The Fire Department shall consist of two companies, to be known
as Company 1 and Company 2, and other such volunteer companies as
the Borough Council may hereafter officially designate and appoint
to combat and extinguish fires in the Borough of River Edge. The Department
shall consist of an active force to be limited to the number prescribed
by state law; each company shall be limited to 50% of the state allowance,
including active exempts. The Fire Department shall consist of a Chief,
an Assistant Chief, a Deputy Chief, two Captains, two First Lieutenants
and two Second Lieutenants, as well as such other firefighters as
may be appointed. The duties of the companies and their personnel
shall be as designated and determined from time to time by the Chief
or, in his absence, the Assistant Chief. There may be established
under this chapter such additional companies and staffing levels as
may be deemed necessary by the Chief Officers in conjunction with
the Mayor and Borough Council.
The fire officers of the Department shall be a Chief, an Assistant
Chief, a Deputy Chief, and for each company: Captain, First Lieutenant,
and Second Lieutenant. To be eligible to hold any fire officer position,
a member must be in good standing, comply with all applicable residency
requirements, have an average of 50% attendance at dispatches, drills,
and meetings, as calculated per the River Edge Fire Department SOP
for calculating averages, and must have been a member of the Department
for at least two years beyond the probationary period. A Captain shall
complete NIMS requirements to ICS Level II and III in his first year
as Captain.
A. Chain of command.
(1) When the Department is not on active duty, it shall be under the
general supervision of the Chief of the Department; provided, however,
that such supervision shall be subject to and not in conflict with
the latest Borough ordinances, Fire Department bylaws, or the Department
rules and regulations.
(2) When the Department is attending a fire or other emergency, it shall
be under the absolute control of the Chief of the Department. In the
absence of the Chief, the Assistant Chief will be in charge. In the
absence of the Assistant Chief, the Deputy Chief will be in charge.
In the absence of the above officers, where both Captains are in attendance,
the Captain from the Assistant Chief's company shall be deemed the
senior officer. In the absence of the above officers where both First
Lieutenants are in attendance, the First Lieutenant from the Assistant
Chief's company shall be in charge. In the absence of the above officers,
where both Second Lieutenants are in attendance, the Second Lieutenant
from the Assistant Chief's company shall be in charge. In the absence
of the above officers, the Fire Department's bylaws shall control.
(3) The Chief, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, or officer in command shall
have general police power at all dispatches in any area of the Borough
actually under the supervision and control of the Fire Department.
B. Chief.
(1) The Chief must be nominated and elected annually and shall serve
no more than two consecutive elected years in office. The Chief of
the Department shall assume command the first day of January following
the election.
(2) The Chief's duties include, but are not limited to:
(a)
Calling a minimum of 10 Departmental drills and four Departmental
meetings each year, one per quarter;
(b)
At dispatches:
[1]
Seeing that the officers and members perform their full duties;
[2]
Giving such orders as may be necessary to save life and property;
[3]
Getting such information from the owner or occupant of the burning
building as may be deemed proper;
[4]
If possible, ascertaining the origin and cause of the fire;
(c)
Notifying the proper law enforcement agency if sufficient evidence
points toward arson;
(d)
After consultation with the proper law enforcement agency, causing
the arrest of anyone giving false alarms or interfering with the work
of the Fire Department while engaged in fire duty;
(e)
Performing such other duties as the good and welfare of the
Department may require; and
(f)
Submitting a written report each quarter to the Borough Council.
[1]
The written report shall reflect the averages calculated by
the Captain of each company, dispatch records and any other pertinent
information regarding the Department.
(3) In the event of a vacancy in the position of Chief, any such a vacancy
shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Assistant Chief. The
Deputy Chief will then assume the office of the Assistant Chief and
the senior Captain will fill the office of the Deputy Chief.
(4) A line officer cannot advance rank unless he or she has at least
one year of service at present rank. Any member who has held the specific
rank or above would be eligible for the opening to be filled by election.
No line officer with less than five years' experience as a line officer,
including a minimum of one year as Captain in the River Edge Fire
Department, shall be allowed to move to the positions of Deputy Chief
or above. To be eligible to serve as Department Chief, the member
must have also served in the Deputy Chief position and the Assistant
Chief position in the River Edge Fire Department.
C. Assistant Chief and Deputy Chief.
(1) The duties of the Assistant Chief and the Deputy Chief include, but
are not limited to:
(a)
Seeing that the apparatus, personal protective gear and all
tools and equipment are kept in order;
(b)
Having command of his respective company at all times;
(c)
Observing that each member does his/her duty;
(d)
Granting leave of absence or excusing any member when deemed
necessary; and
(e)
Aiding the Chief at all times in the discharge of his/her duties.
