[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the Borough of Punxsutawney.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted as Secs. 7-34 through 7-41 and 7-43 through
7-54 of the 1974 Code]
[Amended 8-31-1987 by Ord. No. 943]
There is hereby organized and established a Punxsutawney Fire Department
in and for the Borough, consisting of three companies: Central, Lindsay and
Elk Run.
[Amended 8-31-1987 by Ord. No. 943]
The Punxsutawney Fire Department shall consist of a membership as is
established from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.
The officers of the Fire Department shall consist of a Chief, three
Assistant Chiefs and other officers as the Chief may deem necessary for the
effective operation of the Department.
The membership of the Fire Department shall consist of such persons
as may be recommended by the member companies, approved by the Borough Council
and sworn in by the Mayor.
A.
The Fire Department Chief shall be appointed by the Borough
Council for a two-year term from a list of candidates provided by the Fire
Department. Appointment of the Department Chief shall be made at the organizational
meeting of the Council. The Chief shall be technically qualified by training
and experience and shall have the ability to command men and hold their respect
and confidence. He shall be removed only after just cause and after a public
hearing before the Borough Council.
B.
The Chief shall be held accountable to the Borough Council
only, except that in fiscal affairs, he shall initially be held accountable
to the Borough Manager. He shall make written and verbal reports to the Borough
Council as the Council may require. All other Department officers shall be
accountable to the Chief only.
[Amended 8-31-1987 by Ord. No. 943]
A.
The Fire Department shall formulate a set of rules and
regulations to govern the Department and shall be responsible to the Borough
Council for the personnel, morale and general efficiency of the Department.
B.
The Chief shall have full charge of the operating of
the Department at fires and other emergencies. He shall be responsible for
the training of the men, the periodic testing of all equipment and the maintenance
of proper records. He shall be responsible for maintenance of the apparatus.
Each company shall elect its own company officers, including Company
Chief and Company Assistant Chief. The Company Chiefs shall be appointed the
First, Second and Third Assistant Department Chiefs by the Chief of the Fire
Department. The assistant Fire Department officers shall be accountable only
to the Chief.
Officers of the Fire Department shall meet monthly, with proper notice
of said meeting being given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
A.
Generally. The Fire Department shall be equipped with
such apparatus and other equipment as may be required from time to time to
maintain its efficiency and properly protect life and property from fire.
B.
Purchases. Recommendations of apparatus and equipment
needed shall be made by the Fire Department and, after approval by the Borough
Council, shall be purchased in such manner as may be designated by the Borough
Council.
C.
Storage areas; taking away articles. No person shall
use any place where fire apparatus is housed or handle any apparatus or equipment
for any private purpose, nor shall any person willfully and without proper
authority take away or conceal any article used in any way by the Department.
D.
Entry of storage areas; handling equipment. No person
shall enter any place where fire apparatus is housed or handle any apparatus
or equipment belonging to the Fire Department unless accompanied by or having
the special permission of an officer or authorized member of the Department.
E.
Response to outside calls. No apparatus shall be hired
out or permitted to leave the Borough, except in response to a call for aid
or emergency in a neighboring community, without the consent of the Borough
Council. The officer in charge of the Fire Department shall have power to
assign equipment for response to calls for outside aid and in other cases
only when the absence of such equipment will not jeopardize protection in
this Borough.
The Borough is hereby authorized to enter into agreements or contracts
with nearby municipalities or governing bodies of other organizations for
fire protection or to establish a mutual aid system.
Compensation for members of the Fire Department shall be determined
by the Borough Council.
Each member of the Fire Department shall be issued a badge designating
his rank.
Each member of the Fire Department driving a car shall be issued a suitable
insignia to be attached to his personal car.
No person shall park any vehicle or otherwise cause any obstruction
to be placed within 50 feet of the entrance of any fire station or other place
where fire apparatus is stored or within 15 feet of any fire hydrant or cistern.
No unauthorized person with any vehicle shall follow within 600 feet
of any apparatus belonging to the Fire Department nor park any vehicle within
300 feet of a fire.
No person shall drive any vehicle over fire hose except upon specific
orders from the Chief or other officers in charge where the hose is used.
No person shall maliciously turn on or cause to be turned in a false
alarm.
A.
All regularly appointed members of the Department are
hereby given the necessary special police powers for the purpose of enforcing
the provisions of this article.
B.
It is hereby made the special duty of the Chief of Police
and/or other peace officers who may be on duty to respond to all fire alarms
and assist the Fire Department in the protection of life and property, in
regulating traffic, maintaining order and in enforcing observance of all sections
of this article.
The Department and any subordinate or auxiliary department organized
and established by the Council shall have the power to make bylaws and regulations
for governing the same, but no such bylaws, rules or regulations shall have
any force or effect until the same shall have been approved by the Council.
A.
The Mayor, police of the Borough or any of them shall
have power in case of fire to disperse all collections of idle, disorderly
or suspicious persons and otherwise to preserve order and to prevent the commission
of offenses on such occasions.
B.
Any person interfering with or refusing to obey any such
officers in discharge of this duty upon conviction before the District Justice,
shall be guilty of a summary offense and shall be subject to pay a fine not
to exceed the maximum fine of $300, plus costs of prosecution, or to undergo
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days, or both.
[Amended 8-31-1987 by Ord. No. 943]
A.
No person not actually engaged in the extinguishing of
a fire shall enter any house or other building during or after a fire without
the consent of the owner or, if a dwelling, without the consent of the occupant.
B.
Any person so offending, upon conviction before the District
Justice, shall be guilty of a summary offense and shall be subject to pay
a fine not to exceed the maximum fine of $300, plus costs of prosecution,
or to undergo imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days, or both.
[Amended 8-31-1987 by Ord. No. 943]
[Local legislation concerning the Firemen's Relief Association
is currently under review by the Borough. Upon completion of the review, this
legislation will be included as Article II of this chapter.]
