[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Vernon 6-14-2021 by Ord. No. 21-13.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 52,
Fire Department, adopted 3-2-1981 by Ord. No. 81-4, as amended.
There shall be a Division of Fire Suppression within the Department
of Public Safety.
The Division of Fire Suppression shall be composed of four departments
to be known as:
A.Â
The members and officers in the fire companies shall be respectively
members and officers of the Division of Fire Suppression of the Township
of Vernon. In order to remain active members in good standing, members
and officers shall faithfully perform the duties as firefighters,
obey the bylaws of the Division of Fire Suppression, obey the Vernon
Township personnel policy, their respective companies, and satisfy
the attendance requirements of the company to which they belong. The
company shall elect the officers of each volunteer fire company, and
their name shall be submitted to the Mayor for confirmation of appointment.
These elections and appointments shall take place per company bylaws.
B.Â
New member qualifications. New members in the Division of Fire Suppression
shall make formal application to the appropriate company. An applicant
must meet the following minimum qualifications:
(1)Â
Be at least 18 years of age and have a valid NJ driver's license
that is certified by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
(2)Â
Shall pass a medical examination by a medical doctor, licensed in
the State of New Jersey.
(3)Â
Complete a background check with fingerprinting through the Vernon
Police Department.
C.Â
Firefighter I requirements.
(1)Â
Newly appointed firefighters must meet the Firefighter I training
and certification requirements as set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:73-4.2,
5:73-4.3 and 5:73-4.4. Any applicant who does not meet this requirement
may only be appointed as a probationary firefighter until the completion
of a Firefighter I course approved by the Division of Fire Safety.
The probationary period must not exceed two years.
D.Â
Exemptions. An individual applying to the Division of Fire Suppression
with prior firefighting experience in another jurisdiction may be
exempt from the above requirement if:
E.Â
Only active firefighters as defined in this chapter may be appointed
as an officer within the Vernon Township Division of Fire Suppression.
F.Â
Responsibilities.
(1)Â
It shall be the responsibility of the Fire Company Chief to assure
that all firefighters and their respective fire companies comply with
this chapter.
(2)Â
It shall be the responsibility of the Fire Company Chief to assure
the documentation and course certificates of probationary firefighters
are forwarded to the Fire Commissioner.
(3)Â
Upon receiving the appropriate paperwork from the Company Chief,
the Fire Commissioner will assure that the probationary firefighter,
including transfers from other jurisdictions, is appointed as an active
firefighter by a Vernon Township Council resolution.
(4)Â
Any applicant who does not attend or successfully complete Firefighter
I may be assigned by the Chief of the prospective company, to non-firematic
duties.
A.Â
Within the Division of Fire Suppression, there shall be a Junior Firefighters Program. The purpose of the program shall be to provide training for eventual membership in the Township's volunteer fire companies. Training will be in accordance with an approved lesson plan, in order that all fire companies are providing the same or very similar training to junior members. Each fire company may have a maximum of 10 junior members to be appointed by the Mayor upon recommendation of the Fire Commissioner. Any applicants denied membership shall have the right to appeal pursuant to § 52-7. Each junior member shall:
(1)Â
Be between the ages of 16 and 18 years.
(2)Â
Present permission of the applicant's parents or guardian. Such
permission shall be in writing and acknowledge or approve in the manner
required by law.
(3)Â
Pass a medical examination by a qualified medical doctor, licensed
in the State of New Jersey, establishing the physical capability to
perform the duties of a junior firefighter in preparation for the
Firefighter I training.
B.Â
General rules. A junior member shall be required to observe the rules
and regulations, bylaws of the Fire Suppression Division, SOPs/SOGs
of the Fire Suppression Division, bylaws of the Township volunteer
companies to which he or she is assigned and obey the Vernon Township
personnel policy. These must be reviewed with each junior member by
a training officer and signed by the training officer that this training
was completed. They shall be expected to demonstrate an active interest
in the fire company and its functions. Such members shall be required
to observe the discipline and direction of the officers and members
of the fire company. Junior members that are still in high school
must maintain a "C" average or their appointment will be rescinded.