(2) In the event of a vacancy in the position of Assistant Chief, any
such a vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by the Deputy
Chief. The senior Captain will fill the office of the Deputy Chief.
(3) In the event of a vacancy in the position of Deputy Chief, any such
a vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by the senior Captain.
The senior Captain will fill the office of the Deputy Chief. Any subsequent
vacancy among the fire officers of the company shall be filled for
the unexpired term by progression.
(4) A line officer cannot advance rank unless he or she has at least
one year of service at present rank. Any member who has held the specific
rank or above would be eligible for the opening to be filled by election.
No line officer with less than five years' experience as a line officer,
including a minimum of one year as Captain in the River Edge Fire
Department, shall be allowed to move to the positions of Deputy Chief
or above.
D. Captains (two), First Lieutenants (two) and Second Lieutenants (two).
(1) The Captains, First Lieutenants, and Second Lieutenants shall aid
the Assistant Chief and Deputy Chief at all times in the discharge
of their duties. In the absence of the Assistant Chief or Deputy Chief,
the Captains and Lieutenants, in rank and seniority order, shall act
in such capacity, strictly adhering to all the duties of that office.
(a)
Captain: It shall be the duty of the Captains of each company
to keep and record the attendance at all dispatches, drills, and meetings,
and present the averages for same at each monthly meeting of the company.
Any member may challenge or dispute their average after review at
the monthly company meeting. Upon presentation at the monthly meeting
of the company, the Captain shall submit the averages, and supporting
records, to the Fire Chief for review. The Fire Chief will then forward
to the Borough Administrator for review. Any dispute over a member's
average that is not resolved in-house shall be submitted to the Borough
Administrator and Council for review. The Captain shall also keep
a record of all dispatches. These records and averages shall be kept
in a separate book. At the end of each calendar year, one copy of
these records shall be turned over to the Secretary of the Relief
Association for permanent filing, and signed by the Captain responsible
for the averages.
[1]
The Department shall use the National Fire Incident Reporting
Software ("NFIRS") to record alarm data. If NFIRS is not used, the
Captains shall keep a monthly analysis, organized by category, showing
how attendance is calculated and reported as calculated per the River
Edge Fire Department SOP for calculating averages. If NFIRS is used
only for attendance at dispatches, a master list for all drills, meetings
and each category of additional approved activities shall also be
presented monthly at the company meeting and submitted monthly to
the Fire Chief.
[2]
The Captain shall keep copies of all records in support of the
monthly averages calculations as calculated per the River Edge Fire
Department SOP for calculating averages and file same in the Chief's
office. The records shall be retained in an organized manner according
to dispatches, drills, meetings, and any other approved activity.
Any and all attendance records and calculations shall at no point
be discarded. Records and calculations must be available for the Borough's
review at any given time.
[3]
The River Edge Fire Department average program base/clean copy,
one for each company, will be sent via email or thumb drive to the
Chief's secretary and Borough Administrator no later than January
15. This will provide for a clean, base copy of each average program,
and it will be in file on the Chief's secretary's Borough computer.
[4]
The reporting of attendance at dispatches shall be performed in accordance with §
33-6F(2)(a).
[5]
A member's eligibility for a fire officer position is based
strictly on their attendance at dispatches, drills and meetings. A
member's firematic average will be calculated as per the River Edge
Fire Department SOP for calculating averages, and such member must
have been a member for at least two years beyond the probationary
period. All members must have all certifications as required by the
State of NJ Division of Fire Safety prior to being eligible to hold
a firematic office. All officers must also have all required National
Incident Management System fire officer requirements.
(2) Should any vacancy occur among the fire officers of the company,
such vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by progression,
and a special election will be called by the order of the President
to fill the Second Lieutenant position. A line officer cannot advance
rank unless he or she has at least one year of service at present
rank. Any member who has held the specific rank or above would be
eligible for the opening to be filled by election. No line officer
with less than five years' experience as a line officer shall be allowed
to move to the positions of Deputy Chief or above. In the event no
present officer has the five years' experience, a special election
will be held.
[Amended 2-28-2022 by Ord. No. 22-3]
As stated above, to be eligible to hold any fire officer position,
a member shall comply with all applicable residency requirements,
must have an average of 50% attendance at dispatches, drills, and
meetings, as calculated per the River Edge Fire Department SOP for
calculating averages, and must have been a member for at least two
years beyond the probationary period. Additionally, the member must
satisfy the years of service required in specified fire officer positions
to hold such position.
A. Election of Department Chief.
(1) Eligibility.
(a)
Any member to be nominated as Chief must have held the office
of Deputy Chief or above in the River Edge Volunteer Fire Department.
