age, or, in the case of a Lieutenant, be over 21 years of age.
A. 
Before assuming office, the Chief and Deputy Chief shall take and subscribe to the oath required of Borough Officers. When on duty, they shall wear badges plainly designating their office. The Chief shall have complete control of the Fire Department at all incidents that the Fire Department is summoned to, directing and superintending the operations of the Department as will best protect life and property from destruction. The Chief and, in his/her absence, all other appointed officers shall enforce all rules and regulations enacted and prescribed from time to time by the Fire Commission. The Chief or, when acting as Chief, any other appointed officer, shall have the authority at emergency incidents to preclude right of way, to rope off streets, and to exclude the public from the immediate vicinity of the incident location with the authority to call upon the police for assistance. The Chief shall also have the authority to assist the Fire Marshal in the investigation of all fires and to keep a correct record thereof.
B. 
The Fire Marshal may inspect from time to time all buildings and premises within the fire limits or where accumulations of combustible materials or other hazardous conditions exist or are likely to exist and order such changes or removal as in his opinion are necessary to avoid losses by fire. Failure of any owner or tenant to remove a fire hazard, when ordered to do so by the Fire Marshal, shall subject the offender to a fine or penalty of not more than $300 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, for each and every offense. For the purpose of this inspection, the Fire Marshal is hereby empowered to enter any or all buildings and premises at any reasonable hour in accordance with the Fire Code as adopted by the Borough and to the extent permitted by law.
C. 
It shall be the duty of the Chief to call out any or all members of the Department for practice training whenever deemed necessary, but members of the Department shall be trained not less than once each month.
D. 
The Deputy Chief and such other appointed officers shall aid the Chief under his/her direction and, in case of their absence from or late arrival at a fire, shall assume and perform such duties and be invested with the same power and authority as the Chief until the arrival of the Chief.
All members of the Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown shall render implicit obedience to the orders of the Chief and, in his/her absence, such other appointed officer in control or command at all activities, incidents and emergency scenes called to for assistance of the Department.
It shall be the duty of the Chief or, in his/her absence, such other appointed officer in control or command to enforce any and all rules and regulations, including any standard operating guidelines, as adopted by the Fire Commission. All disciplinary action(s) for a violation of any rule, regulation, or standard operating guideline shall be taken in accordance with the procedure as set forth by the then-adopted standard operating guideline as approved by the Fire Commission.
Council may, in its discretion, make annual appropriations to the Fire Department of the Borough of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, in such amounts as in the opinion of Council deems appropriate through the approved budget process. Such appropriations may be paid quarterly by order regularly granted by Council upon receipt of a certificate from the Chief that the Department has faithfully complied with such rules and regulations concerning their equipment, apparatus, discipline and efficiency as may from time to time be duly prescribed by Council or by the Fire Commission. Should the Chief refuse or fail to provide such certificate, Council may investigate the source and reason for its being withheld and, if any good cause is shown, may withhold the whole or so much of the quarterly appropriation as deemed appropriate and continue to withhold future appropriations.
A. 
All members of the Jenkintown Borough Fire Department, including those engaged in fire police duties, serving the inhabitants of the Borough of Jenkintown, shall be considered "employees" of the Borough, for purposes of receiving compensation pursuant 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 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 station 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 Department.
(3) 
Performing repair, maintenance or other work on fire company equipment, buildings and property.
(4) 
Participating in the training exercises pertaining to the operation and certification of the Department, 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 fundraising events sponsored by the Fire Department.
(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 Department 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 the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act (Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended), 77 P.S. § 1031(a)(1).