They can be reinstated if they maintain a "C" average for two consecutive
grading periods after they have failed to maintain their grade average.
C.Â
Training rules.
(1)Â
A junior member shall be required to learn the basics of fire operations,
including, but not limited to, the following, which must be presented
in an approved lesson plan. This must be part of a field training
manual for each junior member that will be taught, reviewed and tested
by a training officer.
(2)Â
When the training officer is satisfied that the junior member has
satisfactorily completed any part of the lesson plan, they must sign
and date the completed segment of the training.
D.Â
Safety rules. Junior member shall not be allowed to perform duties
which would expose junior members to the same degree of hazard as
a regular member of a volunteer fire company.
A.Â
Within the Division of Fire Suppression, there shall be auxiliary
members, who shall be subject to the following provisions:
(1)Â
The purpose of establishing the position of auxiliary members within
the Division of Fire Suppression shall be to supplement and administratively
assist the Vernon Township volunteer fire companies in the performance
of their duties.
(2)Â
Each fire company within the Township may have auxiliary members
to be appointed by resolution of the Township Council upon recommendation
of the Fire Commissioner.
(3)Â
Auxiliary members shall have no voting powers.
(4)Â
Auxiliary members shall not be allowed to hold any offices within
the Division of Fire Suppression.
(5)Â
The status, administrative assignment and supervision of auxiliary
members shall be under the control of the Incident Commander.
A.Â
Each volunteer fire company shall have the right to bring disciplinary
charges against a member and discipline its member pursuant to the
rules and regulations or in accordance with the individual company's
bylaws that have been adopted by that company.
B.Â
If another department wishes to bring charges against another member,
it needs to be done both verbally and in writing through the respective
department Chiefs with a written copy sent to the Fire Commissioner.
If still not resolved, then it is to be brought to the Fire Chiefs
Association.
C.Â
Each volunteer fire company shall have the right to bring disciplinary
charges against a member within the Division of Fire Suppression for
committing any violation of SOPS/SOGs or Township personnel policies.
Disciplinary charges shall be submitted to the Fire Commissioner and
heard by three members of the Fire Chiefs Association, none of which
can be members of the same company as the charged firefighter.
Any member aggrieved by any disciplinary action or denial of
membership by a volunteer fire company shall be entitled to an appeal
from that decision, which must be filed within 30 days of the action
taken by the fire company to the Fire Chiefs Association. On appeal,
the aggrieved party shall be entitled to a full due process hearing,
with said hearing being stenographically transcribed. Within 45 days
of said hearing, the Fire Chiefs Association shall issue a written
decision with regard to said appeal and so advise to the Fire Commissioner
and Deputy Commissioner. At that time, the Fire Commissioner and Deputy
Fire Commissioner will review the transcript of the hearing and submit
the decision of the Fire Chiefs Association to the Mayor. The Mayor
shall, based upon the record of the hearing and the decision of the
Fire Chiefs Association, act on the decision of the appeal.
The Fire Chiefs Association shall be recognized in the Township
as the Firefighter's Board of Directors to coordinate the day-to-day
operations, finances, and equipment maintenance for the volunteer
fire companies in the Township. The Fire Chiefs Association shall
be made up of all current and ex-chiefs and deputy/assistant chiefs.
All members of the Chiefs Association may attend meetings but only
current chiefs and deputies/assistants, or their designee, shall vote
on Association business. The bylaws of the Fire Chiefs Association
must be passed by Township Council resolution and then be on file
in the Township Clerk's office.
A.Â
The Fire Commissioner shall be elected by the Fire Chiefs Association.
Based upon the results of this election, they shall be submitted to
the Mayor for confirmation of this appointment and shall serve for
a term of two years, effective January 1 of even-numbered years, and
who shall report to the Chiefs Association.
B.Â
The Deputy Fire Commissioner shall be elected by the Fire Chiefs
Association. Based upon the results of this election, they shall be
submitted to the Mayor for confirmation of this appointment and shall
serve for a term of two years. They shall be appointed for a term
of two years, effective January 1 of odd-numbered years, and shall
report to the Chiefs Association.