(2) The Chief must be nominated and elected annually and shall serve
no more than two consecutive elected years in office.
(3) The Chief is to be elected at the annual meeting of the whole department
to be held on the third Thursday in the month of November at the fire
station selected by the Chief.
(4) The Department secretary shall notify all the members of the Department
at least 72 hours prior to date of the Departmental meeting of the
time and place of the meeting.
(5) The nomination made for Chief is as follows:
(a)
When the present Chief is in his last year of service, the nominations
shall be made by the company that the present Chief does not belong
to. In other circumstances, the nomination shall be made by the company
that the present Chief belongs to.
(b)
The nomination shall be made by the respective company at their
regular October meeting, and it shall be the duty of that company's
secretary to post notice of said nomination, in writing, on the bulletin
boards of both companies, not later than November 3. Nominations for
Chief can be made only upon a petition, signed by a minimum of five
members of good standing, from each company. These petitions must
be posted in writing on both bulletin boards not later than November
8.
(6) If there is no contest for the office of Chief, the secretary of
the Department shall cast one ballot to elect the candidate nominated
for Chief. If a second nomination for Chief by petition is utilized,
the Chief shall be elected in accordance with the procedure enumerated
in the Fire Department bylaws.
(7) After the election, the voting record will be submitted to the Borough
Council for confirmation. The Borough Council will confirm the elected
official at the next Council meeting. Any member contesting the election,
or any aspect thereof, will be afforded the opportunity to present
their position at the Council meeting. Once confirmed by Borough Council,
the Chief will be officially sworn in by the Mayor.
B. Election of company officers (Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Captains,
First Lieutenants, Second Lieutenants).
(1) Eligibility:
(a)
A line officer cannot advance in rank unless he or she has at
least one year of service at present rank. Any member who has held
the specific rank or above would be eligible for the opening to be
filled by election. No line officer with less than five years' experience
as a line officer, including a minimum of one year as Captain in the
River Edge Fire Department, shall be allowed to move to the positions
of Deputy Chief or above. To be eligible to serve as Assistant Chief,
the individual must have held the position of Deputy Chief.
(2) All company officers shall be elected at the next regular company
meeting following the election of the Chief. If there is a challenge,
the election will be handled through a closed ballot.
(3) One-third of the active roster constitutes a quorum for the transaction
of all business.
(4) After the election, the voting record will be submitted to the Borough
Council for approval. The Borough Council will confirm the elected
officers at the next Council meeting. Any member contesting the election,
or any aspect thereof, will be afforded the opportunity to present
their position at the Council meeting. If affirmed by Borough Council,
the fire officer(s) will be officially sworn in by the Mayor.
C. Appeal/challenge of fire officer election and appointment. Any member
may contest the election and/or appointment of a fire officer. Prior
to the Council's confirmation and swearing in of that elected officer,
the member may submit a statement of their position to the Council
and appear at the Council meeting to present their objection.
[Amended 12-12-2022 by Ord. No. 22-17]
A. At each meeting, the Secretary shall call the roll and mark as absent
all who have not attended at least a part of the meeting and shall
render a record of meeting percentages to date.
B. Immediately upon the return from a dispatch or drill and after the
apparatus has been properly housed, the officer in command, or senior
member should no officer be present, shall call the roll and all members
not answering to the same, unless excused, shall be considered as
nonattendants at such dispatch. All reporting members must assure
that the officer in command or senior member that is taking roll call,
has marked them as being present for the fire call prior to leaving
the fire station. Any officer or most recent ex-Chief or the senior
man in charge shall be vested with the right to excuse any member
from not returning to the firehouse.
C. It shall be the duty of the Captains of each company to keep and
record the attendance at all dispatches, drills, meetings, as per
the River Edge Fire Department SOP for calculating averages and present
the averages for same at each monthly meeting of the company. Any
member may challenge or dispute their average after review each quarter.
Upon presentation at the monthly meeting of the company, the Captain
shall submit the averages, and supporting records, to the Fire Chief
who then forward to the Borough Administrator for review. Any dispute
over a member's average that is not resolved in-house shall be submitted
to the Borough Administrator and Council for review. The Captain shall
also keep a record of all dispatches. These records and averages shall
be kept in a separate book. At the end of each calendar year, one
copy of these records shall be turned over to the Secretary of the
Relief Association for permanent filing and signed by the Captain
responsible for the averages.
D. A roster of all firematic and civic officers, committees, and members,
signifying their start date, type of member (i.e., active, retired,
exempt, nonexempt, etc.) and position held, if applicable, shall be
updated and submitted to the Borough Administrator on or before January
31 of each year.