[Amended 6-27-1997 by Ord. No. 1706]
A. An applicant for membership in the North Arlington
Fire Department shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Be a citizen of the United States of America.
(2) An applicant for membership may reside in North Arlington
or any of the following contiguous communities:
[Amended 10-14-2010 by Ord. No. 2060; 12-14-2023 by Ord. No. 2396]
(a) Lyndhurst,
Bergen County, New Jersey.
(b) Kearny,
Hudson County, New Jersey, but only those who reside within the geographic
area between Belleville Turnpike to Quincy Avenue and Passaic Avenue
to East of Schuyler Avenue.
In the event that a waiting list for applicants exists, preference
will be given to residents of the Borough of North Arlington;
(3) Shall have reached the age of 18.
[Amended 6-21-2012 by Ord. No. 2099]
(4) Shall possess a valid New Jersey driver's license.
(5) Shall consent to a criminal record check conducted
by the North Arlington Police Department.
(6) Shall satisfactorily complete the following examinations:
[Amended 6-21-2012 by Ord. No. 2099]
(7) Newly appointed members shall be required to serve
a one-year probationary period.
(8) The following restrictions will apply to members 18 years of age
and still in secondary school:
[Added 6-21-2012 by Ord. No. 2099]
(a) Applicant
will be required to obtain written permission of parent(s) or guardian.
(b) Any
student currently attending secondary school shall not be permitted
to attend fires or Department functions during school hours and between
the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.
(c) Applicant
shall not be appointed any sooner than 90 days prior to posted graduation
date.
B. Special duty firefighters.
(1) An applicant for membership as a special duty firefighter
in the North Arlington Fire Department shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
Completed seven or more years of active service.
(b)
Gainfully employed during the daytime hours
in the Borough of North Arlington.
(c)
Submit a request in writing to the members of
the respective company and receive approval from the company, Board
of Fire Officers and the Mayor and Council.
(2) Rights, duties, privileges and restrictions of special
duty firefighter.
(a)
Special duty firefighters will have the rights,
duties and privileges of active members of the Fire Department, except
eligibility for election to the position of Chief, Assistant Chief,
Captain, Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant.
(b)
There will be no more then three special duty
firefighters on each company's roster.
All applications for membership to any company
shall be duly approved by the said company and submitted to the Board
of Fire Officers and, upon receiving the Board's approval, shall be
submitted to the Mayor and Council for confirmation.
All applications for transfers from one company
to another shall follow the following procedure:
A. The respective company captains must sign the request
on the approval of each company.
B. The request for transfer shall be presented, in writing,
to the Board of Fire Officers.
C. The Fire Board must give final approval to all intercompany
transfers.
The Chief of the Department is responsible for
the general direction, control, and supervision of the Department
as authorized and provided for by statute, ordinance, and the Department
rules and regulations. He/she shall administer the daily activities
of the Fire Department. This shall include the development of policies
and procedures to implement programs in training, firefighter safety
and health, and other necessary programs to perform the functions
of the Fire Department in accordance with applicable laws, regulations
and nationally recognized standards. The Chief shall report directly
to the Mayor and Borough Council or administrative official designated
by the Council.
The duties and responsibilities of the fire
officers shall be as established in the rules and regulations of the
Department.
Operation of all Department vehicles shall be
as established in the rules and regulations of the Department.
There shall be an annual inspection of the entire
Department membership, apparatus and equipment. The inspection shall
be held at such time and place as the Board of Fire Officers shall
determine. The inspection shall be conducted by the Mayor and Borough
Council, and the chief officers of the Department. All members of
the Department shall attend the inspection in the prescribed uniform.
Department members, regardless of rank, shall
be subject to disciplinary action, according to the nature or aggravation
of the offense, for violating their oath and trust by committing an
offense punishable under the laws or statutes of the United States,
the State of New Jersey, municipal ordinances, Department regulations,
or company bylaws, either willfully or through negligence or incompetence,
to perform the duties of their assignment; or for failure to obey
any lawful instruction, order, or command of an officer. Disciplinary
action in all cases will be decided on the merits of each case. Disciplinary
action shall be in accord with procedures established by the Board
of Fire Officers and enumerated in the Department rules and regulations.
In the event that a volunteer firefighter dies
as a result of injuries sustained in the course of his/her duties,
the surviving spouse of said volunteer firefighter, or the minor child
or children of such firefighter, if he/she leaves no surviving spouse,
or such minor child or children after the death of said surviving
spouse shall receive an annual pension in the maximum amount allowable
by law at the time of his/her death.