C.Â
Qualifications. The Fire Commissioner or Deputy Fire Commissioner
shall:
(1)Â
Be a former or current Chief of one of the four volunteer fire companies.
They cannot hold a position of political office within the Township.
They cannot be currently employed by the Township, with the exception
of the position of firefighter.
(2)Â
Be active in the affairs of the Fire Chiefs Association and an attendee
of at least 50% of their meetings during the year preceding appointment.
(3)Â
Be an active member of their respective companies in good standing.
They shall meet a minimum of 30% of their company calls and 50% of
their company drills.
(4)Â
Have been elected by the Fire Chiefs Association with the support
of at least three of the four member companies. In the event of a
tie, the outgoing Fire Commissioner or Deputy Fire Commissioner shall
cast the deciding vote.
(5)Â
Vacancies in an office shall be filled for the remainder of the current
term by a special election held within the Fire Chiefs Association
in accordance with the bylaws of the Fire Chiefs Association. In the
event of a tie vote, the deciding vote shall be cast by an ex-chief
of the host company where the special election is held by the Fire
Chiefs Association.
(6)Â
The Fire Commissioner and Deputy Fire Commissioner cannot be from
the same volunteer fire company.
D.Â
Duties of Fire Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner:
(1)Â
Be the liaison officer between the Fire Chiefs Association and the
Mayor.
(2)Â
Give advice to and coordinate activities with each of the Township
Fire companies. They shall exercise control at a company fire or other
emergency only if requested to do so by the company officer in charge
of the emergency. They may act on behalf of a company in the event
of a fire or other emergency when no other qualified officer or a
member of the company, capable of exercising control, is present.
(3)Â
Serve as Fire Coordinator under emergency management.
(4)Â
Report to the Mayor on the conditions and locations of all Township-owned
property, which is assigned to the fire companies.
(5)Â
Maintain a record of all fire-company-owned property for which the
Township has assumed the responsibility of maintenance.
(6)Â
Neither the Fire Commissioner, nor the Deputy Fire Commissioner,
shall have the authority to spend any budgetary monies without prior
approval of the Fire Chiefs Association.
(7)Â
The Deputy Fire Commissioner shall assist a Fire Commissioner in
the discharge of all his duties. In the absence of the Fire Commissioner,
the Deputy Fire Commissioner shall act in his place with all the powers
and duties of the Fire Commissioner.
E.Â
Removal of the Fire Commissioner and/or the Deputy Fire Commissioner.
(1)Â
The Fire Chiefs Association may rescind its approval of the Fire
Commissioner, or Deputy Fire Commissioner, by a vote of three of the
four member companies, for just cause. The Mayor shall confirm this
decision within 15 days; however, if the Mayor disagrees with the
removal, he will have the right to address the Fire Chiefs Association
and request a new vote. If the result is the same after the second
vote, the Mayor shall act on the decision and confirm the removal.
A.Â
The Township shall pay an annual clothing allowance to members of
the Vernon Volunteer Fire Department, the Pochuck Valley Fire Department,
the Highland Lakes Fire Department and the McAfee Fire Department,
as set forth in this section.
B.Â
The allowances shall be based upon a twelve-month period from January
1 to December 31 each year.
C.Â
The amount of the yearly clothing allowance shall be $300 per year.
D.Â
In order to be eligible for a clothing allowance the member must:
(1)Â
Be a full, active member, 18 years old or older in good standing
(junior members and auxiliary members are not eligible);
(2)Â
Have two years of active service with the department in which they
serve;
(3)Â
Be up to date on state-mandated training;
(4)Â
Have attended 30% of emergency calls and 50% of all department drill/training;
and
(5)Â
Have a valid New Jersey driver's license.
E.Â
The Chief or presiding officer of each department is responsible
for the submission of the list of qualified members.
F.Â
The Chiefs and Department Treasurers are exempt from the above requirements
and will automatically receive the stipend.
G.Â
No member is allowed to receive a stipend from more than one department.
H.Â
All run sheets will be filed with the CFO and will be subject to
audit.